Public repository to reviewable diagram
A GitHub repo,
an architecture diagram.
Use a public repository’s root documentation and supported dependency manifests to make an architecture starting point—then verify each connection against the system.
This guide covers Archifyi’s public GitHub importer. Archifyi is independently operated and is not the official hosted Archify service.
To create a GitHub architecture diagram, start with a public repository URL and treat the result as a reviewable starting point. Repository manifests can show declared dependencies; they do not, on their own, reveal runtime calls or deployment topology.
What the repository importer reads
Archifyi reads the repository’s root README.md and a limited set of root dependency manifests, such as package.json, pyproject.toml, requirements.txt, Cargo.toml, and go.mod. It does not clone or execute the code, inspect every source file, or access private repositories.
Without AI, the importer builds a dependency inventory from supported manifests. When AI is enabled, it can propose an architecture from the bounded public-file evidence. Neither mode proves how a deployed system behaves; check every inferred component and connection against the code and deployment you maintain.
How to generate a diagram from a GitHub repository
- Choose a public repository whose root documentation and dependency files describe the part of the system you want to explain.
- Open the Archifyi studio and select the GitHub repository input.
- Paste the repository’s HTTPS URL in the form
https://github.com/owner/repository. Use the repository root, not a branch, file, pull request, or private URL. - Review the result and any notes. Compare inferred links with the project’s source and deployment configuration; remove relationships that are not supported by evidence.
- After review, save a version or export the diagram. Sharing is optional and creates a link you can revoke.
Turn a dependency graph into a useful architecture diagram
A dependency graph shows which packages a manifest declares. A software architecture diagram should answer a system question: which service receives a request, where data is stored, or how a job moves through the application. Add those runtime relationships only when you can verify them in the source or deployment design.
For a more complete picture, provide a focused system description or add explicit connections in the workspace. You can also start with one of the editable architecture diagram examples.
GitHub architecture diagram questions
Can Archifyi import a private GitHub repository?
No. The importer accepts public repository URLs and does not sign in to GitHub or read private repositories.
Does Archifyi scan the entire codebase?
No. It reads the root README and selected root dependency manifests. It does not clone, execute, or trace every source file.
Is the dependency graph the same as the running architecture?
No. Manifests record declared package dependencies. They do not establish runtime call paths, network boundaries, infrastructure, or which optional dependencies are active in production.
What if my repository has no supported dependency manifest?
Without dependency evidence, the importer cannot create a dependency inventory from manifests. Add explicit system connections or a description in the workspace, or choose a repository with useful root documentation and supported dependency files.
Need the local coding-agent workflow instead? Read the Archify installation tutorial.