/documd-visuals

AWS Serverless Platform Architecture

Best for: showing an end-to-end AWS request path — client → edge → compute → data → messaging Avoid when: you need precise network hops or device-level detail (use network-topology-enterprise.md instead) Answers: which services are involved, and in what order a request flows through them

@startuml
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title E-Commerce Serverless Platform — AWS Architecture
left to right direction

' ── Client tier ──
rectangle "Client" {
	mxgraph.aws4.mobile_client "Mobile App" as mobile
	mxgraph.aws4.client "Web Browser" as web
}

' ── Edge / Security ──
rectangle "Edge / Security" {
	mxgraph.aws4.internet "Internet" as internet
	mxgraph.aws4.shield2 "WAF / Shield" as waf
	mxgraph.aws4.application_load_balancer "API Load Balancer" as alb
	mxgraph.aws4.endpoint "API Gateway" as apigw
}

' ── Compute ──
rectangle "Compute" {
	mxgraph.aws4.lambda_function "Auth Lambda\n(JWT verify)" as authLambda
	mxgraph.aws4.lambda_function "Order Lambda\n(business logic)" as orderLambda
	mxgraph.aws4.lambda_function "Worker Lambda\n(async processor)" as workerLambda
}

' ── Data ──
rectangle "Data" {
	mxgraph.aws4.generic_database "DynamoDB\n(orders table)" as dynamo
	mxgraph.aws4.dynamodb_dax "DAX Cache\n(read-through)" as dax
	mxgraph.aws4.rds_instance "RDS Aurora\n(reports)" as rds
}

' ── Messaging ──
rectangle "Messaging / Observability" {
	mxgraph.aws4.queue "SQS Order Queue" as sqs
	mxgraph.aws4.topic "SNS Notify Topic" as sns
	mxgraph.aws4.logs "CloudWatch Logs" as cwlogs
}

' ── Flow ──
mobile --> internet
web --> internet
internet --> waf
waf --> alb
alb --> apigw

apigw --> authLambda : authenticate
apigw --> orderLambda : route request

orderLambda --> dax : cache read
dax --> dynamo : cache miss
orderLambda --> dynamo : write
orderLambda --> sqs : enqueue event

sqs --> workerLambda : trigger
workerLambda --> rds : persist report
workerLambda --> sns : notify
workerLambda --> cwlogs : audit log
@enduml

Key Options

Data Shape

A directed path: client → edge → compute → data/messaging. Keep synchronous and asynchronous flows in separate line groups so readers can tell "what the user waits for" from "what runs in the background".

Pitfalls

• ❌ Guessing icon names (mxgraph.aws4.sqs) → ✅ check stencils/aws4.md first (the real name is queue)
• ❌ Lining every service up in one row → ✅ group by tier (client / edge / compute / data / messaging) and stack within a tier
• ❌ Unlabelled edges → ✅ label the key edges (authenticate, enqueue event) so the flow is readable
• ❌ Mixing awslib macros (EC2(...)) with mxgraph.* icons → ✅ pick one icon system per diagram

Alternatives