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Graphical Representation

Visual representation is a core part of the Latch-X framework, providing intuitive graph-based views of system models through automatically generated diagrams. The framework renders models as interactive graphs using industry-standard notation and customizable styling.

Overview

Latch-X automatically converts your YAML model definitions into visual diagrams using three primary layout types:

  • FTA (Fault Tree Analysis): Top-down view showing failure propagation
  • RBD (Reliability Block Diagram): Left-to-right flow showing system dependencies
  • DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph): Force-directed layout for complex dependency visualization

Core Components

The graphical system consists of several interconnected elements:

Node Representation

Components are visualized as nodes with distinct shapes, colors, and styles based on their type and properties. The visual encoding provides immediate insight into component roles and status.

→ Node Shapes - Detailed guide to component visual encoding

Color Schemes

Components can be colored by category, tags, availability metrics, or impact scores to highlight different aspects of your system.

→ Categories - Predefined category color schemes and customization

→ Tags - Tag-based coloring and combined category+tag presets

Edge Styles

Dependencies between components are shown as directed edges with different line styles and labels indicating the relationship type (do, and, or, n_of_k).

Key Features

Automatic Layout: Intelligent positioning algorithms optimize node placement for readability

Interactive Elements: Click components to highlight dependencies and view detailed information

Export Options: Generate SVG files for documentation, presentations, or external tools

Real-time Updates: Diagrams automatically refresh when model structure changes

Overlay Data: Display simulation results (availability, impact scores) directly on the graph

Configuration

Graph appearance is controlled through the graph_settings section of your model:

graph_settings:
  layout: fta                    # fta, rbd, or dag
  color_mode: type              # type (default), category, tag, category+tag, availability, impact_score
  show_edge_labels: true        # show dependency type labels
  show_node_labels:
    name: true                  # component names
    type: false                 # component types
    category: false             # categories
    # ... other label options
  category_colors:              # custom color overrides
    risk: "#ff6b6b"
    infra: "#4ecdc4"

Layout Types

FTA (Fault Tree Analysis)

  • Direction: Bottom-to-top (BT)
  • Best for: Understanding how component failures propagate to system failure
  • Edge style: Orthogonal (right angles)

RBD (Reliability Block Diagram)

  • Direction: Left-to-right (LR)
  • Best for: Following the flow of dependencies and success paths
  • Edge style: Orthogonal (right angles)

DAG (Directed Acyclic Graph)

  • Layout: Force-directed positioning
  • Best for: Complex models with many interconnections
  • Edge style: Curved polylines for better readability

Next Steps

Explore the detailed guides for each aspect of graphical representation:

  • Node Shapes - Component visual encoding and shape meanings
  • Categories - Category-based coloring and customization
  • Tags - Tag-based coloring and combination presets

Related topics: - Components - Defining the nodes that get visualized - Dependencies - Creating the edges between nodes - BN Results - Overlaying analysis results on graphs