Linking to reality

We want to help teams bridge the gap between design and reality. In IcePanel, you can link your model objects to the real world so you can be proactive about architecture changes. Currently supporting source control, but lots more coming soon!

Currently supported: Azure DevOps, Bitbucket, Bitbucket Server, GitHub, and GitLab.

Free plans limit linking of up to 10 objects to 1 repo link. Paid plans get unlimited objects to be linked and multiple links to each object.

What does linking to reality do?

In IcePanel, you can link your model objects to reality, such as code repos, branches, folders and files. When those links move, change names or get deleted, we’ll notify you that the object may need to be updated in your IcePanel landscape.

When a link is marked as expired or missing, your Accuracy Score will reduce as a reminder to update the link or remove that object from your model, helping you keep your documentation up-to-date!

You can also use this as a visual way to navigate straight to your code, going from the abstract design to the code, helping onboarding new teammates find what they're looking for, or others in your team/organization understand your system at the code level.

Missing links increase your inaccuracy score

Setting up code repo linking

You can set up your repo integration from the Manage organization page.

1. From your landscape homepage, click on the organization dropdown at the top of the navigation bar

2. Click on the Manage link for the organization you want to setup

3. Go to the Integrations tab

4. Click on the New integration button and select a repo

5. Complete the setup on your selected repo

You can only link your repo to 1 organization in IcePanel

Set-up Azure DevOps

Set-up BitBucket Server

Set-up GitHub

Set-up GitLab

Linking IcePanel objects

Once IcePanel can access your repo, you can link your model objects to repos, branches, folders, and files.

To link objects to your code:

1. Click on an object in a diagram or from the model objects tab in a landscape

2. Scroll down on the Details tab to the Links section

3. Click the ‘+’ button to create a new link

4. Select the link type and the link you want to attach to this object

5. Add a custom name to help others know what this link shows (optional)

6. Click Add link

Tip: If you have a large repo, we recommend copying and pasting the exact URL of the branch, folder, or file in the search box for easy retrieval.

Connecting a repo folder to an object

IcePanel will check if links exist or were changed automatically every 30 minutes to 1 hour. However, you can manually initiate a check by clicking on the refresh icon in the Links section.

Missing links - Reduced Accuracy Score

Once IcePanel sees that a link’s expired or missing, your Accuracy Score will reduce and you’ll be notified that you need to update that link. Each diagram that an inaccurate object is in will have an inaccuracy added to it until it’s fixed.

Outdated links are flagged as inaccuracies

To fix a link:

1. Navigate to the object with the outdated link

2. Scroll down to the Links section in the Details tab

3. Click the pencil button next to the broken link

4. Update the link and click on the Fix link button, or delete it if it’s no longer relevant

Editing links

You can edit your links at any time, including the custom name.

To edit a link:

1. Select the object

2. Scroll down to the Links section in the Details tab

3. Click the pencil button to edit the link

4. Edit the link and click on Done at the top right of the box

Tip: If multiple links are added to an object, you can rearrange them by clicking and dragging them on the left area of the links.

How do you secure code repo linking?

IcePanel periodically scans code repos using a variety of source control providers.

We never request, store or copy your source code.

• We use public APIs to request and store metadata about your repositories.

• We store an encrypted key/secret to authenticate with the public API.

• We periodically request and cache the file tree/file sizes/commit shas for each repository.

• We only scan primary branches for each repository. (main, master, develop)

• Authentication to your repo is still required for viewers to access the file/folder contents.