DiagramGPT Review

Sam Meech-Ward reviews Eraser AI’s new feature, DiagramGPT, which generates diagrams from prompts. Initially, he is impressed by the tool’s ability to create diagrams like ER models and flowcharts automatically. However, he questions its utility, noting that the diagrams often require significant modifications to meet specific needs. He highlights that the AI lacks understanding of the user’s application or future plans, making it difficult to rely on the generated diagrams for accurate planning or communication. Sam suggests using LLM tools for mundane tasks rather than critical or creative thinking. He demonstrates how providing clear business rules can help generate more useful diagrams. For example, writing out business rules in plain English and then generating an ER diagram based on those rules produces better results. He also shows how to visualize existing databases by inputting SQL or ORM code, which saves time and aids collaboration. Sam concludes that while LLM tools like DiagramGPT are not perfect for initial design, they excel at automating repetitive tasks and creating visualizations based on predefined decisions.