Software Architecture Documentation Tools: What Actually Works in 2026
TL;DR — Architecture documentation tools fall into two categories: diagramming tools (Lucidchart, Miro, draw.io) and living documentation tools (Backstage, Service Map, C4 model tooling). Diagramming tools are fast to start but become inaccurate fast. Living documentation tools require more setup but stay accurate because they’re connected to the source of truth. The architecture documentation tool […]
Self-Hosted vs SaaS Architecture Diagram Tools: An Honest Comparison
TL;DR — SaaS architecture diagram tools work well until they don’t: per-seat pricing that grows with your team, topology data leaving your infrastructure, and vendor lock-in on your system documentation. Self-hosted alternatives eliminate all three — at the cost of a small one-time setup investment. For most engineering teams, that trade is obvious. The architecture […]
