Azure-DrawIO-MCP: Instructions file for GitHub Copilot

Azure Draw.io Diagram Generation Instructions

These instructions help generate valid Azure architecture diagrams using the azure-drawio-mcp server. The server handles XML generation internally, but understanding these patterns helps create better specifications.

Quick Reference: Diagram Request Structure

When requesting a diagram from the azure-drawio-mcp server, provide:

{
  "title": "My Azure Architecture",
  "resources": [
    {
      "id": "web",
      "resource_type": "AppService",
      "name": "Web App",
      "group": "compute",
      "rationale": "Hosts the web application"
    }
  ],
  "connections": [
    { "source": "web", "target": "db", "label": "SQL" }
  ],
  "groups": [
    { "id": "compute", "name": "Compute", "color": "#E6F3FF" }
  ],
  "use_infinite_canvas": true
}

Best Practices for Diagram Specifications

1. Resource IDs

Use short, descriptive IDs that describe the resource's function:

Good IDs:

• web-app, sql-db, storage, api-gateway, key-vault

Avoid:

• resource1, vm1, thing-a (too generic)
• Long IDs with UUIDs (hard to read in connections)

2. Resource Types

Use common Azure resource type aliases. The server resolves these to official icons:

Category	Types
Compute	VM, AKS, AppService, Functions, ContainerApp
Data	SQL, Cosmos, MySQL, PostgreSQL, Redis
Storage	Blob, Files, Queue, Table, DataLake
Network	VNet, FrontDoor, AppGateway, LoadBalancer, DNS
Security	KeyVault, Entra, Firewall, NSG, WAF
AI/ML	OpenAI, CognitiveServices, MachineLearning, BotService
Integration	ServiceBus, EventHub, EventGrid, LogicApps, APIM

3. Groups for Organization

Groups create visual containers that organize related resources:

{
  "groups": [
    { "id": "frontend", "name": "Frontend Tier", "color": "#E6F3FF" },
    { "id": "backend", "name": "Backend Services", "color": "#FFF3E0" },
    { "id": "data", "name": "Data Tier", "color": "#E8F5E9" }
  ]
}