archdraw
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A desktop app for the diagrams in your repo

Keep the drawing true to the code.

archdraw keeps your architecture diagram up to date as the code changes, whether the change came from you, a teammate, or an AI agent. It notices when the drawing no longer matches, draws the update, and waits for your OK.

Download for MacDownload for LinuxSee it on GitHub

Free and open source. macOS and Linux. Runs on your AI key; you set the spending cap.

bean-there (example) / overview.archdrawin step with the code · checked
CustomertapsHTTPSdelivery ordersCustomer appiOS + AndroidDelivery partnerAPIenqueueSQLchargeOrders APINodeBarista queueMenu DBPaymentscard + Apple Pay

Swipe to see the whole drawing.

Changes landingyou · Maya · coding agent
  1. Youapproved the update. The drawing is true again.
  2. archdrawdrew one update: 2 added, 1 changed, 1 removed.
  3. Coding agentremoved fax orders.

01 The problem

Diagrams go stale the week they are drawn.

Code keeps moving. Nobody redraws.

Now more hands touch the code than ever: you, your team, and the AI agents writing alongside you.

  • You
  • Your team
  • AI agents
  1. Mondrawn

    True today. Everyone agrees on the picture.

  2. Tue+12 commits

    Payments learns Apple Pay.

  3. Wed+31 commits

    A delivery partner starts sending orders.

  4. Thu+47 commits

    An agent removes fax orders.

  5. Fri+64 commits

    Still shows fax orders. New hires learn the wrong system.

02 How it works

Four steps. You stay in charge of every one.

archdraw sits next to your code, reads it on a schedule you pick, and only changes the drawing when you say yes.

  1. 01Open

    Open your repo.

    Your diagrams live as small text files in it, next to the code.

  2. 02Ask

    Ask for a drawing.

    archdraw reads the code and sketches the architecture. Nothing changes until you accept.

  3. 03Watch

    It keeps watch.

    Every hour or once a day while archdraw is open, as you choose. When the code's architecture changes, it drafts one update.

    Next check in 40 minutes.
  4. 04Approve

    You review and approve.

    You see the change in color and approve it. It lands in your repo like any other change.

    +2 added~1 changed−1 removed

    .archdraw/overview.archdraw
    one pull request, merged when you approve

03 The moment of review

Review it in color.

  1. The code changes.

    Three changes land in one week.

    • Payments: accept Apple Pay · you
    • Orders: add Delivery partner API · Maya
    • Remove legacy fax orders · coding agent

  2. The drawing falls out of step.

    It still shows fax orders and a card-only checkout. On its next check, archdraw sees the difference.

  3. archdraw draws the update.

    One draft, marked on the real boxes. Green added, amber changed, red removed.

  4. You approve.

    See exactly what moved: Delivery partner added, Payments now takes Apple Pay, fax orders are gone. Approve, and the drawing is true again.

bean-there (example) / overview.archdrawupdate drafted · 10:00
Before · what the drawing said
CustomertapsHTTPSmanual entryCustomer appiOS + AndroidFax orderslegacyenqueueSQLchargeOrders APINodeBarista queueMenu DBPaymentscard−

The update · marked in color

CustomertapsHTTPSdelivery ordersmanual entryCustomer appiOS + AndroidFax orderslegacyDelivery partnerAPIenqueueSQLchargeOrders APINodeBarista queueMenu DBPaymentscardcard + Apple Pay~+−

Swipe to see the whole drawing.

  • Delivery partner API, added
  • delivery orders into Barista queue
  • Payments card → card + Apple Pay
  • Fax orders legacy, removed
Waiting for your OK.

04 Every collaborator, one drawing

Three hands. One true picture.

You, a teammate and an AI agent each change the code.

archdraw folds all of it into one reviewed drawing. Whoever typed the change, the drawing follows the code, and you sign off once.

  • YouPayments: accept Apple Pay
  • Maya, teammateOrders: add Delivery partner API
  • Coding agentRemove legacy fax orders

One drafted update · overview.archdraw

2 added, 1 changed, 1 removed

CustomertapsHTTPSdelivery ordersCustomer appiOS + AndroidDelivery partnerAPIenqueueSQLchargeOrders APINodeBarista queueMenu DBPaymentscard + Apple Pay~+
+ Delivery partner~ Payments− Fax orders

Reviewed by you. Approved once. In your repo at 10:05.

05 Privacy

Yours, privately.

Lives in your repo, not our cloud.

  • Runs on your machine with your own AI key: OpenAI, Anthropic, Google or OpenRouter.
  • Code goes only to the AI provider you picked.
  • No account. No telemetry.

What goes where, in full

your repocode + .archdraw files
archdrawwith your AI key
The one AI provider you picked

Your code goes to Anthropic and nowhere else.

06 For agents

Give your AI agent the map.

Export ARCHITECTURE.md and every diagram for Claude Code, Cursor or Codex.

The next change starts from the true picture.

  • Claude Code
  • Cursor
  • Codex
ARCHITECTURE.mdexported from the approved drawing
---project: Bean Thereverified_at: 3f9c2e1--- # Bean There: architecture Read this first. Each diagram has its own documentwith every part and connection written out as text. How a coffee order goes from the customer's phoneto the barista, and how it is paid. ## Diagrams - The whole system: phone to barista- Payments: card and Apple Pay

07 Download

Get archdraw.

Mac

Apple Silicon and Intel. macOS 13 or later. On the release page, pick the .dmg: arm64 for Apple Silicon, x64 for Intel.

Download for Mac

Linux

AppImage and .deb, for x64.

Download for Linux

Open source

Apache-2.0, on GitHub.

See it on GitHub

Works with GitHub repos, checked on your schedule, and local folders, drawn when you ask. Needs git, and the GitHub CLI for pull requests.

What’s next

Next in the app: a change log for every diagram, showing which commits changed it.

archdraw Cloud, later

Watches while your laptop is closed. Share links. AI included. Follow the releases to hear first.

Watch releases on GitHub