Drawings

The library holds 237 drawings in 17 categories. Any part can show any drawing; “suits” is only which parts Flozu suggests it for. The id under each name is what a map file saves in a part’s visual. See drawings in Make it look right.

People

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
People crowd	A few people, sending requests.	Person
Journey journey	One person moving from browsing to paying.	Person
Online now online	How many people are here, with a live count.	Person
Team team	A small team, each with a status dot.	Person
Support agent support	Someone with a headset, answering a chat.	Person
Admin admin	Someone with a key, changing settings.	Person
Around the world around-the-world	People across time zones, with the awake ones lit.	Person, CDN
Persona persona	A profile card with a name, a role and what they need.	Person
Audiences audiences	People split into groups: new, returning and paying.	Person, Data warehouse

Apps and devices

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Browser browser	A web page with a button being pressed.	Client app
Phone phone	A mobile app, with a list and a tap.	Client app
Devices devices	A laptop, a tablet and a phone, all sending requests.	Client app
Desktop app desktop	A desktop window with a sidebar, syncing.	Client app
Watch watch	A smartwatch with a ring filling up.	Client app
Sensor sensor	A small device sending a reading on every beat.	Client app, Worker
TV app tv	A screen playing a stream, with its progress bar.	Client app
Terminal terminal	A command typed, and its answer printed.	Client app, Service, Custom part
Point of sale point-of-sale	A till, with a card tapped against it.	Client app
API client api-client	Code calling an API, and the answer coming back.	Client app, Service
Vehicle vehicle	A vehicle on a route, sending where it is.	Client app

Email and alerts

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Email email	Envelopes leaving an outbox, one at a time.	Service, Worker
Inbox inbox	An inbox, with new mail arriving at the top.	Service
Text message text-message	A phone with text messages arriving.	Service
Push notification push	A notification sliding onto a lock screen.	Service
Chat room chat-room	Several people talking in one room.	Service, Topic
Webhook webhook	A POST sent to a web address, and the reply code.	Service, Function
Video call video-call	A grid of people on a call, with the speaker lit.	Service
Alerts alerts	A bell ringing, with a count of what's new.	Service, Custom part

Network

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Records records	Names and the addresses they point to, looked up in turn.	DNS
Lookup lookup	A name resolved step by step, from the root to the address.	DNS
Time to live expiry	Records counting down until they're looked up again.	DNS
Globe globe	A globe with edge servers around it.	CDN
Edge map edges	Edge servers around the world, close to people.	CDN
Offload offload	How much the edge serves, and how little reaches the origin.	CDN
Lanes lanes	Lanes of requests merging through one gate.	Gateway
Paths paths	Paths, and the service each one is routed to.	Gateway
Checks checks	Each request checked for its key and quota, then routed.	Gateway
Shares shares	One stream split three ways, with each share's level.	Load balancer
Round robin rotation	Requests handed to each copy in turn.	Load balancer
Targets targets	The copies behind it and whether each is healthy.	Load balancer
Packets packets	Packets crossing between two machines, after a handshake.	Gateway, Load balancer, Service
Anycast anycast	One address, answered by whichever site is nearest.	DNS, CDN
Edge cache edge-cache	Copies kept at the edge, with a hit served at once.	CDN, Cache
Routes routes	A table of routes, and where each one sends traffic.	Gateway, Load balancer
Reverse proxy reverse-proxy	One door in front of several servers.	Gateway, Load balancer
Tunnel tunnel	A private tunnel joining two networks.	Gateway, Firewall, Custom part
Service mesh mesh	Services joined through side-cars, with traffic between them.	Gateway, Service
Health checks health-checks	Each server checked in turn, and the failing one taken out.	Load balancer
Failover failover	Traffic moving from a failed site to its standby.	Load balancer, DNS, Database
Round trips latency-map	Round trips to each region, with the quickest lit.	CDN, DNS
Live connection live-connection	A connection held open, with messages going both ways.	Gateway, Service
Query graphql	A query asking for fields, and an answer shaped like it.	Gateway, Service
Ports ports	A machine's ports, with the open ones lit.	Firewall

Traffic and limits

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Gauge gauge	A needle that edges into the red past the limit.	Rate limiter
Token bucket token-bucket	A bucket of tokens: each request takes one.	Rate limiter
Per second window	Each second's traffic against the limit, with the excess cut.	Rate limiter
Leaky bucket leaky-bucket	Requests pour in and drip out at a steady pace.	Rate limiter
Sliding window sliding-window	A window sliding over the last minute of requests.	Rate limiter
Throttle throttle	Bunched-up requests spaced out to a steady pace.	Rate limiter, Gateway
Quota quota	A daily allowance being used up, and what's left of it.	Rate limiter, Gateway, AI model
Bandwidth bandwidth	A pipe filling with traffic towards its limit.	CDN, Gateway, Rate limiter
Circuit breaker circuit-breaker	A switch that opens when calls fail, and closes once they recover.	Gateway, Service
Retries retries	A call failing, waiting longer each time, then going through.	Service, Gateway

Security and sign-in

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Rules rules	A wall of rules: allowed traffic passes, the rest bounces off.	Firewall
Shield shield	A shield with what it let through and what it blocked.	Firewall
Log log	Allowed and blocked requests as they happen.	Firewall
Password password	A password being typed, then a tick.	Sign-in
Token token	A signed token, issued in three parts.	Sign-in
One-time code code	A six-digit code being filled in.	Sign-in
Lock lock	A padlock closing over what it keeps safe.	Sign-in, Firewall, Storage
Secrets secrets	Keys kept in a vault, handed out one at a time.	Sign-in, Custom part
Fingerprint fingerprint	A fingerprint being scanned, line by line.	Sign-in
Passkey passkey	A device confirming who it is with a touch, and no password.	Sign-in
Two-step sign-in two-step	A password, then a code from a phone.	Sign-in
Permissions permissions	Roles, and what each one may do.	Sign-in, Gateway
Sessions sessions	Signed-in sessions, each running out in time.	Sign-in, Cache
Certificate certificate	A certificate, who issued it and the days until it expires.	DNS, Gateway, CDN
Attack attack	A flood of traffic, mostly stopped at the edge.	Firewall, CDN
Bot check bot-check	Visitors checked one by one, with the bots turned away.	Firewall, Sign-in
Audit log audit-log	Who did what and when, written down for later.	Firewall, Database, Custom part
Encryption encryption	Plain text going in, and scrambled text coming out.	Storage, Service

Compute

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Activity activity	Recent traffic as a line, and how busy it is.	Service
Instances instances	Copies of the service, each with its load.	Service
Latency latency	How long answers take: typical, slow and slowest.	Service
Jobs jobs	Jobs in progress, each filling as it's worked on.	Worker
Stages stages	Jobs moving from taken, to working, to done.	Worker
Pool pool	Worker slots, busy or free.	Worker
Warm instances warm	Copies that light up as they're called.	Function
Calls calls	Calls arriving over time, each a short burst.	Function
Scaling scaling	Copies rising and falling with demand.	Function
Containers containers	Containers stacked on a machine, starting and stopping.	Service, Worker
Pods pods	Pods spread over three machines, with one being replaced.	Service, Worker
Servers servers	A rack of servers with their lights blinking.	Service, Database, Custom part
CPU cpu	A processor's cores, and how busy each one is.	Service, Worker, Function
Threads threads	Requests handed to threads, with a few waiting.	Service
Endpoints endpoints	An API's routes, with how often each is called.	Service, Gateway
Code source-code	Lines of code, with the one running lit.	Function, Service, Custom part
Deploys deploys	A new version rolling out across the copies.	Service, Function
Blue and green blue-green	Two versions side by side, with traffic switching over.	Load balancer, Service
Scaling out scale-out	Copies added as the load climbs past a line.	Service, Function, Worker
Cold start cold-start	A function waking up, then answering quickly.	Function
Batch job batch	A big job split into chunks, worked on side by side.	Worker, Data warehouse
Pipeline pipeline	Data passing through steps, one after another.	Worker, Data warehouse
Video encoding video-encoding	One video turned into several sizes.	Worker, Function
Image resizing image-sizes	One picture made into several sizes.	Function, Worker
Workflow workflow	Steps that branch, wait on each other, then join.	Worker, Scheduler, Custom part

Time

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Clock clock	A clock, and the job it starts every hour.	Scheduler
Timeline timeline	A day's runs on a timeline, with now moving along it.	Scheduler
Week week	A week of runs on a calendar.	Scheduler
Countdown countdown	A timer counting down to the next run.	Scheduler
Cron cron	A cron line, and when it next runs.	Scheduler
Month month	A month, with runs on chosen days.	Scheduler
Hourglass hourglass	Sand running through, for something that takes time.	Scheduler, Worker, Custom part
Delayed jobs delayed-jobs	Jobs parked until their time comes.	Scheduler, Queue

AI

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Tokens tokens	An answer appearing a word at a time.	AI model
Chat chat	A prompt and the reply streaming back.	AI model
Layers layers	Layers of a network, with a signal passing through.	AI model
Embeddings embeddings	Words placed as points, with similar ones close together.	AI model, Search, Database
Vector search vector-search	A question finding its nearest neighbours.	Search, AI model, Database
Agent agent	Think, use a tool, look at the result, and go round again.	AI model
Retrieval retrieval	A question, the passages found for it, then the answer.	AI model, Search
Classifier classifier	Items sorted into labelled bins, each with how sure it is.	AI model
Training training	The error falling as a model learns.	AI model, Worker
Image generation image-generation	A picture sharpening out of noise.	AI model
Speech speech	A voice turned into words as it speaks.	AI model
Recommendations recommendations	Items picked for someone, best match first.	AI model, Service
Moderation moderation	Posts checked as they arrive, with a few held back.	AI model, Service
Context context-window	Tokens filling a context window towards its limit.	AI model

Messaging

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Line line	Work waiting in line, with new items arriving.	Queue
Depth depth	How long the line has been over time.	Queue
Waiting and in flight states	What's waiting, being worked on and failed.	Queue
Fan-out fan-out	One event copied to every subscriber.	Topic
Subscribers subscribers	Each subscriber, and the events reaching it.	Topic
Partitions partitions	The event log, split into partitions.	Topic
Priority priority	Urgent work jumping to the front of the line.	Queue
Dead letters dead-letters	Messages that kept failing, set aside to look at.	Queue, Topic
In order in-order	Messages kept in exact order, handled one at a time.	Queue
Consumer group consumer-group	Messages shared out between the members of a group.	Queue, Topic
Event stream event-stream	Events flowing past, each tagged with its type.	Topic
Publish and subscribe pub-sub	Publishers on one side, subscribers on the other.	Topic
Outbox outbox	Changes written down, then sent on as events.	Database, Topic, Worker
Acknowledged acks	Messages delivered and ticked off one by one.	Queue
Back pressure back-pressure	A fast sender slowed down by a full line.	Queue, Worker

Data

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Faders faders	Levels for reads, writes and connections.	Database
Table table	A table of records, with new rows being written.	Database, Table
Replicas replicas	A primary copying its writes to two replicas.	Database
Hit rate hit-rate	How much is served from memory.	Cache
Keys keys	Keys in memory, each expiring in time.	Cache
Memory memory	Memory used and free, with the oldest keys making room.	Cache
Results results	A search and its best matches.	Search
Index index	Words, and the records each one is found in.	Search
Suggestions suggest	Suggestions appearing as someone types.	Search
Key-value key-value	Keys and their values, each read in a blink.	Cache, Database
Documents documents	Documents with fields nested inside them.	Database
Graph graph	Records joined by how they relate.	Database
Time series time-series	Readings landing on a timeline as they're taken.	Database, Data warehouse
Shards shards	Records spread over shards by their key.	Database
Schema schema	Tables and the links between them.	Database
SQL sql	A query, and the rows it brings back.	Database, Data warehouse
Transactions transactions	Changes saved together, or not at all.	Database
Migration schema-change	A table changing shape, a step at a time.	Database
Change feed change-feed	Each change copied out as it happens.	Database, Topic
Connections connections	A pool of connections, busy and free.	Database

Files and media

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Bucket bucket	Files dropping into a bucket.	Storage
Files files	Images, documents and archives, kept side by side.	Storage
Space used usage	How much space each kind of file takes.	Storage
Images images	A grid of photos, with a new one uploading.	Storage
Video video	A video playing, with its buffer filling ahead.	Storage, CDN, Client app
Upload upload	A file uploading in chunks.	Storage, Function
Cold storage cold-storage	Files moving from hot to cold as they age.	Storage
Folders folders	Folders, and the files inside them.	Storage
File versions file-versions	One file, and its earlier versions behind it.	Storage
Audio audio	A sound wave playing.	Storage, AI model, Client app

Analytics

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Bars bars	Data flowing in, and a chart growing from it.	Data warehouse
Heatmap heatmap	A grid of figures, darker where there's more.	Data warehouse
Trend trend	A figure over time, with this week's point.	Data warehouse
Funnel funnel	Steps from visiting to buying, each one narrower.	Data warehouse
Dashboard dashboard	A dashboard of tiles: a figure, a chart and a list.	Data warehouse, Custom part
Breakdown donut	A ring split into shares.	Data warehouse, Custom part
Extract and load etl	Data copied from several sources into tables.	Data warehouse, Worker
Cohorts cohorts	Each week's sign-ups, and how many came back.	Data warehouse
Report report	A report with a headline figure and a chart.	Data warehouse
Places places	Activity by place, as dots on a map.	Data warehouse, CDN
Top list top-list	The top items, ranked, each with a bar.	Data warehouse, Search
Big number big-number	One large figure, and how it's changed.	Custom part, Data warehouse

Payments and shopping

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Card payment card-payment	A card tapped, and the payment approved.	Service
Checkout checkout	A basket, its total and a pay button.	Service, Client app
Receipt receipt	A receipt printing line by line.	Service, Database
Invoice invoice	An invoice with its lines, a total and a paid stamp.	Service
Subscription subscription	A plan renewing each month.	Service, Scheduler
Cart cart	Items dropping into a shopping cart.	Service, Client app
Stock stock	Products on shelves, with how many are left.	Database, Service
Orders orders	Orders moving from placed, to packed, to shipped.	Service, Worker
Refunds refunds	Payments going out, and a few coming back.	Service
Fraud check fraud-check	Each payment scored, with the risky ones held.	Service, AI model
Ledger ledger	Debits and credits that always balance.	Database, Service
Delivery delivery	A parcel moving along its route to a door.	Service, Worker
Prices prices	A price tag that follows demand.	Service

Operations

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Logs logs	Log lines scrolling past, with a warning in amber.	Custom part, Service, Worker
Metrics metrics	Charts of requests, errors and response times.	Custom part, Service
Incident incident	An alert going off, and the person on call taking it.	Custom part
Trace trace	One request's time spent in each part, as bars.	Service, Custom part
Uptime uptime	Each day's uptime as a bar, with one bad day.	Custom part, Service
Errors errors	Errors spiking, then settling down.	Service, Custom part
Feature flags feature-flags	Switches turning features on for some people.	Service, Custom part
Experiment experiment	Two versions side by side, and which one is winning.	Service, Data warehouse
Build build	Build, test and deploy steps, ticking off in turn.	Custom part, Worker
Branches branches	Branches splitting off and merging back.	Custom part
Backups backups	A copy taken every night, with the oldest let go.	Storage, Database, Scheduler
Settings settings	Settings, with switches and values.	Custom part, Service

Inside a service

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Routes route-list	An endpoint's routes, each lit in turn as a request comes in.	Endpoint
Module module-graph	A module's own parts, with calls running from its way in to its store.	Module
Source file source	Numbered lines of code, with the running line lit.	Code file
Contract contract	An interface's methods, ticked off as code keeps each one.	Interface
Package package	A package with its name and version, and an update waiting.	Library
Rows rows	A table's columns, and new rows being written.	Table
Imports imports	A file's imports, fanning out to what it uses.	Code file, Module, Library
Call stack call-stack	A call stack growing as one function calls the next.	Code file, Module, Endpoint
Tests tests	Tests running, each passing in turn.	Code file, Module
Columns columns	Columns or fields, each with its type.	Table, Interface
Version semver	A version number going up, with the kind of change it is.	Library, Interface
Handler handler	A request arriving at a handler, worked on and answered.	Endpoint, Module, Function

General

Drawing	What it shows	Suits
Blank blank	An empty box, for anything.	Custom part
Cog cog	A turning cog, for something that does work.	Custom part
Modules modules	Blocks fitted together, for something made of parts.	Custom part
Sparkline sparkline	A small line chart, drawing as it goes.	Custom part, Service
Bar chart bar-chart	Bars rising and falling.	Custom part
Ring ring	A ring filling to a share.	Custom part
Status status	A list of checks, each passing or failing.	Custom part
Flowchart flowchart	Boxes and arrows, with something moving through them.	Custom part
Stack stack	Layers stacked one on another.	Custom part
Checklist checklist	Tasks being ticked off.	Custom part
Hub hub	One centre joined to many.	Custom part, Gateway, Topic
Filter filter	Many go in, and few come out.	Custom part, Firewall, Search
Cycle cycle	Steps going round and round.	Custom part, Worker
Signal signal	A pulse sent out in rings.	Custom part, Client app
Transform transform	Shapes going in, and changed shapes coming out.	Custom part, Function, Worker