Node Types Reference
Complete reference for all node types: Planning, Architecture, Flow, Infrastructure, and Annotations.
Planning Node Types
Planning nodes help you organize and track work items. These are used in the Planning view and can be visualized on the Unified View canvas.
| Node Type | Description |
|---|---|
| EPIC | High-level feature or initiative that contains multiple stories. Typically represents a significant deliverable or theme. |
| STORY | A user story representing a feature or requirement from an end-user perspective. Contains title, description, and acceptance criteria. |
| TASK | A concrete, actionable work item that can be completed. Represents the smallest unit of work. |
Architecture Node Types
Architecture nodes define the structural components of your system.
| Node Type | Description |
|---|---|
| DOMAIN | A bounded context representing a distinct business capability or area of responsibility. |
| SERVICE | A deployable component that provides specific functionality. Can have roles: BACKEND_API, FRONTEND_SPA, DATABASE. |
| ENTITY | A domain object with identity, typically representing a business concept that persists. Contains fields. |
| DTO (Data Transfer Object) | A structure for passing data between processes or components. |
| AGGREGATE | A cluster of related entities and value objects treated as a single unit for data changes. |
| COMPONENT | A generic architectural component that doesn't fit other categories. |
| CONTROLLER | An entry point for handling incoming requests (API endpoint). |
| DATABASE | A data storage component (relational, NoSQL, cache, etc.). |
| QUEUE | A message queue or broker for asynchronous communication. |
| PAGE | A web page or UI screen in the system. |
Flow Node Types
Flow nodes describe behavior, processes, and event flows.
| Node Type | Description |
|---|---|
| START | The beginning of a flow or process. Every flow should have exactly one start. |
| END | The conclusion of a flow or process. Flows can have multiple end states. |
| STEP | A generic action or operation in a flow. |
| DECISION | A branching point based on a condition. Represents if/else logic or routing. |
| SERVICE_CALL | Invocation of an external or internal service. |
| ENTITY_OPERATION | A database operation (create, read, update, delete) on an entity. |
| QUEUE_PUBLISH | Publishing a message to a queue or topic. |
| QUEUE_CONSUME | Consuming or processing a message from a queue. |
| HTTP_REQUEST | An outbound HTTP call to an external API. |
| EXTERNAL_SERVICE | A third-party service or integration. |
| DELAY | A time-based wait or timeout in a flow. |
Infrastructure Node Types
Infrastructure nodes represent deployment and infrastructure concerns.
| Node Type | Description |
|---|---|
| INFRA_GROUP | A logical grouping of infrastructure resources (e.g., AWS VPC, Kubernetes namespace). |
| INFRA_RESOURCE | A specific cloud resource (e.g., S3 bucket, Lambda function, Kubernetes pod). |
Annotation Node Types
Annotation nodes add context and notes to your diagrams.
| Node Type | Description |
|---|---|
| NOTE | A text note or comment that can be placed anywhere on the canvas. |
| SCRIBBLE | Freehand drawing for annotations and quick sketches. |
| IMAGE | An image that can be embedded in the diagram. |
| GROUP | A visual container for grouping related nodes. |
Special Node Types
| Node Type | Description |
|---|---|
| CROSS_VIEW_REF | A reference to a node from another view (Architecture, Planning, or Flow). Used in Brainstorm view to pull in elements from other views. |
Node Relationships (Edges)
Nodes are connected through relationships:
| Edge Type | Description |
|---|---|
| FLOW_TO | Sequential flow from one node to the next |
| RELATED_TO | General relationship between related elements |
| BLOCKS | Indicates a dependency where one item blocks another |
| HAS_FIELD | Entity contains a field |
| CONTAINS | A container holds other elements |
| BELONGS_TO | An element is part of a larger structure |
| DEPLOYED_ON | A component is deployed to infrastructure |
| MAPS_TO | A transformation or mapping relationship |
Creating Nodes
Via Command Palette
Press Ctrl+K to open the command palette and search for "Create" to see available node creation options.
Via Context Menu
Right-click on the canvas to open the context menu and select a node type to create.
Via Drag and Drop
Drag nodes from the palette sidebar onto the canvas.
From Planning to Unified View
Nodes created in Planning view appear in the Inbox in Unified View, where you can drag them onto the canvas to visualize them.