A drawing can't tell you what breaks. Obelisk can.

Diagrams rot because each one is a separate drawing. Obelisk keeps one model underneath them all, so it can answer questions a drawing never could. Like this one.

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In Obelisk, selecting an object shows everything that depends on it.

It runs, not just renders

Most architecture tools can only draw your system. Obelisk can run traffic through it. Put a small rule on an object, like a rate limit or a cache hit ratio, send traffic in, and watch where it piles up.

The rules are real code: a few lines of JavaScript each, with starter rules to copy. Put one on a technology, like PostgreSQL, and every Postgres in the model gets it. Try the simulator

Obelisk rule editor showing a JavaScript rate limit rule for Order service, next to the rules of the Friday 7pm simulation — The rate limit on Order service, in a few lines. A switch turns any rule off for one simulation.

Your servers, your sign-in

Your architecture map lists every system, every database and every weak spot you have. Obelisk runs on your own infrastructure, behind your own identity provider.

SAML and OIDC come with every install. Map your provider's groups to roles and people land with the right access on their first sign-in. How self-hosting works

Obelisk identity provider settings with SAML and OIDC, email domains and a group-to-role map — Organization settings: one identity provider, SAML or OIDC, with groups mapped to roles.

Three kinds of tool

Each kind is good at something. This is about which one fits a shared, living architecture model.

Obelisk compared with drawing tools and other modelling tools
	Obelisk	Hosted modelling tools	Model-as-code tools	Drawing tools
Shared model under the diagrams	Yes	Yes	Yes	No, shapes only
Visual editor, no code needed	Yes	Yes	No, you write a DSL	Yes
Traffic simulation	Yes	Rare	Rare	No
Run it on your own servers	Yes	Often cloud only	Usually	Varies
SSO in every install	SAML and OIDC	Often limited to higher plans	Often a paid build	Varies by plan

General patterns across each kind of tool, not a claim about one product. Something wrong? Tell us at support@tryobelisk.io and we'll fix it.

Who it's for

Architects: One source of truth, and a place to record why decisions were made.
Platform and SRE teams: Find the bottleneck before the incident does.
Engineering managers: Know who owns what, and review changes before they land.
New hires: Understand the system without booking ten meetings.
Security and compliance: Keep the architecture map inside your own network.

Questions

Is Obelisk a C4 model tool?

C4 is one way to use Obelisk. Obelisk is a model tool: one model of your architecture, diagrams and simulations that are views of it, and drafts to change it. It works the way you already draw C4, without the four-level cap. See Obelisk and C4 for how to build strict C4 diagrams in it.

Can I host Obelisk myself?

Yes. Obelisk runs on your own servers with Docker and Postgres. Your architecture data never leaves your network. More on self-hosting.

Which features cost extra?

None. Every install gets every feature, including SAML and OIDC single sign-on, the API, webhooks and simulation.

Do non-engineers need to learn a diagram language?

No. Obelisk is a visual editor in the browser. Engineers who want automation can use the REST API and YAML or JSON import.

What does the simulation do?

You write small rules for objects or technologies, like rate limits or cache hit ratios, in a few lines of JavaScript. Then you send traffic through the model. Obelisk shows where messages pile up or fail, with a step-by-step trace for each one.