AI Generation
OpenFlowKit includes AI-assisted diagram generation through the Studio rail. Flowpilot is best used for first drafts, structural revisions, and code-backed architecture exploration.
AI generation is most valuable when you need to go from ambiguity to structure quickly. It is not the only way to create diagrams in OpenFlowKit, and it is usually not the final step. Think of it as a draft accelerator.
Access and setup
Section titled “Access and setup”Flowpilot lives inside Studio. If an API key is not configured yet, OpenFlowKit prompts you to open the shared AI settings modal instead of keeping setup inline inside the panel.
That matters for two reasons:
- the same AI settings surface is used across the product
- provider choice, model choice, and key storage behavior stay consistent whether you open AI from Home, Studio, or Settings
Where AI lives in the product
Section titled “Where AI lives in the product”AI is available in the Studio panel under Flowpilot and through the Open Flowpilot command in the Command Center. Common sub-flows include:
| Mode | What it does |
|---|---|
| Flowpilot | Chat-based generation and iteration |
| From Code | Paste source code and generate an architecture diagram |
| Import | Paste SQL, Terraform, K8s, or OpenAPI and generate a draft |
Typical generation flow:
- capture your prompt and optional image
- send it through the configured provider
- receive a structured graph representation
- compose nodes and edges
- apply layout
- replace or update the current graph
Provider model
Section titled “Provider model”The app supports multiple BYOK providers, including:
- Gemini
- OpenAI
- Claude
- Groq
- NVIDIA
- Cerebras
- Mistral
- OpenRouter
- Custom OpenAI-compatible endpoint
This matters because you are not locked to one hosted AI vendor or one billing model.
API keys stay browser-local. Persistent keys can be stored for reuse on the current device, and session-only mode is available when you do not want the key to survive the browser session.
When AI is the right tool
Section titled “When AI is the right tool”Use AI when:
- you are starting from a plain-language idea
- you want a fast first-pass architecture or workflow draft
- you want to revise an existing diagram conceptually rather than move boxes one by one
- you have source code and want a generated architecture view
Avoid AI when:
- you already have a precise text format such as Mermaid or OpenFlow DSL
- you need deterministic output from infrastructure files
- the diagram is small enough that manual editing is faster
In those cases, prefer OpenFlow DSL, Mermaid Integration, or Infrastructure Sync.
How to get better results
Section titled “How to get better results”Strong prompts usually include:
- the intended audience
- the systems or actors involved
- important branches or failure paths
- the preferred diagram direction
- the level of detail you want
Weak prompts ask for “a diagram” without constraints. Strong prompts explain the system.
Recommended workflow
Section titled “Recommended workflow”- Generate a first draft with Flowpilot.
- Inspect the structure on the canvas.
- Use the Properties Panel to normalize labels, color, and routing.
- Run Smart Layout if the structure is right but spacing is poor.
- Save a snapshot before another major rewrite.
Practical caution
Section titled “Practical caution”AI output should be treated as a draft, not a certified system model. For documentation, architecture review, or infra communication, you should still check naming, boundaries, and missing branches before exporting or sharing.