CRAYON-C4 vs Structurizr

Last updated: 27 September 2026

Structurizr is the tool that popularized the C4 model as a docs-as-code workflow: you write a DSL file, and Structurizr renders diagrams from it. CRAYON-C4 covers the same C4 levels, reads and writes that same DSL, and adds a visual editor, F4 behavioral flows, and deployment views on top — with no text format required to get started.

Capability comparison

When to choose Structurizr instead

Choose Structurizr if your workflow is genuinely docs-as-code first: you want the model defined entirely in a text file, reviewed in pull requests like source code, and rendered on demand rather than authored visually. If your team already has strong DSL discipline and doesn’t need behavioral flows or a drag-and-drop editor, Structurizr Lite (self-hosted, still maintained) is a solid fit — and it’s not a decision you have to make once and live with, since CRAYON reads and writes the same DSL either way.

When to choose CRAYON-C4

Choose CRAYON-C4 if you want a visual editor alongside (or instead of) the DSL, if you need to show behavior — F4 flows overlaid on the same model, not a separate sequence-diagram tool to keep in sync — or if you need deployment views with replica counts and real connections. It’s also the more direct path if Structurizr Cloud is the piece you were relying on: that service shuts down 30 September 2026 with no replacement, and CRAYON imports a workspace.dsl file in one step, free.

Migrate from StructurizrSee a worked example

See also CRAYON-C4 vs IcePanel, vs draw.io, and the full list of Structurizr alternatives.