An example controller device manages a plurality of network devices. The controller device includes one or more processing units, implemented using digital logic circuitry, configured to receive data representing a modification to unified intent model represented by a graph model, determine one or more vertices of the graph model affected by the data representing the modification and one or more vertices to be added to the graph model to extend the unified intent model, update the one or more vertices of the graph model affected by the data representing the modification and add the one or more vertices to be added to the graph model, compile the updated one or more vertices and the added one or more vertices to generate low level configuration data for the plurality of network devices, and configure one or more of the plurality of network devices with the low level configuration data.