Dataflow module

This tutorial shows how to get started with the Cyberismo dataflow module. The Cyberismo dataflow module defines card types and link types for creating dataflow models with processes, external entities, data storages, trust boundaries and data flows. This enables you to model your software systems using cards and links in Cyberismo.

The Cyberismo dataflow module uses graph macros that translate the model into graphical views. You can generate different views from the same data. For example, a high-level context diagram for an internet banking system^[1] could look like this:

If you draw a diagram that includes all the details of the model, you could get an image like this:

Install Cyberismo.

Execute the following command to clone the Cyberismo dataflow module:

Create a new project called, for example, "Dataflow tutorial" that has the card key prefix dftutorial in the directory dataflow-tutorial with the following command:

Import the Cyberismo dataflow module to your new project with the following command:

To start using the Cyberismo dataflow module, we need to start the Cyberismo app. First, change to the dataflow-tutorial directory:

To start the app, execute the following command:

Then open a browser and navigate to http://localhost:3000/.

Click CREATE NEW CARD at the top right:

Select the dataflow model template and click Create:

You will get a new card titled Untitled dataflow model:

Click Edit and rename the dataflow model as My web application

Create a person called User, a trust boundary called Backend trust boundary and a process called Web front end at the top level. Under the trust boundary, create a process Web backend and a Datastore Database. You can enter descriptions and technologies, which will be used in the diagrams. Each card will show a graph that illustrates the entity, and the top level dataflow model shows a context view and a detailed view:

Dataflows are entered as links between cards. To add a link, click the link icon at the top of the view:

Fill in the details of the dataflow:

After adding dataflows between cards, the top-level dataflow model could look as follows: