Structure101 companion components
Structure101 makes it easy for the whole team to control structural complexity and architecture by communicating the information that is required, when it is required, through 2 companion components - the IDE plug-in and the web application.
Structure101 IntelliJ plug-in
The plug-in lets you communicate and influence your architecture as it actually happens - when code is edited by programmers.
Once you have published architecture diagrams and a reference snapshot (e.g. the latest build) to a Structure101 repository, it is time to get your developers to install the IDE plug-in.
Developers will see the architecture diagrams within their development environment, with violating dependencies overlaid. They can navigate to the source of any violations.
More importantly, they will be warned if they create any new violations relative to the reference snapshot. This means that they can make sure that their current work is in accordance with the intended architecture, without feeling overwhelmed by warnings for prior violations.
By communicating the architecture and keeping a lid on violations in this way, the code-base will tend to evolve towards the intended structure almost effortlessly.
The IDE plug-in can be downloaded and installed freely, however you will require a Structure101 repository for your project (populated by a Structure101 publisher).
Structure101 web application
The Structure101 web application web-enables a Structure101 repository, providing high-level trending and cross-project management reports on the status and integrity of your software architecture.
Structure101 clients and IDE plug-ins can access architecture diagrams and reference structures by providing the URL of the web application.
Some of the information that is available in the client is made easily accessible in a web browser:
- Architecture diagrams
- Dependency matrices
- New dependencies and architecture violations
- Size and over-complexity stats
- Summary reports
Other information is available only through the web application:
- Cross-project size, complexity and violation charts
- Size, complexity and violation trends
- Dependencies and violations that have been removed
As well as making the information available in a web browser, the web application supports RSS feeds that notify of changes in your software architecture.
An example web application is available at www.structure101.com