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Forgive us! These docs are a work in progress. Some pages may be incomplete or describe features that aren't quite finished yet. Farkitect is in early development and we don't recommend using it for real work just yet. Feel free to explore — just be aware that things are still being built.

Your First Diagram

In this tutorial, you’ll create a project using an ArchiMate starter, add application elements to a diagram, and connect them with relationships. By the end, you’ll have a simple application cooperation diagram for Farquind Yachts’ digital systems.

Prerequisites: You’ve completed the Quick Start and have Farkitect open in your browser.

What you’ll build: A diagram showing three of Farquind’s applications (FQ Orders, FQ Vessels, FQ Owners) and the relationships between them.

1. Create a Project from the Farketplace

Section titled “1. Create a Project from the Farketplace”
  1. Click File > New Project…
  2. Select the From Asset tab
  3. Search for ArchiMate and select the ArchiMate Starter asset
  4. The project name and description are pre-filled — you can change the name to Farquind Digital Systems if you like
  5. Click Create Project

The project opens with the ArchiMate 3.2 metamodel imported and ready to use. In the Explorer, you’ll see:

  • M3 MOF Core — the system foundation (read-only)
  • M2 Common — shared utility types like Note and Boundary (read-only)
  • M2 ArchiMate 3.2 — the full ArchiMate metamodel with 61 element types (read-only)
  • M1 packages — any sample content included in the starter

2. Create an M1 Package

Section titled “2. Create an M1 Package”

Your modeling work lives in M1 packages. Let’s create one:

  1. Right-click on the project root in the Explorer
  2. Select New Package
  3. Name it M1 Farquind Applications
  4. Press Enter to confirm

This is where you’ll organize your Farquind application model elements.

3. Create a Diagram

Section titled “3. Create a Diagram”
  1. Right-click on the M1 Farquind Applications package
  2. Select New Diagram
  3. Name it Application Cooperation
  4. Press Enter

The diagram opens on the Canvas — a blank surface ready for elements.

4. Add Elements from the Palette

Section titled “4. Add Elements from the Palette”

The Palette (on the right side) shows all element types available from the ArchiMate metamodel, organized by layer. You’re going to add Application Component elements.

  1. In the Palette, find the Application Layer section
  2. Locate Application Component
  3. Drag Application Component from the Palette onto the Canvas
  4. A new element appears — it’s automatically selected and ready to rename
  5. Type FQ Orders and press Enter

Repeat this to add two more Application Components:

  1. Drag another Application Component onto the Canvas, name it FQ Vessels
  2. Drag a third Application Component onto the Canvas, name it FQ Owners

Arrange the three elements so they’re spaced out across the Canvas — drag them by clicking and moving.

You now have three elements representing Farquind’s core digital systems:

  • FQ Orders — the online configurator and order management system
  • FQ Vessels — the fleet telemetry and remote diagnostics platform
  • FQ Owners — the owner community app for support, voyages, and social features

5. Connect Elements with Relationships

Section titled “5. Connect Elements with Relationships”

Farquind’s systems communicate with each other. Let’s model that with ArchiMate Flow relationships.

  1. In the Palette, find the Relationship Types section
  2. Select Flow (click it once — it becomes the active tool)
  3. On the Canvas, click on FQ Orders and drag to FQ Vessels — a Flow relationship appears connecting them
  4. The relationship is created. You can click the edge label to name it Order fulfilment data

Repeat to create more connections:

  1. Draw a Flow from FQ Vessels to FQ Owners — name it Vessel telemetry alerts
  2. Draw a Flow from FQ Orders to FQ Owners — name it Delivery notifications

Press Escape to deselect the Flow tool and return to the pointer.

6. Save Your Diagram

Section titled “6. Save Your Diagram”

Diagrams in Farkitect require an explicit save. You’ll see an indicator in the diagram tab showing unsaved changes.

Press Ctrl+S (or Cmd+S on Mac) to save.

7. Verify in the Explorer

Section titled “7. Verify in the Explorer”

Look at the Explorer — your M1 Farquind Applications package now contains:

  • The Application Cooperation diagram
  • Three Application Component elements (FQ Orders, FQ Vessels, FQ Owners)
  • Three Flow relationships connecting them

The Explorer always shows the complete model. A diagram is a view of the model — the same elements could appear on multiple diagrams. For more on this important distinction, see Diagrams vs Models.

What You’ve Learned

Section titled “What You’ve Learned”
  • How to create a project from a Farketplace starter asset
  • How to create M1 packages and diagrams
  • How to add elements from the Palette to the Canvas
  • How to draw relationships between elements
  • How to save a diagram
  • That the Explorer shows the model, and diagrams are views of it

Next Steps

Section titled “Next Steps”