Link Model
Link model connects a visual diagram to the project's canonical architecture model.
Without a model link, a node is only a shape in that diagram. For example, a node named User exists only on that canvas.
With a model link, that node points to a reusable project entity:
ModelEntity: User
- name: User
- type: class
- technology
- description
- tags
Several diagrams can then represent the same User without duplicating it conceptually.
Why It Matters
Model links let Ideagram understand when visual nodes in different diagrams represent the same architecture element.
In practice, this supports:
- knowing that
Userin one diagram andUserin another diagram are the same entity; - renaming through the Model panel and propagating the name to linked instances that have not been locally overridden;
- creating model relationships between entities, not only visual connectors;
- letting MCP and AI work with the project's real architecture model instead of only shapes;
- detecting coverage: which parts of the model are represented in which diagrams;
- explicitly linking differently named instances when they represent the same entity; Ideagram does not automatically infer that aliases mean the same thing.
Buttons In The Model Panel
| Action | Meaning |
|---|---|
| Create model entity | Creates a canonical entity from the selected node and links the node to it. |
| Link existing entity | Connects the selected node to an entity that already exists in the project model. |
| Link diagram | Attempts to backfill the whole diagram by creating and linking entities and relationships automatically. |
| Unlink from model | Keeps the visual node, but removes its relationship to the canonical entity. |
Current Limits
Each diagram still owns its components and connections. A model link is an optional reference, not a shared canvas object. Local instance names can override the model name. Model-panel rename propagation skips conflicting concurrent edits; review any warning and retry as needed. Do not assume every API/MCP model update automatically rewrites all diagram instances.
When To Link
Link model turns an isolated drawing into a view of a reusable architecture model.
Use it when a diagram node represents something that should exist beyond one diagram: a class, actor, service, system, container, database, API, queue, or cloud service.
Do not use it for purely visual notes, frames, or basic shapes.