| name | dot-patterns |
| description | Use when you need copy-paste DOT templates for common diagram types — start from a working pattern rather than blank canvas |
DOT Pattern Templates
Overview
Ready-to-use DOT templates for the most common diagram types. Each template is complete, renders correctly, and demonstrates the right shape vocabulary and layout choices. Copy, rename nodes, adjust labels.
Core principle: Start from a working pattern. Blank canvas invites bad defaults. Templates encode proven shape vocabulary, layout direction, and structural choices.
Pattern Selection
How to choose the right template:
digraph pattern_selection {
rankdir=TB
node [shape=diamond style="rounded,filled" fillcolor="#FFF9C4" fontname="Helvetica"]
edge [fontname="Helvetica" fontsize=10]
Q1 [label="Has states\nwith transitions?"]
Q2 [label="Hierarchical\nlayers/tiers?"]
Q3 [label="Parallel\nbranches?"]
Q4 [label="Step-by-step\nflow?"]
node [shape=box style="rounded,filled" fillcolor="#E8F0FE"]
SM [label="State Machine"]
LA [label="Layered Architecture"]
FOFI [label="Fan-Out / Fan-In"]
DAG [label="DAG / Workflow"]
LEG [label="Add a Legend"]
Q1 -> SM [label="yes"]
Q1 -> Q2 [label="no"]
Q2 -> LA [label="yes"]
Q2 -> Q3 [label="no"]
Q3 -> FOFI [label="yes"]
Q3 -> Q4 [label="no"]
Q4 -> DAG
node [shape=note style="filled" fillcolor="#F0F4C3"]
NOTE [label="Using color?\nAdd a Legend"]
DAG -> NOTE [style=dashed]
LA -> NOTE [style=dashed]
}
Template 1: DAG / Workflow
Use for pipelines, CI/CD flows, processing steps, data pipelines.
digraph workflow {
label="Workflow Title"
labelloc=t
rankdir=LR
node [shape=box style="rounded,filled" fillcolor="#E8F0FE" fontname="Helvetica"]
edge [fontname="Helvetica" fontsize=10 color="#666666"]
Start [label="Start" shape=ellipse fillcolor="#C8E6C9"]
StepA [label="Step A"]
StepB [label="Step B"]
StepC [label="Step C"]
Done [label="Done" shape=ellipse fillcolor="#FFCDD2"]
Start -> StepA
StepA -> StepB [label="on success"]
StepA -> StepC [label="on failure" style=dashed color="#E57373"]
StepB -> Done
StepC -> Done
}
Template 2: State Machine
Use for lifecycle states, order status, connection states, document workflows.
digraph state_machine {
label="State Machine Title"
labelloc=t
rankdir=LR
node [shape=box style="rounded,filled" fillcolor="#E8F0FE" fontname="Helvetica"]
edge [fontname="Helvetica" fontsize=10]
// Initial state marker
_start [shape=point width=0.2 fillcolor=black]
// States
Idle [label="Idle"]
Active [label="Active"]
Paused [label="Paused"]
Terminal [label="Terminal" shape=doublecircle fillcolor="#FFCDD2"]
// Transitions
_start -> Idle
Idle -> Active [label="start"]
Active -> Paused [label="pause"]
Active -> Terminal [label="complete"]
Paused -> Active [label="resume"]
Paused -> Terminal [label="cancel"]
}
Template 3: Layered Architecture
Use for system architecture, n-tier applications, domain boundaries.
digraph layered_arch {
label="System Architecture"
labelloc=t
rankdir=TB
compound=true
node [fontname="Helvetica" style="rounded,filled"]
edge [fontname="Helvetica" fontsize=10]
subgraph cluster_presentation {
label="Presentation Layer"
style=filled fillcolor="#E3F2FD"
node [fillcolor="#BBDEFB"]
WebUI [label="Web UI"]
MobileUI [label="Mobile UI"]
}
subgraph cluster_api {
label="API Layer"
style=filled fillcolor="#E8F5E9"
node [fillcolor="#C8E6C9"]
Gateway [label="API Gateway"]
Auth [label="Auth Service"]
}
subgraph cluster_domain {
label="Domain Layer"
style=filled fillcolor="#FFF9C4"
node [fillcolor="#FFF59D"]
CoreSvc [label="Core Service"]
Events [label="Event Bus"]
}
subgraph cluster_data {
label="Data Layer"
style=filled fillcolor="#FCE4EC"
node [fillcolor="#F8BBD9"]
DB [label="Database" shape=cylinder]
Cache [label="Cache" shape=cylinder]
}
WebUI -> Gateway [lhead=cluster_api]
MobileUI -> Gateway [lhead=cluster_api]
Gateway -> CoreSvc [lhead=cluster_domain]
Auth -> CoreSvc [lhead=cluster_domain]
CoreSvc -> DB [lhead=cluster_data]
CoreSvc -> Cache [lhead=cluster_data]
}
Template 4: Fan-Out / Fan-In
Use for parallel processing, scatter-gather, map-reduce, worker pools.
digraph fan_out_fan_in {
label="Parallel Processing"
labelloc=t
rankdir=LR
node [shape=box style="rounded,filled" fillcolor="#E8F0FE" fontname="Helvetica"]
edge [fontname="Helvetica" fontsize=10 color="#666666"]
Input [label="Input"]
Dispatch [label="Dispatch" shape=component fillcolor="#C8E6C9"]
subgraph { rank=same; WorkerA; WorkerB; WorkerC }
WorkerA [label="Worker A"]
WorkerB [label="Worker B"]
WorkerC [label="Worker C"]
Collect [label="Collect" shape=component fillcolor="#FFCDD2"]
Output [label="Output"]
Input -> Dispatch
Dispatch -> WorkerA
Dispatch -> WorkerB
Dispatch -> WorkerC
WorkerA -> Collect
WorkerB -> Collect
WorkerC -> Collect
Collect -> Output
}
Template 5: Legend
Add to any diagram that uses color or non-obvious shapes.
digraph with_legend {
label="Diagram With Legend"
labelloc=t
rankdir=LR
node [shape=box style="rounded,filled" fontname="Helvetica"]
edge [fontname="Helvetica" fontsize=10]
// Main diagram nodes
SvcA [label="Service A" fillcolor="#E8F0FE"]
SvcB [label="Service B" fillcolor="#E8F0FE"]
DB [label="Database" shape=cylinder fillcolor="#FCE4EC"]
Ext [label="External" shape=parallelogram fillcolor="#FFF9C4"]
SvcA -> SvcB
SvcB -> DB
Ext -> SvcA
// Legend cluster
subgraph cluster_legend {
label="Legend"
style=filled fillcolor="#F5F5F5"
node [width=1.5]
L_svc [label="Service" shape=box fillcolor="#E8F0FE"]
L_db [label="Data Store" shape=cylinder fillcolor="#FCE4EC"]
L_ext [label="External" shape=parallelogram fillcolor="#FFF9C4"]
L_svc -> L_db [style=invis]
L_db -> L_ext [style=invis]
}
}
Template Checklist
Before submitting a diagram created from a template:
