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Concurrents and similar projects

Helielzel edited this page Mar 14, 2023 · 33 revisions

Introduction

You will find here a list of projects similar to aadarchi, that is to say allowing the automatic generation of documentation of a project, in particular by integrating diagrams.

  • Swimm
  • Arc42
  • DocToolchain
  • IcePanel
  • Carbide
  • Archi
  • Gaphor
  • Archipeg

Similar projects

Description

Swimm allows developers to create Markdown documentation with templates and auto-suggestions, and then find them right beside their code, inline, visible in the IDE and Github. Docs being coupled to the code means Swimm can auto-update examples in your docs whenever the relevant code implementation changes. It references documentation right within VSCode and in the documentation you can quote the code, which is automatically updated if any changes are committed to the repository.

License and pricing

3 different prices :

  • Free : with one private repo, 5 users and 30 verification tests per month
  • Standard (8$/month) : Unlimited repos, 75 users, 100 tests
  • Pro (20$/month): Unlimited users, automatic auto-sync approval, unlimited tests
  • Link : https://swimm.io/pricing/

Good ideas

Unlike most other tools, Swimm can generate documentation without the need to conform to certain code structures or conventions or a need for adding inline code comments.

Bad ideas

Explains the code point by point, not in general, and there are no precise diagrams. Architecture model is not very clear, it's available only from the IDE.

Description

DocToolchain is a collection of scripts that makes it easy to create and maintain powerful technical documentation. Built on best-of-breed open source technologies, it delivers "the best docs toolchain so you don’t have to". The basis of docToolchain is the philosophy that software documentation should be treated in the same way as code together with the arc42 template for software architecture and Asciidoc.

Github repository : https://github.com/docToolchain/docToolchain

License and pricing

DocToolchain is open source.

Good ideas

Automatic diagrams and markdown.

Description

Arc42 offers a documentation in 10 points, you can find a nice exemple here : https://hsc.aim42.org/documentation/hsc_arc42.html It answers the following two questions in a pragmatic way and can be tailored to your specific needs :

  • What should you document/communicate about your architecture?
  • How should you document/communicate?

Its functioning : https://arc42.org/overview Github reposirory : http://github.com/arc42

License and pricing

Arc42 is open source and free

Good ideas

Arc42 is completely process-agnostic, and especially well-suited for lean and agile development approaches.

Description

IcePanel is an interactive modelling and diagramming tool that uses the C4 model standard to provide a structured approach to easily communicate system architectures.

With the C4 Model, you can zoom in & out of different levels of detail, depending on the audience you're communicating your designs to (technical/non technical teammates) . Using modelling also removes a lot of the maintenance headache of keeping multiple diagrams up-to-date, as changes can sync automatically through all your diagrams.

License and pricing

There is a free service available, with only the c4 diagram modelling.

Good ideas

IcePanel relies heavily on the C4 model, created and preached by Simon Brown, like aadarchi.

Bad ideas

Even though the website interface is fluid and clear, it's still a basic drag & drop system.

Description

There is not much of a description on their website, basically it's using the c4 model to create diagrams, without drag & drop and it updates without needing to be taken care of at each project modification.

License and pricing

  • pricing link : https://carbide.dev/pricing
  • 2 different prices, free and 10$/month, the different being between the number os editors (3 or unlimited)

Good ideas

Diagrams image export. Simple but can be useful

Bad ideas

It's not automated. You have to write everyting your documentation needs for each component, container, code. So I personnaly found it slow and tedious to set up.

Description

It's an open source modelling toolkit for creating ArchiMate models and sketches. The ArchiMate modelling language is an open and independent Enterprise Architecture standard that supports the description, analysis and visualisation of architecture within and across business domains.

License and Pricing

Open source and free.

Bad Ideas

Diagrams are not automatically generated, so you have to create them on your own. Templates can still be imported to help.

Description

Gaphor is a UML, SysML, RAAML, and C4 modeling application. It is designed to be easy to use, while still being powerful. Gaphor implements a fully-compliant UML 2 data model, so it is much more than a picture drawing tool. You can use Gaphor to quickly visualize different aspects of a system as well as create complete, highly complex models.

License and Pricing

Open source

Bad ideas

Only allows to create diagrams with basic drag & drop, no automatic generation, no text.

Description

Knowledge of existing systems and integrations is necessary to understand how the organization functions. Archipeg helps cross-functional, technology-driven organizations connect the two worlds and make informed decisions. Its goal is to to bring together the different teams around a project, like developpers and business. "Centralize your enterprise knowledge assets by making them accessible for both contribution and consumption."

License and pricing

There are 3 different fees :

Conclusion so far

Although the documentation tools focused on diagram modelling listed above all present interesting ideas (often in their details in specific features), at the end of the day they are all quite similar. Pretty basic drag & drop, no written documentation, no diagrams automatic generation without creating markers within your code...

That's why aadarchi presents something new and above all more complete and faster in terms of pure documentation than the other tools available like those listed above.