Nothing close enough? Start from a blank block diagram → Describe it in one paragraph.
How to use a block diagram template.
- 01Describe the system components
List the main services or layers: "draw a microservices architecture with an API gateway, user service, order service, and PostgreSQL database".
- 02Specify communication style
State whether services communicate via REST, gRPC, or message queue. The AI labels arrows with the protocol.
- 03Group into zones or tiers
Ask to "group frontend, backend, and data layers into separate swim lanes" for a cleaner N-tier view.
- 04Add external integrations
Mention third-party services — Stripe, SendGrid, S3 — and the AI places them outside the system boundary with labelled connections.
- 05Export for documentation
Download the block diagram as PNG or SVG to embed in a README, Confluence page, or architecture decision record (ADR).
Questions about block diagram templates
What is the difference between a block diagram and a UML component diagram?
A block diagram uses simple labelled rectangles and arrows to show system structure — it is informal and fast to produce. A UML component diagram follows the UML notation with stereotypes and interface connectors. ChatDiagram generates block diagrams; for strict UML use the component diagram option.
Can I show both sync and async communication on the same diagram?
Yes. Ask the AI to use solid arrows for synchronous REST/gRPC calls and dashed arrows for asynchronous event/queue messages.
How do I represent a monolith alongside a new microservice?
Describe the strangler-fig pattern: "show the legacy monolith block with a new authentication microservice extracted from it". The AI adds a dashed extraction boundary.
Is this suitable for cloud architecture (AWS, GCP, Azure)?
Yes. Mention the cloud provider and services (e.g., "AWS ALB, ECS cluster, RDS Aurora") and ChatDiagram labels each block with the service name. For official AWS icon sets, export and overlay in your preferred tool.