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Add Text Annotations

Learn how to add text nodes for titles, annotations, and labels to enhance your architecture diagrams

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Learn how to add text nodes for titles, annotations, and labels to enhance your architecture diagrams

Add Text Annotations

Text nodes are dedicated annotation elements that let you add titles, labels, and explanatory notes directly on your diagram canvas. They're perfect for organizing, documenting, and adding context to your architecture.

Simple Annotations

📝 Think of text nodes as sticky notes: Quick, simple, and perfect for adding context anywhere on your diagram without the complexity of regular nodes!

Key Capabilities

Titles & Headers

Add section titles and diagram headers

Annotations

Create notes and explanatory comments

Region Labels

Label different areas of your diagram

Captions

Provide explanatory captions for complex elements

Core Concepts

What Are Text Nodes?

Text nodes are special nodes designed purely for text content. Unlike regular architecture nodes, they focus exclusively on displaying text without icons, complex styling, or connections.

Text Nodes vs. Regular Nodes

No Icons

Text nodes don't have icons - they're purely for text content

Lightweight

Simpler than regular nodes, focused on text display

Perfect for Annotations

Designed specifically for labels, notes, and captions

Easy Styling

Just text color and background - no complex properties

🤔 Which Node Type?

When to use text nodes vs. regular nodes:

  • Use text nodes for: Titles, labels, annotations, notes
  • Use regular nodes for: Actual architecture components (services, databases, etc.)

What is the main purpose of text nodes?

To create services and databases
To add annotations and labels
To connect other nodes
To store complex data

Common Use Cases

Titles

"User Management System", "Payment Processing Flow"

Section Headers

"Backend Services", "Database Layer", "External APIs"

Notes

"Legacy system - to be migrated", "Under development"

Captions

"API v2 endpoints", "Real-time communication"

Environment Labels

"Production Environment", "Staging", "Development"

📊 Visual Hierarchy

Pro tip: Use text nodes to create visual hierarchy in your diagrams:

  • Large text for main titles
  • Medium text for section headers
  • Small text for annotations and notes
Step-by-Step Guides

Creating Text Nodes

Adding a Text Node

•

Click "Add text" in the side navigation (left sidebar)

•

A text node appears on the canvas

•

It starts with default text "Text"

•

Click to select and edit the content

Fast & Simple

⚡ Quick creation: Text nodes appear instantly and are ready to edit. No need to configure complex properties!

Editing Text Content

•

Select the text node by clicking on it

•

Find the "Label" field in the control panel (right side)

•

Type your text content

•

Changes apply immediately as you type

Text Writing Tips

Keep titles concise - 1 to 5 words for headers

Use 1-2 sentences for detailed annotations

Use consistent capitalization (e.g., Title Case for headers)

Be descriptive but brief

What's the best length for a section header text node?

A full paragraph
1-5 words
Just one word
As long as possible

Positioning Text Nodes

Moving Text Nodes

•

Click to select the text node

•

Drag to reposition anywhere on the canvas

•

Release mouse to place it

Alignment Tips

Section Titles

Position at the top or left edge of each section

Annotations

Place near related components for clear association

Visual Alignment

Align multiple text nodes horizontally or vertically for clean appearance

Spacing

Leave adequate spacing around text for readability

🎯 Strategic Placement

Organizational strategy: Group text nodes with the components they describe. For example, place "Backend Services" above all backend-related nodes.

Customizing Text Appearance

Understanding Text Colors

Fill Color

Background color behind the text. Use for emphasis or to create label boxes.

Stroke Color

The text color itself. Should have high contrast with background for readability.

Contrast Matters

⚠️ Readability first! Always maintain high contrast between text color (stroke) and background (fill). Dark text on light background or light text on dark background.

Color Usage Strategies

Subtle Background

Use light, transparent backgrounds for minimal styling

Emphasis Boxes

Use solid colors with high contrast for important labels

Transparent Fill

Use no background for text that blends with diagram

Theme Matching

Match text colors to your overall diagram color scheme

Styling Best Practices

Maintain high contrast between text and background colors

Use larger text for section headers and main titles

Use smaller text for detailed annotations and notes

Keep styling consistent across similar text types

Test readability by zooming out

Why is high contrast important for text nodes?

It makes diagrams look professional
It ensures text is readable
It uses less memory
It loads faster
Reference Material

Best Practices

Use text nodes for titles and section headers to organize diagrams

Keep text concise and readable - avoid long paragraphs

Maintain consistent styling for similar text elements

Use high contrast colors for maximum readability

Position text nodes to clearly label regions and sections

Combine text nodes with freehand lines for enhanced annotations

Common Use Cases

Adding diagram titles and section headers for organization

Labeling different deployment environments (Production, Staging, Dev)

Annotating legacy vs. new components for migration planning

Creating captions for complex relationships and data flows

Adding notes about future work, technical debt, or migrations

Labeling system boundaries, contexts, or architectural layers

💡 Example Text Nodes

Real-world examples: 📋 "User Authentication Flow" - Diagram title 🏢 "Production Environment" - Environment label ⚠️ "Legacy - Scheduled for deprecation Q3 2025" - Migration note 🔄 "Asynchronous event processing" - Process caption

Keyboard Shortcuts

Text Node Shortcuts

Delete selected text node

Delete

Undo text node creation or edits

Cmd+Z

Undo text node creation or edits

Ctrl+Z
UI Elements

Interface Guide

Add Text Button

Side navigation (left sidebar) - Creates a new text annotation node on the canvas

Label Input

Control panel (when text node selected) - Text content editor for the node

Fill Color Picker

Control panel (when text node selected) - Choose background color for the text

Stroke Color Picker

Control panel (when text node selected) - Choose the text color itself

Continue Learning

Text Annotation Master! 📝

You now know how to add professional annotations and labels to make your diagrams clear, organized, and well-documented!

🎉 Congratulations!

What you've mastered: ✅ Creating text nodes for annotations ✅ Editing text content efficiently ✅ Customizing colors for emphasis and readability ✅ Positioning text strategically ✅ Best practices for text organization

Pro tips to remember:

  • Use text nodes for titles and section headers
  • Keep text concise and readable
  • Maintain high contrast for visibility
  • Combine with lines for enhanced annotations
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On This Page

IntroductionUnderstanding Text NodesWorking with Text NodesQuick ReferenceNext Steps