Renderer package guide

Install C4.Net.Renderer when you need standalone SVG documents for one or more workspace views.

dotnet add package C4.Net.Renderer

Namespace

using C4.Net.Renderer;

Render a workspace

SvgWorkspaceRenderer returns a dictionary keyed by view key.

IReadOnlyDictionary<string, string> diagrams = new SvgWorkspaceRenderer().Render(workspace);
File.WriteAllText("system-context.svg", diagrams["system-context"]);

This overload does not mutate workspace. It uses persisted element coordinates and relationship vertices when they exist, and falls back to a deterministic in-memory layout when they do not.

Container-view SVGs draw a lower-left-labeled boundary around the viewed software system’s visible containers. Component-view SVGs do the same for the viewed container’s visible components. People, software systems, and other containers or components keep their own placement outside that scope boundary.

Reuse layout from an earlier workspace

IReadOnlyDictionary<string, string> diagrams = new SvgWorkspaceRenderer().Render(successor, predecessor);
SaveWorkspace(successor);

The two-workspace overload copies matching view geometry, element positions, connector vertices, routing, and label positions from predecessor into successor before rendering.