Visualize a Public GitHub Repository

What you'll build

In this tutorial, you will enter the URL of a public GitHub repository (e.g. an open-source project or your own public repo) and generate a system architecture diagram in under 30 seconds without cloning the repository or authenticating with GitHub.

Before you start

• Have the URL of any public GitHub repository (e.g. https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World or a popular web framework repo).
• Note: Private repositories are not supported.

Step 1: Open the GitHub Generator

1. Navigate to Generators -> GitHub Repo (/import/github).
2. You will see a clean URL input bar and guidance notes regarding GitHub API rate limits.

Step 2: Input the Repository URL

1. Paste your public repository URL into the search bar:
   • Example: https://github.com/octocat/Hello-World
   • Or click Load Sample to automatically populate a tested open-source URL.
2. Verify that the URL follows the format https://github.com/{owner}/{repo}.

Step 3: Fetch and Analyze

1. Click Analyze Repository.
2. Rekhic contacts the public GitHub REST API directly from your browser:
   • Fetches the repository tree structure and commit metadata.
   • Downloads key architecture manifests (package.json, pom.xml, README.md, etc.).
   • Parses declared frameworks, database connectors, and architectural sections.

Review the generated architecture

In the Architecture Preview pane:

• Inspect the detected application services and database nodes.
• Notice the Source Reference tags indicating which manifest files defined each component.
• Check the summary badge count of components, data stores, and relationships.

Customize the diagram

1. Click Open in Canvas to load the diagram onto the infinite canvas.
2. If the repository is a minimal starter project (like Hello-World), Rekhic automatically provides a structured fallback with project services and documentation nodes so you have a functional starting point.
3. Add missing infrastructure nodes (e.g. DNS, CDN, cloud storage) to complete the picture.
4. Apply official technology icons from the Icon Library.
5. Run Auto Layout (Shift + A) to balance the diagram.

Export your result

1. Click Export to save a PNG or SVG image.
2. Click Export Markdown to generate an ARCHITECTURE.md file you can open as a pull request against the repository.

Tips

• If you plan to analyze multiple repositories in a short period, keep an eye on GitHub's unauthenticated rate limit (60 requests/hour per IP).
• For repositories with detailed READMEs, Rekhic automatically cross-references code dependencies with README text to build a more comprehensive model.

Limitations

• Only public repositories are supported. Private repositories cannot be accessed.
• Unauthenticated GitHub API calls are subject to GitHub's standard rate limit of 60 requests/hour per IP address.