Architecture Documentation for Platform Teams

Document shared platform infrastructure with C4 diagrams, enforce architecture standards with conformance rules, and give product teams self-service…

Document the platform your teams depend on

Platform teams build the foundation everyone else relies on. Archyl helps you document shared infrastructure, enforce architecture standards, and give product teams self-service visibility into the platform.

Architecture Documentation for Platform Teams | Archyl

Document shared platform infrastructure with C4 diagrams, enforce architecture standards with conformance rules, and give product teams self-service architecture visibility.

platform team documentation, platform engineering architecture, internal developer platform documentation, platform team tools, DevOps architecture documentation

Platform complexity is undocumented

Shared services, message queues, API gateways, and databases form a complex web that lives in Terraform files and tribal knowledge, not in readable documentation.

Product teams don't understand the platform

Teams build on your platform but don't know how it works. They file tickets for things they could self-serve if they understood the architecture.

Architecture standards are not enforced

You define conventions for service communication, database access, and deployment patterns, but there is no automated way to check if teams follow them.

Infrastructure changes break consumers

Platform changes have hidden downstream impacts. Without a clear dependency map, you cannot predict which teams will be affected by your changes.

C4 model documents the full platform

Map shared infrastructure at every level: system context for the big picture, containers for services and databases, components for internal modules.

Conformance rules enforce platform standards

Define rules like 'all services must use the shared API gateway' or 'databases must not be accessed directly.' Automated checks catch violations.

Drift detection catches undocumented changes

When someone adds a new service or changes a dependency without updating docs, drift detection flags it immediately with a quantified health score.

MCP server enables self-service discovery

Product teams query the platform architecture from their AI assistants. 'What message queues are available?' 'How do I connect to the auth service?'

Architecture as Code in Your Repos

Define the platform C4 model in archyl.yaml alongside your infrastructure code. Deploy documentation updates through CI/CD.

Webhooks for Platform Changes

Notify consumers in Slack or Teams when platform architecture changes. Affected teams know about changes before they encounter breaking issues.

Layer team ownership information on the architecture diagram. Every component has a clear owner, reducing ambiguity during incidents.

ADRs for Platform Decisions

Document why the platform works this way. ADRs linked to C4 elements provide context for design decisions that affect every team.

Technology Radar for the Platform

Track which technologies are adopted, trial, or deprecated across the platform. Guide product teams toward supported technologies.

Architecture Change Requests

Platform changes go through a review workflow. Product teams can propose changes and platform engineers approve them.

Document the platform everyone depends on

C4 model diagrams, conformance rules, and self-service architecture discovery for platform engineering teams.