Archyl vs Structurizr: C4 Model Tool Comparison

Feature by feature

How Archyl and Structurizr compare

Grouped by the jobs teams hire these tools for, so you can jump to what matters to you.

Capability

ArchylStructurizr

C4 Modeling

Archyl 5/5 · Structurizr 3/5

C4 model support (Context, Container, Component, Code)

Visual drag-and-drop editor

Structurizr is code-only

Architecture as Code (DSL)

Multiple diagram views from single model

Interactive diagram navigation

AI & Automation

Archyl 5/5 · Structurizr 0/5

AI-powered architecture discovery from code

MCP server (191 tools for AI assistants)

Architecture drift detection & conformance scoring

DORA metrics integration

Webhooks for architecture changes

Collaboration & Governance

Archyl 6/6 · Structurizr 0/6

Architecture Change Requests (review flow)

Architecture Decision Records (ADRs)

Structurizr supports basic ADRs

Team collaboration & permissions

Comments & discussions on elements

Release management

Technology radar

Integration & Export

Archyl 5/5 · Structurizr 1/5

Git provider integration

Embed in Confluence, Notion, Miro

API contracts & event channels

Export to PNG/SVG/PDF

Multi-language support (9 languages)

Full supportFull support
PartialPartial
Not availableNot available

The honest take

Where Structurizr shines

Structurizr has genuine strengths. If these matter most to you, it may be the better fit.

Created by the C4 model inventor

Structurizr was built by Simon Brown, the creator of the C4 model. The tooling reflects deep expertise in software architecture visualization and the Structurizr DSL is widely adopted.

Mature DSL ecosystem

The Structurizr DSL has a rich ecosystem of plugins, exporters, and community-maintained tools. It supports multiple rendering engines including PlantUML and Mermaid.

Open-source Lite version

Structurizr Lite is available as a free, open-source option for individuals and small teams who want to self-host their architecture documentation.

Where Archyl goes further

What you get on top of the C4 model itself.

AI-powered discovery

Discover architecture elements straight from your codebase. No manual diagramming to get started.

MCP server, 191 tools

Give Claude, Cursor and other assistants the architecture through 191 specialised MCP tools.

Drift detection

A conformance score and alerts when the code moves away from the documented architecture.

DORA metrics

Deployment frequency, lead time, change failure rate and recovery time, next to architecture health.

Webhooks

Real-time notifications to Slack, Teams or Discord when the architecture changes or drift degrades.

Nine languages

The whole platform in English, French, Spanish, German, Chinese, Japanese, Portuguese, Korean and Italian.

Switching

Moving from Structurizr to Archyl

A typical migration path, from export to a living model.

1

Export your Structurizr model

Open your workspace editor in Structurizr and copy the DSL from the DSL tab. Archyl imports Structurizr DSL, preserving your systems, containers, components, and relationships.

2

Import into Archyl

Use Archyl's import feature to bring your model in. The visual editor lets you refine layouts while keeping all your architecture definitions intact.

3

Enable AI discovery

Connect your code repositories and let Archyl's AI discover architecture elements automatically. Compare discovered architecture with your existing model to find gaps.

4

Set up drift detection

Configure conformance rules and enable drift detection to keep your documentation in sync with your actual codebase as it evolves.

Step-by-step guideMigrate from Structurizr to Archyl OverviewStructurizr alternatives

Questions teams ask before switching

Can I use my existing Structurizr DSL files with Archyl?

Archyl uses its own YAML-based Architecture as Code DSL, and imports Structurizr DSL directly. Your C4 model structure, including systems, containers, components, and relationships, is preserved. Views, styles, and deployment nodes are not imported.

Does Archyl support diagrams-as-code like Structurizr?

Yes. Archyl offers both a visual drag-and-drop editor and a YAML-based Architecture as Code DSL. You can switch between visual and code modes at any time, giving you the best of both worlds.

Is Archyl free like Structurizr Lite?

Archyl offers a free Developer plan for individual use, which includes core C4 modeling features. Business and Scale plans add team collaboration, AI discovery, drift detection, and advanced integrations.

What does Archyl offer that Structurizr does not?

Archyl adds AI-powered architecture discovery from code, architecture drift detection with conformance scoring, an MCP server with 191 tools for AI assistants like Claude, DORA metrics, webhooks, change request workflows, and a visual editor alongside code-based modeling.

How Archyl and Structurizr compareHow Archyl and Structurizr compare