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tikz

LaTeX TikZ/PGF package for programmatic vector graphics and diagrams. Use when helping users draw flowcharts, trees, graphs, automata, circuits, geometric figures, or any custom diagram in LaTeX.

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igbuend/grimbard
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February 12, 2026 at 11:05
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name
tikz
description
LaTeX TikZ/PGF package for programmatic vector graphics and diagrams. Use when helping users draw flowcharts, trees, graphs, automata, circuits, geometric figures, or any custom diagram in LaTeX.
# TikZ/PGF — Vector Graphics & Diagrams **CTAN:** https://ctan.org/pkg/pgf **Manual:** `texdoc tikz` (~1300 pages) ## Setup ```latex \usepackage{tikz} % Load libraries as needed: \usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta, calc, positioning, decorations.pathmorphing, patterns, shapes.geometric, shapes.misc, fit, backgrounds, automata, trees, mindmap, circuits.logic.US} ``` ## Basic Drawing ### Minimal Example ```latex \begin{tikzpicture} \draw (0,0) -- (2,0) -- (2,2) -- cycle; % triangle \end{tikzpicture} ``` ### Path Operations | Operation | Syntax | Example | |-----------|--------|---------| | Line | `--` | `(0,0) -- (1,1)` | | Horizontal-vertical | <code>-\|</code> | `(0,0) -| (1,1)` (go right then up) | | Vertical-horizontal | <code>\|-</code> | `(0,0) |- (1,1)` (go up then right) | | Curve | `.. controls .. ..` | `(0,0) .. controls (0.5,1) .. (1,0)` | | Smooth curve | `to[out=..,in=..]` | `(0,0) to[out=90,in=180] (2,1)` | | Arc | `arc` | `(0,0) arc (0:90:1cm)` start:end:radius | | Circle | `circle` | `(0,0) circle[radius=1]` | | Ellipse | `ellipse` | `(0,0) ellipse[x radius=2, y radius=1]` | | Rectangle | `rectangle` | `(0,0) rectangle (2,1)` | | Grid | `grid` | `(0,0) grid (3,3)` | | Parabola | `parabola` | `(0,0) parabola (2,2)` | | Sin/Cos | `sin`/`cos` | `(0,0) sin (1,1)` | | Plot | `plot` | `plot[domain=0:3] (\x, {\x^2})` | | Cycle | `cycle` | close path back to start | ### Path Actions | Command | Effect | |---------|--------| | `\draw` | Stroke the path | | `\fill` | Fill the path | | `\filldraw` | Fill and stroke | | `\path` | Invisible path (for coordinates, nodes) | | `\clip` | Clip subsequent drawing to path | | `\shade` | Gradient fill | | `\shadedraw` | Gradient fill + stroke | | `\node` | Shorthand for `\path node` | | `\coordinate` | Shorthand for `\path coordinate` | ### Common Draw Options ```latex \draw[ color=blue, % or just: blue line width=1pt, % or: thin, thick, very thick, ultra thick dashed, % or: dotted, dash dot, dash dot dot dash pattern={on 3pt off 2pt}, rounded corners=5pt, -> % arrow tip (see arrows section) opacity=0.5, double, double distance=2pt, ] (0,0) -- (2,2); ``` ### Common Fill Options ```latex \fill[ fill=blue!20, % 20% blue fill opacity=0.5, pattern=north lines, % requires patterns library pattern color=gray, ] (0,0) rectangle (2,1); ``` ## Coordinate Systems ```latex % Cartesian (default) (2, 3) % Polar (angle:radius) (45:2cm) % Relative (shift from last point) ++(1,0) % move reference point +(1,0) % don't move reference point % Named \coordinate (A) at (1,2); \draw (A) -- (2,3); % Intersection (calc library) \usetikzlibrary{calc} ($(A)!0.5!(B)$) % midpoint of A and B ($(A)!0.5!90:(B)$) % midpoint rotated 90° ($(A) + (1,2)$) % A shifted by (1,2) ($(A)!1cm!(B)$) % 1cm from A toward B % Perpendicular coordinates (A -| B) = (x of B, y of A) (A |- B) % (x of A, y of B) % Barycentric (barycentric cs:A=1,B=1,C=1) % centroid ``` ## Nodes ### Basic Nodes ```latex \node (name) at (0,0) {Text}; % Node options \node[ draw, % draw border fill=yellow!20, rectangle, % shape (default) circle, ellipse, rounded corners, minimum width=2cm, minimum height=1cm, inner sep=5pt, % padding outer sep=2pt, % margin text=red, font=\bfseries\small, align=center, % for multi-line: use \\ in text text width=3cm, anchor=north, % positioning anchor rotate=45, ] (mynode) at (1,2) {Hello\\World}; ``` ### Node Anchors ``` north west north north east ┌──────────┐ west │ center │ east └──────────┘ south west south south east ``` Also: `base`, `mid`, `text`, and angle anchors like `45`, `135`. ### Nodes on Paths ```latex \draw (0,0) -- node[above] {label} (3,0); \draw (0,0) -- node[midway, sloped, above] {sloped text} (3,2); \draw (0,0) -- node[pos=0.3, below] {at 30\%} (3,0); \draw (0,0) to[out=90,in=0] node[near start, left] {A} (2,2); ``` ### Common Shapes (requires libraries) ```latex \usetikzlibrary{shapes.geometric, shapes.misc} \node[diamond, draw] {D}; \node[star, draw, star points=5] {S}; \node[regular polygon, regular polygon sides=6, draw] {Hex}; \node[trapezium, draw] {T}; \node[cylinder, draw, shape border rotate=90] {DB}; \node[cloud, draw, cloud puffs=10] {Cloud}; \node[cross out, draw] at (0,0) {}; \node[strike out, draw] at (0,0) {}; ``` ## Arrows ```latex \usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta} % Arrow tips (arrows.meta syntax) \draw[->] (0,0) -- (1,0); % default \draw[-Stealth] (0,0) -- (1,0); % filled triangle \draw[-Latex] (0,0) -- (1,0); % larger filled \draw[-{Stealth[length=5mm]}] (0,0) -- (1,0); \draw[{Latex[red]}-{Latex[blue]}] (0,0) -- (1,0); % colored \draw[-{>[scale=2]}] (0,0) -- (1,0); % Common tips: >, Stealth, Latex, To, Circle, Square, |, Hooks % Modifiers: [length=..], [width=..], [open], [fill=..], [scale=..] ``` ## Styles ```latex % Define in preamble or tikzpicture options \tikzset{ mybox/.style = {draw, fill=blue!20, rounded corners, minimum width=2cm}, myarrow/.style = {-Stealth, thick, red}, highlight/.style = {fill=yellow, draw=orange, line width=2pt}, } % Use \node[mybox] {Box}; \draw[myarrow] (0,0) -- (1,1); % Style with parameters \tikzset{ box/.style = {draw, fill=#1!20, minimum width=1.5cm}, box/.default = blue, } \node[box] {Blue}; % default \node[box=red] {Red}; % override % every node/.style applies to all nodes \begin{tikzpicture}[every node/.style={font=\small}] ``` ## Foreach Loops ```latex % Basic \foreach \x in {0,1,2,3} \draw (\x, 0) circle (0.3); % With step \foreach \x in {0,0.5,...,3} \fill (\x,0) circle (1pt); % Multiple variables \foreach \x/\y in {0/A, 1/B, 2/C} \node at (\x, 0) {\y}; % Counter \foreach \x [count=\i] in {a,b,c,d} \node at (\i, 0) {\x}; % Evaluate \foreach \x [evaluate=\x as \y using \x*\x] in {1,...,5} \fill (\x, \y/5) circle (2pt); % Remember \foreach \x [remember=\x as \lastx (initially 0)] in {1,...,5} \draw (\lastx, 0) -- (\x, 0); ``` ## Scopes and Transformations ```latex \begin{tikzpicture} \draw (0,0) -- (1,0); \begin{scope}[shift={(2,0)}, rotate=45, scale=0.5, red, thick] \draw (0,0) -- (1,0) -- (1,1) -- cycle; \end{scope} % Transformations % shift={(x,y)}, xshift=1cm, yshift=2cm % rotate=45, rotate around={45:(1,1)} % scale=2, xscale=2, yscale=0.5 % xslant=0.5, yslant=0.5 \end{tikzpicture} ``` ## Clipping ```latex \begin{tikzpicture} \clip (0,0) circle (1.5cm); % Everything below is clipped to the circle \fill[blue!30] (-2,-2) rectangle (2,2); \draw[step=0.5, gray] (-2,-2) grid (2,2); \end{tikzpicture} ``` ## Layers (backgrounds library) ```latex \usetikzlibrary{backgrounds} \begin{tikzpicture} \node[draw, fill=white] (A) {Foreground}; \begin{pgfonlayer}{background} \fill[yellow!30] (A.south west) rectangle (A.north east); \end{pgfonlayer} \end{tikzpicture} ``` ## Pics ```latex \tikzset{ myshape/.pic = { \draw (-0.5,-0.5) rectangle (0.5,0.5); \draw (0,0) circle (0.3); } } \begin{tikzpicture} \pic at (0,0) {myshape}; \pic[rotate=45, scale=1.5] at (2,0) {myshape}; \end{tikzpicture} ``` ## Decorations ```latex \usetikzlibrary{decorations.pathmorphing, decorations.markings, decorations.text} % Wavy/zigzag lines \draw[decorate, decoration={zigzag, amplitude=2mm, segment length=5mm}] (0,0) -- (4,0);
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