diff --git a/apps/_dashboard/__init__.py b/apps/_dashboard/__init__.py
index fcab85dce..15feeab79 100644
--- a/apps/_dashboard/__init__.py
+++ b/apps/_dashboard/__init__.py
@@ -351,23 +351,58 @@ def url(*args):
         ]
         if len(args) == 1:
 
+            # for model d3 graphs
+            nodes = list()
+            links = list()
+
             def tables(name):
                 db = getattr(module, name)
                 make_safe(db)
-                return [
-                    {
+                tablelist = list()
+                for t in getattr(module, name):
+
+                    # add links and nodes for the db graph
+                    # code from web2py appadmin
+                    fields = []
+                    for field in t:
+                        f_type = field.type
+                        if not isinstance(f_type, str):
+                            disp = ' '
+                        elif f_type == 'string':
+                            disp = field.length
+                        elif f_type == 'id':
+                            disp = 'PK'
+                        elif f_type.startswith('reference') or \
+                            f_type.startswith('list:reference'):
+                            disp = 'FK'
+                        else:
+                            disp = ' '
+                        fields.append(dict(name=field.name, type=field.type, disp=disp))
+
+                        if isinstance(f_type, str) and (
+                            f_type.startswith('reference') or
+                            f_type.startswith('list:reference')):
+                            referenced_table = f_type.split()[1].split('.')[0]
+
+                            links.append(dict(source=t._tablename, target = referenced_table))
+
+                    nodes.append(dict(name=t._tablename, type='table', fields = fields))
+                    # end of code for d3 graphs
+
+                    tablelist.append({
                         "name": t._tablename,
                         "fields": t.fields,
                         "link": url(name, t._tablename) + "?model=true",
-                    }
-                    for t in getattr(module, name)
-                ]
+                    })
+                return tablelist
 
             return {
                 "databases": [
                     {"name": name, "tables": tables(name)} for name in databases
-                ]
-            }
+                ],
+                "links": links,
+                "nodes": nodes}
+        
         elif len(args) > 2 and args[1] in databases:
             db = getattr(module, args[1])
             make_safe(db)
diff --git a/apps/_dashboard/static/css/d3_graph.css b/apps/_dashboard/static/css/d3_graph.css
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..6e9564e15
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/_dashboard/static/css/d3_graph.css
@@ -0,0 +1,33 @@
+    .node {fill: steelblue;
+           stroke: #636363;
+           stroke-width: 1px;}
+
+    .auth {fill: lightgrey;}
+
+    .table {r: 10;}
+
+    .link {stroke: #bbbbbb;
+           stroke-width: 2px;}
+    td {padding: 4px;}
+
+    div.tooltip {
+       position: absolute;
+       text-align: left;
+       /* width: 140px; */
+       /* height: 28px; */
+       padding: 0px 5px 0px 5px;
+       padding-top: 0px;
+       font: 12px sans-serif;
+       background: #fff7bc;
+       border: solid 1px #aaa;
+       border-radius: 6px;
+       pointer-events: none;}
+
+    h5 { font: 14px sans-serif;
+         background : #ec7014;
+         color: #ffffe5; 
+         padding: 5px 2px 5px 2px;
+         margin-top: 1px;}
+    path {
+           fill: #aaaaaa;}
+
diff --git a/apps/_dashboard/static/js/d3_graph.js b/apps/_dashboard/static/js/d3_graph.js
new file mode 100644
index 000000000..dff9a8da9
--- /dev/null
+++ b/apps/_dashboard/static/js/d3_graph.js
@@ -0,0 +1,207 @@
+// Some reference links:
+//   How to get link ids instead of index
+//     http://stackoverflow.com/questions/23986466/d3-force-layout-linking-nodes-by-name-instead-of-index
+//   embedding web2py in d3
+//     http://stackoverflow.com/questions/34326343/embedding-d3-js-graph-in-a-web2py-bootstrap-page
+
+// nodes and links are retrieved by init.js from rest service
+var links = Array();
+var nodes = Array();
+
+function populateNodes(data){
+    nodes.splice(0, nodes.length);
+    data.forEach(function(e){
+        nodes.push(e);
+    });
+}
+
+function populateLinks(data){
+    links.splice(0, links.length);    
+    data.forEach(function(e){
+        links.push(e);
+    });
+}
+
+function d3_graph(nodes, links) {
+    // code to flush the d3 object
+    var myvisdiv = document.getElementById("vis");
+    myvisdiv.innerHTML = "";
+
+    // erease old and get the new tables and relations
+    populateNodes(nodes);
+    populateLinks(links);
+
+    if (nodes.length == 0){
+        myvisdiv.innerHTML = "No diagrams to draw";
+        return
+    }
+
+    var edges = [];
+
+    links.forEach(function(e) {
+        var sourceNode = nodes.filter(function(n) {
+            return n.name === e.source;
+        })[0],
+            targetNode = nodes.filter(function(n) {
+            return n.name === e.target;
+        })[0];
+
+        edges.push({
+            source: sourceNode,
+            target: targetNode,
+            value: 1});
+
+    });
+
+    edges.forEach(function(e) {
+
+        if (!e.source["linkcount"]) e.source["linkcount"] = 0;
+        if (!e.target["linkcount"]) e.target["linkcount"] = 0;
+
+        e.source["linkcount"]++;
+        e.target["linkcount"]++;
+    });
+
+    var width = window.innerWidth, height = window.innerHeight/3;
+    // var height = window.innerHeight|| docEl.clientHeight|| bodyEl.clientHeight;
+    // var width = window.innerWidth || docEl.clientWidth || bodyEl.clientWidth;
+    var svg = d3.select("#vis").append("svg")
+            .attr("width", width)
+            .attr("height", height);
+
+    // updated for d3 v4.
+    var simulation = d3.forceSimulation()
+            .force("link", d3.forceLink().id(function(d) { return d.id; }))
+            .force("charge", d3.forceManyBody().strength(strength))
+            .force("center", d3.forceCenter(width / 2, height / 2))
+            .force("collision", d3.forceCollide(35));
+
+    // Node charge strength.  Repel strength greater for less links.
+    //function strength(d) { return -50/d["linkcount"] ; }
+    function strength(d) { return -25 ; }  
+    
+    // Link distance.  Distance increases with number of links at source and target
+    function distance(d) { return (60 + (d.source["linkcount"] * d.target["linkcount"])) ; }
+    
+    // Link strength.  Strength is less for highly connected nodes (move towards target dist)
+    function strengthl(d) { return 5/(d.source["linkcount"] + d.target["linkcount"]) ; }
+
+    simulation
+        .nodes(nodes)
+        .on("tick", tick);
+
+    simulation.force("link")
+        .links(edges)
+        .distance(distance)
+        .strength(strengthl);
+
+    // build the arrow.
+    svg.append("svg:defs").selectAll("marker")
+        .data(["end"])      // Different link/path types can be defined here
+        .enter().append("svg:marker")    // This section adds in the arrows
+        .attr("id", String)
+        .attr("viewBox", "0 -5 10 10")
+        .attr("refX", 25)   // Moves the arrow head out, allow for radius
+        .attr("refY", 0)   // -1.5
+        .attr("markerWidth", 6)
+        .attr("markerHeight", 6)
+        .attr("orient", "auto")
+        .append("svg:path")
+        .attr("d", "M0,-5L10,0L0,5");
+
+    var link = svg.selectAll('.link')
+        .data(edges)
+        .enter().append('line')
+        .attr("class", "link")
+        .attr("marker-end", "url(#end)");
+
+    var node = svg.selectAll(".node")
+        .data(nodes)
+        .enter().append("g")
+        .attr("class", function(d) { return "node " + d.type;})
+        .attr('transform', function(d) {
+            return "translate(" + d.x + "," + d.y + ")"})
+        .classed("auth", function(d) { return (d.name.startsWith("auth") ? true : false);});
+
+    node.call(d3.drag()
+            .on("start", dragstarted)
+            .on("drag", dragged)
+            .on("end", dragended));
+
+    // add the nodes
+    node.append('circle')
+        .attr('r', 16)
+        ;
+
+    // add text
+    node.append("text")
+        .attr("x", 12)
+        .attr("dy", "-1.1em")
+        .text(function(d) {return d.name;});
+
+    node.on("mouseover", function(e, d) {
+
+        var g = d3.select(this);  // the node (table)
+
+        // tooltip
+        var fields = d.fields;
+        var fieldformat = "<TABLE>";
+        fields.forEach(function(d) {
+            fieldformat += "<TR><TD><B>"+ d.name+"</B></TD><TD>"+ d.type+"</TD><TD>"+ d.disp+"</TD></TR>";
+        });
+        fieldformat += "</TABLE>";
+        var tiplength = d.fields.length;
+
+        // Define 'div' for tooltips
+        var div = d3.select("body").append("div")  // declare the tooltip div
+	        .attr("class", "tooltip")              // apply the 'tooltip' class
+            .style("opacity", 0)
+            .html('<h5>' + d.name + '</h5>' + fieldformat)
+            .style("left", 20 + (e.pageX) + "px")// or just (d.x + 50 + "px")
+            .style("top", tooltop(e, tiplength))// or ...
+            .transition()
+            .duration(800)
+            .style("opacity", 0.9);
+        });
+
+    function tooltop(e, tiplength) {
+       //aim to ensure tooltip is fully visible whenver possible
+       return (Math.max(e.pageY - 20 - (tiplength * 14),0)) + "px"
+    }
+
+    node.on("mouseout", function(e, d) {
+            d3.select("body").select('div.tooltip').remove();
+    });
+
+    // instead of waiting for force to end with :     force.on('end', function()
+    // use .on("tick",  instead.  Here is the tick function
+    function tick() {
+        node.attr('transform', function(d) {
+            d.x = Math.max(30, Math.min(width - 16, d.x));
+            d.y = Math.max(30, Math.min(height - 16, d.y));
+            return "translate(" + d.x + "," + d.y + ")"; });
+
+        link.attr('x1', function(d) {return d.source.x;})
+            .attr('y1', function(d) {return d.source.y;})
+            .attr('x2', function(d) {return d.target.x;})
+            .attr('y2', function(d) {return d.target.y;});
+    };
+
+    function dragstarted(e, d) {
+        if (!e.active) simulation.alphaTarget(0.3).restart();
+        d.fx = d.x;
+        d.fy = d.y;
+    };
+
+    function dragged(e, d) {
+        d.fx = e.x;
+        d.fy = e.y;
+    };
+
+    function dragended(e, d) {
+        if (!e.active) simulation.alphaTarget(0);
+        d.fx = null;
+        d.fy = null;
+    };
+
+};
\ No newline at end of file
diff --git a/apps/_dashboard/static/js/index.js b/apps/_dashboard/static/js/index.js
index 9b0d1b515..840475c9c 100644
--- a/apps/_dashboard/static/js/index.js
+++ b/apps/_dashboard/static/js/index.js
@@ -204,7 +204,12 @@ let init = (app) => {
         app.vue.walk = [];
         var name = app.vue.selected_app.name;
         Q.get('../walk/'+name).then(r=>{app.vue.walk=r.json().payload;});
-        Q.get('../rest/'+name).then(r=>{app.vue.databases=r.json().databases;});
+        Q.get('../rest/'+name).then(r=>{
+            var restpayload = r.json();            
+            app.vue.databases=restpayload.databases;
+            // d3 database graphs
+            d3_graph(restpayload.nodes, restpayload.links);
+        });
         app.vue.selected_filename = null;
     }
     app.clear_tickets = () => {
diff --git a/apps/_dashboard/templates/index.html b/apps/_dashboard/templates/index.html
index b989c083d..c5dd49941 100644
--- a/apps/_dashboard/templates/index.html
+++ b/apps/_dashboard/templates/index.html
@@ -5,6 +5,7 @@
     <link rel="shortcut icon" href="data:image/x-icon;base64,AAABAAEAAQEAAAEAIAAwAAAAFgAAACgAAAABAAAAAgAAAAEAIAAAAAAABAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAPAAAAAA==" />
     <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/future.css" />
     <link rel="stylesheet" href="https://use.fontawesome.com/releases/v5.8.1/css/all.css">
+    <link rel="stylesheet" type="text/css" href="css/d3_graph.css" /><!-- for d3 diagram maker -->
 </head>
 
 <body>
@@ -120,6 +121,12 @@ <h2><i class="fa fa-lock fa-2x"></i></h2>
             <label for="databases">Databases in {{selected_app.name}}</label>
             <div style="max-width:100vw">
                 <div style="overflow-x:auto">
+                    <div>
+                    </br>
+                        <h2>Model graphs</h2>
+                        <div id="vis"></div><!-- d3 database diagrams-->
+                    </br>
+                    </div>
                     <table>
                         <tbody v-for="db in databases">
                             <tr v-for="table in db.tables">
@@ -264,5 +271,7 @@ <h2>{{modal.title}}</h2>
 <script>
   T.languages = [[= languages]];
 </script>
+<script src="https://cdnjs.cloudflare.com/ajax/libs/d3/7.9.0/d3.min.js"></script><!-- d3 library for database diagrams-->
+<script src="js/d3_graph.js"></script><!-- d3 diagram maker -->
 <script src="js/index.js"></script>
 </html>