An architecture diagram gives developers and AI agents a shared view of how a system is organized. It can show services, modules, data stores, external dependencies, communication paths and ownership boundaries.
The diagram is useful only while it reflects the implementation. Teams should update it when significant architecture changes so later work does not rely on relationships that no longer exist.
ELI5
An architecture diagram is a map of a software system. It shows the important parts and how information moves between them.
For example, the map may show that a web page calls an application service, which reads a database and sends files to storage.
What should an architecture diagram include?
Include the components, boundaries, data flows and dependencies needed to understand or safely change the system.
Why must architecture diagrams be updated?
A stale diagram can direct developers or agents toward obsolete components and hide the real effects of a change.
