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# Flows

Flows are step-by-step sequences that trace a path through your architecture model. Useful for documenting user journeys, request paths, data flows, or any scenario where ordering and directionality matter.

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## What a flow is

A flow lives inside a [diagram](/core-concepts/diagrams) and consists of an ordered list of **steps**. Each step identifies a model [object](/core-concepts/model-objects) or [connection](/core-concepts/model-connections) that participates at that point in the sequence. When viewing a flow in the IcePanel UI, the relevant objects and connections are highlighted in order.

Flows are distinct from model connections: a connection represents a static relationship between two objects, while a flow represents a dynamic sequence that may traverse many objects and connections.

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## Related concepts

* [Model Objects](/core-concepts/model-objects)
* [Model Connections](/core-concepts/model-connections)
* [Diagrams](/core-concepts/diagrams)