Microservice container

[sudsk]

Thanks for the great work. I would like to use hexagon for microservice container instead of rectangle. Where should I add this additional container type?

[adrianvlupu]

Hi,

You can define new container types right after you include the C4_Container.puml, similar to how the ContainerDb type was created.

@startuml
!includeurl https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RicardoNiepel/C4-PlantUML/master/C4_Container.puml

skinparam database<<container>> {
    StereotypeFontColor ELEMENT_FONT_COLOR
    FontColor ELEMENT_FONT_COLOR
    BackgroundColor CONTAINER_BG_COLOR
    BorderColor #3C7FC0
}
!define ContainerDb(e_alias, e_label, e_techn) database "==e_label\n//<size:TECHN_FONT_SIZE>[e_techn]</size>//" <<container>> as e_alias
!define ContainerDb(e_alias, e_label, e_techn, e_descr) database "==e_label\n//<size:TECHN_FONT_SIZE>[e_techn]</size>//\n\n e_descr" <<container>> as e_alias

ContainerDb(db1,"DB1", "SQL")

@enduml

But from what I know about plantUML you can't use the hexagon shape like you use the rectangle

rectangle Something
hexagon Other

This won't work.

[heshuhua]

I have the same question, any suggestion? thx.

[Potherca]

There is a feature request to add a hexagon shape: https://forum.plantuml.net/10418/please-provide-a-hexagon-shape

I would suggest upvoting that.

[aheil]

Adding such a shape will add in excess try complexity to the diagrams. In my opinion, I does not fully fit as a container neither as a component in terms of the C4 model. It probably makes more sense to create dedicated microservice diagrams in addition to your C4 diagrams.

[Potherca]

The hexagon shape has been implemented in PlantUML:

Support in C4-PlantUML might be coming with #145

[Potherca]

Reopening as this is under consideration in #145 .

[Potherca]

FYI: #146 also adds a eight-sided shape that can be used to represent a microservice.