I've been working on ArchStudio, a free, open-source tool for designing software architectures. It's now in beta, and I'd love some feedback from other developers.
🌐 Try it: https://archstudio.app/ (no signup required)
💻 Desktop: https://github.com/JamieLivingstone/ArchStudio/releases (macOS, Windows, Linux)
⭐ GitHub: https://github.com/JamieLivingstone/ArchStudio
More than boxes and lines
Something that's always bothered me about architecture diagramming tools is that a database is just a rectangle labelled "database". The tool doesn't actually understand anything about the system you're designing.
ArchStudio takes a different approach.
Components have real architectural properties. Databases have replication and consistency settings, queues have delivery guarantees, caches have invalidation strategies, and so on.
The idea is to model how a system actually works, not just how it looks.
AI changes you can review like a pull request
ArchStudio also has an optional AI assistant that understands your architecture, can identify potential issues, and propose changes.
But rather than silently modifying your diagram, it shows you a visual diff. You can review, accept, or reject individual changes, much like a code review.
The editor works without AI too. If you want the assistant, you connect your own OpenAI or Anthropic API key.
What's available now
- 29 architecture components with configurable properties and trade-offs
- AI-assisted architecture reviews and changes
- Visual diffs with individual accept/reject controls
- Auto-layout, templates, and JSON/PNG export
- No accounts or mandatory cloud storage
- Browser editor and desktop apps for macOS, Windows, and Linux
Coming soon
- Whiteboard import: take a photo of a whiteboard from the office and turn it into a real, editable architecture diagram
- Interview mode: work through system design problems interactively
- More templates, local models through Ollama, and additional AI providers
I'd love some feedback
It's still early, and I'm particularly interested in hearing from people who regularly design or review software systems.
- Does modelling real architecture properties add value, or unnecessary complexity?
- Would you trust and use the AI review/change workflow?
- What's missing compared with your current tools?
- Would you use ArchStudio on a real project?
It's completely free and MIT licensed.
Constructive criticism is very welcome, especially about things that don't work well or could be improved.
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