Linked.Archi

Linked.Archi C4 Model Viewpoints

Viewpoint Definitions

https://meta.linked.archi/c4/viewpoints#

v0.1.0 draft c4vp: Kalin Maldzhanski Linked.Archi Modified: 2026-04-15 License

C4 model viewpoints corresponding to the four abstraction levels defined by Simon Brown. Each level zooms into the previous one, providing progressively more detail. The Deployment diagram is an additional cross-cutting viewpoint.

Contents

StructureConcern

Code Diagram (Level 4)

Zooms into a single component showing its internal structure at the code level (classes, interfaces, modules). Typically auto-generated from source code. Answers: "How is this component implemented?"
Purpose: Designing
Concerns: StructureConcern
View type: Diagram
Included concepts:
Component

Component Diagram (Level 3)

Zooms into a single container showing its internal components and their relationships. Answers: "What are the major structural building blocks inside this container?"
Purpose: Designing
Concerns: StructureConcern, DependencyConcern
View type: Diagram
Included concepts:
Container Component

Container Diagram (Level 2)

Zooms into a single software system showing its containers (applications, services, databases) and their interactions. Answers: "What are the major technical building blocks and how do they communicate?"
Purpose: Designing, Informing
Concerns: StructureConcern, IntegrationConcern
View type: Diagram
Included concepts:
Person SoftwareSystem Container

System Context Diagram (Level 1)

The highest abstraction level. Shows the software system in scope and its relationships with users and other systems. Answers: "What is the system and who uses it?"
Purpose: Informing
Concerns: StructureConcern, StakeholderConcern
View type: Diagram
Included concepts:
Person SoftwareSystem

System Landscape Diagram

Shows all software systems and people across the enterprise, not just a single system in scope. A "zoomed out" version of the System Context diagram.
Purpose: Informing
Concerns: StructureConcern, DependencyConcern
View type: Diagram
Included concepts:
Person SoftwareSystem

DeploymentConcern

Deployment Diagram

Shows how containers are mapped to infrastructure — servers, cloud services, containers, and their hosting relationships. Can be created for each environment (dev, staging, production).
Purpose: Designing, Informing
Concerns: DeploymentConcern
View type: Diagram
Included concepts:
Container DeploymentNode InfrastructureNode

BehaviorConcern

Dynamic Diagram

Shows how elements collaborate at runtime for a specific use case or scenario — a sequence of interactions between containers or components.
Purpose: Designing
Concerns: BehaviorConcern, IntegrationConcern
View type: Diagram
Included concepts:
Person SoftwareSystem Container Component
Source: linked-archi-meta • Linked.Archi