Key Concepts
Understand the core concepts in NeoArc Studio: workspaces, architecture directories, data model, views, database profiles, search profiles, property projections, Content Foundry publications, site bindings, diagrams, and publishing targets.
Before diving deep into NeoArc, it helps to understand the core concepts and how they fit together. This page explains the building blocks you'll work with.
Workspaces
Architecture Directories
NeoArc organises content into eight architecture directories, each designed for a specific type of documentation:
You choose which directories to enable when creating a workspace. Content (diagrams, pages, schemas) can be created in any directory, and the same content can appear in multiple published sites through site bindings.
Git Integration
Workspaces are designed to live in Git repositories. All NeoArc content is stored as text-based JSON files that:
Content Foundry
Multiple Publications
A workspace can contain multiple Content Foundry publications, each with its own configuration. Each publication can be either a Website or a PDF. Common patterns include:
Each publication has its own settings, navigation, branding, and publishing targets.
Publication Structure
Each Content Foundry publication contains:
| File | Purpose |
|---|---|
| site.cf.settings.json or pdf.cf.settings.json | Publication settings (title, theme, navigation, targets). Filename depends on publication type. |
| publishing.cf.settings.json | Publishing wizard |
| content/ | Documentation pages organised in folders |
Site Bindings
Pages
Content Blocks
Pages are built from a wide range of content block types, organised into categories. This page you are reading uses several of these block types.
Diagrams
NeoArc includes several diagram types, each suited to different purposes.
Schemas
REST APIs
Architecture Decision Records
Architectural Intent Graph
Publishing Targets
Target Types
| Target | Description |
|---|---|
| Local folder | Export for self-hosting or offline use |
| Azure Static Web Apps | Direct publishing to Azure |
| Azure Blob Storage | Publish to blob storage static websites |
Target Configuration
Each target can have:
- Content selection (which pages to include)
- Navigation settings (top bar, footer visibility)
- Home page configuration (marketing home vs docs home)
This enables different views for different audiences from the same source content.
File Formats
All NeoArc content uses JSON files with specific extensions:
| Extension | Content Type |
|---|---|
| .cf.page.json | Documentation pages |
| .diagram.json | Main diagrams |
| .graph-diagram.json | Graph diagrams |
| .graph-links.json | Graph link diagrams |
| .schema.json | Schema definitions |
| .projection.json | Projections (database, search, schema, API and UI mappings from the canonical model) |
| .data-view.json | Data views (unified persistence and search views of the model) |
| .adr.json | Architecture decision records |
| site.cf.settings.json | Site configuration |
Data Model
Views
Database Profiles
Search Profiles
Property Projections
Putting It Together
These concepts work together:
Complete reference for all content block types in Content Foundry. Blocks organised into categories covering documentation, diagrams, charts, decisions, risk, APIs, testing, operations, and marketing.
Complete reference for the diagram editor including shape types, connection system, icons, ERD tables, swimlanes, and auto-layout.
Complete reference for the schema editor including schema types, field types, validation rules, and lineage tracking.
Complete reference for REST API documentation including endpoints, parameters, security schemes, responses, and OpenAPI export.
Complete reference for publishing documentation sites including targets, site settings, viewer configuration, and theming.