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Generate beautiful, self-contained HTML pages that visually explain systems, code changes, plans, and data.
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Automates browser interactions for web testing, form filling, screenshots, and data extraction. Use when the user needs to navigate websites, interact with web pages, fill forms, take screenshots, test web applications, or extract information from web pages.
Basé sur la classification professionnelle SOC
| name | visual-explainer |
| description | Generate beautiful, self-contained HTML pages that visually explain systems, code changes, plans, and data. |
Generate self-contained HTML files for technical diagrams, visualizations, and data tables. Never fall back to ASCII art when this skill is loaded.
Proactive table rendering. When you're about to present tabular data as an ASCII box-drawing table in the terminal (comparisons, audits, feature matrices, status reports, any structured rows/columns), generate an HTML page instead. The threshold: if the table has 4+ rows or 3+ columns, it belongs in the browser. Don't wait for the user to ask — render it as HTML automatically and tell them the file path. You can still include a brief text summary in the chat, but the table itself should be the HTML page.
Before writing HTML, commit to a direction. Don't default to "dark theme with blue accents" every time.
Visual is always default. Even essays, blog posts, and articles get visual treatment — extract structure into cards, diagrams, grids, tables.
Prose patterns (lead paragraphs, pull quotes, callout boxes) are accent elements within visual pages, not a separate mode. Use them to highlight key points or provide breathing room, but the page structure remains visual.
For prose accents, see "Prose Page Elements" in ./references/css-patterns.md. For everything else, use the standard freeform approach with aesthetic directions below.
Who is looking? A developer understanding a system? A PM seeing the big picture? A team reviewing a proposal? This shapes information density and visual complexity.
What type of content? Architecture, flowchart, sequence, data flow, schema/ER, state machine, mind map, class diagram, C4 architecture, data table, timeline, dashboard, or prose-first page. Each has distinct layout needs and rendering approaches (see Diagram Types below).
What aesthetic? Pick one and commit. The constrained aesthetics (Blueprint, Editorial, Paper/ink) are safer — they have specific requirements that prevent generic output. The flexible ones (IDE-inspired) require more discipline.
Constrained aesthetics (prefer these):
#faf7f5 background, terracotta/sage accents, informal feel)Flexible aesthetics (use with caution):
Explicitly forbidden:
Vary the choice each time. If the last diagram was dark and technical, make the next one light and editorial. The swap test: if you replaced your styling with a generic dark theme and nobody would notice the difference, you haven't designed anything.
Read the reference material before generating. Don't memorize it — read it each time to absorb the patterns.
./templates/architecture.html./templates/mermaid-flowchart.html./templates/data-table.html--slides flag is present or /generate-slides is invoked): read ./templates/slide-deck.html and ./references/slide-patterns.md./references/css-patterns.md and "Typography by Content Voice" in ./references/libraries.mdFor CSS/layout patterns and SVG connectors, read ./references/css-patterns.md.
For pages with 4+ sections (reviews, recaps, dashboards), also read ./references/responsive-nav.md for section navigation with sticky sidebar TOC on desktop and horizontal scrollable bar on mobile.
Choosing a rendering approach:
| Content type | Approach | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Architecture (text-heavy) | CSS Grid cards + flow arrows | Rich card content (descriptions, code, tool lists) needs CSS control |
| Architecture (topology-focused) | Mermaid | Visible connections between components need automatic edge routing |
| Flowchart / pipeline | Mermaid | Automatic node positioning and edge routing |
| Sequence diagram | Mermaid | Lifelines, messages, and activation boxes need automatic layout |
| Data flow | Mermaid with edge labels | Connections and data descriptions need automatic edge routing |
| ER / schema diagram | Mermaid | Relationship lines between many entities need auto-routing |
| State machine | Mermaid | State transitions with labeled edges need automatic layout |
| Mind map | Mermaid | Hierarchical branching needs automatic positioning |
| Class diagram | Mermaid | Inheritance, composition, aggregation lines with automatic routing |
| C4 architecture | Mermaid | Use graph TD + subgraph for C4 (not native C4Context — it ignores themes) |
| Data table | HTML <table> | Semantic markup, accessibility, copy-paste behavior |
| Timeline | CSS (central line + cards) | Simple linear layout doesn't need a layout engine |
| Dashboard | CSS Grid + Chart.js | Card grid with embedded charts |
Mermaid theming: Always use theme: 'base' with custom themeVariables so colors match your page palette. Use layout: 'elk' for complex graphs (requires the @mermaid-js/layout-elk package — see ./references/libraries.md for the CDN import). Override Mermaid's SVG classes with CSS for pixel-perfect control. See ./references/libraries.md for full theming guide.
Mermaid containers: Always center Mermaid diagrams with display: flex; justify-content: center;. Add zoom controls (+/−/reset/expand) to every .mermaid-wrap container. Include the click-to-expand JavaScript so clicking the diagram (or the ⛶ button) opens it full-size in a new tab.
⚠️ For scrollable pages, never use bare <pre class="mermaid">. It renders but has no zoom/pan controls — diagrams become tiny and unusable. Always use the full diagram-shell pattern from ./templates/mermaid-flowchart.html: the HTML structure (.diagram-shell > .mermaid-wrap > .zoom-controls + .mermaid-viewport > .mermaid-canvas), the CSS, and the JavaScript for zoom/pan/fit. Copy it wholesale. For slide deck mode, follow ./templates/slide-deck.html and ./references/slide-patterns.md instead — slides use a different Mermaid container pattern.
Mermaid scaling: Diagrams with 10+ nodes render too small by default. For 10-12 nodes, increase fontSize in themeVariables to 18-20px and tune the copied diagram-shell pattern's fit/zoom settings if needed. For 15+ elements, don't try to scale — use the hybrid pattern instead (simple Mermaid overview + CSS Grid cards). See "Architecture / System Diagrams" below.
Mermaid layout direction: Prefer flowchart TD (top-down) over flowchart LR (left-to-right) for complex diagrams. LR spreads horizontally and makes labels unreadable when there are many nodes. Use LR only for simple 3-4 node linear flows. See ./references/libraries.md "Layout Direction: TD vs LR".
Mermaid line breaks in flowchart labels: Use <br/> inside quoted labels. Never use escaped newlines like \n (Mermaid renders them as literal text in HTML output). Example: A["Copilot Backend<br/>/api + /api/voicebot"].
Mermaid CSS class collision constraint: Never define .node as a page-level CSS class. Mermaid.js uses .node internally on SVG <g> elements with transform: translate(x, y) for positioning. Page-level .node styles (hover transforms, box-shadows) leak into diagrams and break layout. Use the namespaced .ve-card class for card components instead. The only safe way to style Mermaid's .node is scoped under .mermaid (e.g., .mermaid .node rect).
Apply these principles to every diagram:
Typography is the diagram. Pick a distinctive font pairing from the list in ./references/libraries.md. Every page should use a different pairing from recent generations.
Forbidden as --font-body: Inter, Roboto, Arial, Helvetica, system-ui alone. These are AI slop signals.
Good pairings (use these):
Load via <link> in <head>. Include a system font fallback in the font-family stack for offline resilience.
Color tells a story. Use CSS custom properties for the full palette. Define at minimum: --bg, --surface, --border, --text, --text-dim, and 3-5 accent colors. Each accent should have a full and a dim variant (for backgrounds). Name variables semantically when possible (--pipeline-step not --blue-3). Support both themes.
Forbidden accent colors: #8b5cf6 #7c3aed #a78bfa (indigo/violet), #d946ef (fuchsia), the cyan-magenta-pink combination. These are Tailwind defaults that signal zero design intent.
Good accent palettes (use these):
#c2410c, #65a30d) — warm, earthy#0891b2, #0369a1) — technical, precise#be123c, #881337) — editorial, refined#d97706, #059669) — data-focused#1e3a5f, #d4a73a) — premium, sophisticatedPut your primary aesthetic in :root and the alternate in the media query:
/* Light-first (editorial, paper/ink, blueprint): */
:root {
/* light values */
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: dark) {
:root {
/* dark values */
}
}
/* Dark-first (neon, IDE-inspired, terminal): */
:root {
/* dark values */
}
@media (prefers-color-scheme: light) {
:root {
/* light values */
}
}
Surfaces whisper, they don't shout. Build depth through subtle lightness shifts (2-4% between levels), not dramatic color changes. Borders should be low-opacity rgba (rgba(255,255,255,0.08) in dark mode, rgba(0,0,0,0.08) in light) — visible when you look, invisible when you don't.
Backgrounds create atmosphere. Don't use flat solid colors for the page background. Subtle gradients, faint grid patterns via CSS, or gentle radial glows behind focal areas. The background should feel like a space, not a void.
Visual weight signals importance. Not every section deserves equal visual treatment. Executive summaries and key metrics should dominate the viewport on load (larger type, more padding, subtle accent-tinted background zone). Reference sections (file maps, dependency lists, decision logs) should be compact and stay out of the way. Use <details>/<summary> for sections that are useful but not primary — the collapsible pattern is in ./references/css-patterns.md.
Surface depth creates hierarchy. Vary card depth to signal what matters. Hero sections get elevated shadows and accent-tinted backgrounds (ve-card--hero pattern). Body content stays flat (default .ve-card). Code blocks and secondary content feel recessed (ve-card--recessed). See the depth tiers in ./references/css-patterns.md. Don't make everything elevated — when everything pops, nothing does.
Animation earns its place. Staggered fade-ins on page load are almost always worth it — they guide the eye through the diagram's hierarchy. Mix animation types by role: fadeUp for cards, fadeScale for KPIs and badges, drawIn for SVG connectors, countUp for hero numbers. Hover transitions on interactive-feeling elements make the diagram feel alive. Always respect prefers-reduced-motion. CSS transitions and keyframes handle most cases. For orchestrated multi-element sequences, anime.js via CDN is available (see ./references/libraries.md).
Forbidden animations:
@keyframes glow { box-shadow: 0 0 20px... }) — this is AI slopKeep animations purposeful: entrance reveals, hover feedback, and user-initiated interactions. Nothing should glow or pulse on its own.
Output location: Write to ./.pi/visual-explainer/. Use a descriptive filename based on content: modem-architecture.html, pipeline-flow.html, schema-overview.html.
Tell the user the file path so they can open it.
Three approaches depending on complexity:
Simple topology (under 10 elements): Use Mermaid. A graph TD with custom themeVariables produces readable diagrams with automatic edge routing.
Text-heavy overviews (under 15 elements): CSS Grid with explicit row/column placement. Sections as rounded cards with colored borders and monospace labels. Vertical flow arrows between sections. The reference template at ./templates/architecture.html demonstrates this pattern. Use when cards need descriptions, code references, tool lists, or other rich content that Mermaid nodes can't hold.
Complex architectures (15+ elements): Use the hybrid pattern — a simple Mermaid overview (5-8 nodes showing module relationships) followed by detailed CSS Grid cards for each module's internals. This gives you visual topology AND readable details. The overview diagram uses module names with <small> tags for key function names. The cards below show full function lists with new/modified badges. Never try to cram 15+ elements into a single Mermaid diagram — it will render unreadably small even with zoom controls.
Use Mermaid. Automatic node positioning and edge routing produces proper diagrams with connecting lines, decision diamonds, and parallel branches — dramatically better than CSS flexbox with arrow characters. Prefer graph TD (top-down); use graph LR only for simple 3-4 node linear flows. Color-code node types with Mermaid's classDef or rely on themeVariables for automatic styling.
Use Mermaid. Lifelines, messages, activation boxes, notes, and loops all need automatic layout. Use Mermaid's sequenceDiagram syntax. Style actors and messages via CSS overrides on .actor, .messageText, .activation classes.
Use Mermaid. Data flow diagrams emphasize connections over boxes — exactly what Mermaid excels at. Use graph TD (or graph LR for simple linear flows) with edge labels for data descriptions. Thicker, colored edges for primary flows. Source/sink nodes styled differently from transform nodes via Mermaid's classDef.
Use Mermaid. Relationship lines between entities need automatic routing. Use Mermaid's erDiagram syntax with entity attributes. Style via themeVariables and CSS overrides on .er.entityBox and .er.relationshipLine.
Use Mermaid. Use stateDiagram-v2 for states with labeled transitions. Supports nested states, forks, joins, and notes. Decision trees can use graph TD with diamond decision nodes.
stateDiagram-v2 label caveat: Transition labels have a strict parser — colons, parentheses, <br/>, HTML entities, and most special characters cause silent parse failures ("Syntax error in text"). If your labels need any of these (e.g., cancel(), curate: true, multi-line labels), use flowchart TD instead with rounded nodes and quoted edge labels (|"label text"|). Flowcharts handle all special characters and support <br/> for line breaks. Reserve stateDiagram-v2 for simple single-word or plain-text labels.
Use Mermaid. Use mindmap syntax for hierarchical branching from a root node. Mermaid handles the radial layout automatically. Style with themeVariables to control node colors at each depth level.
Use Mermaid. Use classDiagram syntax for domain modeling, OOP design, and entity relationships with typed properties and methods. Supports relationships: association (-->), composition (*--), aggregation (o--), and inheritance (<|--). Add multiplicity labels (e.g., "1" --> "*") and abstract/interface markers (<<interface>>, <<abstract>>). For simple entity boxes without OOP semantics (no methods, no inheritance), prefer erDiagram instead — it produces cleaner output for pure data modeling.
Use Mermaid flowchart syntax — NOT native C4. Use graph TD with subgraph blocks for C4 boundaries. Native C4Context hardcodes sharp corners, its own font, blue icons, and inline SVG colors that ignore themeVariables — it always clashes with custom palettes.
Flowchart-as-C4 pattern: Persons → rounded nodes (("Name")), systems → rectangles ["Name"], databases → cylinders [("Name")], boundaries → subgraph blocks, relationships → labeled arrows -->|"protocol"|. Use classDef + :::className to visually differentiate external systems (e.g., dashed borders). This inherits themeVariables, fontFamily, and CSS overrides like every other Mermaid diagram.
Use a real <table> element — not CSS Grid pretending to be a table. Tables get accessibility, copy-paste behavior, and column alignment for free. The reference template at ./templates/data-table.html demonstrates all patterns below.
Use proactively. Any time you'd render an ASCII box-drawing table in the terminal, generate an HTML table instead. This includes: requirement audits (request vs plan), feature comparisons, status reports, configuration matrices, test result summaries, dependency lists, permission tables, API endpoint inventories — any structured rows and columns.
Layout patterns:
<thead> so headers stay visible when scrolling long tablestr:nth-child(even) (subtle, 2-3% lightness shift)overflow-x: auto for tables wider than the viewport<colgroup> or th widths — let text-heavy columns breatheStatus indicators (use styled <span> elements, never emoji):
Cell content:
<code> for technical references within cells<small> with dimmed colortabular-numsVertical or horizontal timeline with a central line (CSS pseudo-element). Phase markers as circles on the line. Content cards branching left/right (alternating) or all to one side. Date labels on the line. Color progression from past (muted) to future (vivid).
Card grid layout. Hero numbers large and prominent. Sparklines via inline SVG <polyline>. Progress bars via CSS linear-gradient on a div. For real charts (bar, line, pie), use Chart.js via CDN (see ./references/libraries.md). KPI cards with trend indicators (up/down arrows, percentage deltas).
For visualizing implementation plans, extension designs, or feature specifications. The goal is understanding the approach, not reading the full source code.
Don't dump full files. Displaying entire source files inline overwhelms the page and defeats the purpose of a visual explanation. Instead:
Code blocks require explicit formatting. Without white-space: pre-wrap, code runs together into an unreadable wall. See the "Code Blocks" section in ./references/css-patterns.md for the correct pattern.
Structure for implementation plans:
When visualizing documentation, extract structure into visual elements:
| Content | Visual Treatment |
|---|---|
| Features | Card grid (2-3 columns) |
| Install/setup steps | Numbered cards or vertical flow |
| API endpoints/commands | Table with sticky header |
| Config options | Table |
| Architecture | Mermaid diagram or CSS card layout |
| Comparisons | Side-by-side panels or table |
| Warnings/notes | Callout boxes |
Don't just format the prose — transform it. A feature list becomes a card grid. Install steps become a numbered flow. An API reference becomes a table.
Use these sparingly within visual pages to highlight key points or provide breathing room. See "Prose Page Elements" in ./references/css-patterns.md for CSS patterns.
When to use: A visual page explaining an essay might use a lead paragraph for the thesis, then cards for key arguments. A README visualization might use callout boxes for warnings but otherwise stay card/table-focused.
An alternative output format for presenting content as a magazine-quality slide presentation instead of a scrollable page. Opt-in only — the agent generates slides when the user invokes /generate-slides, passes --slides to an existing prompt (e.g., /diff-review --slides), or explicitly asks for a slide deck. Never auto-select slide format.
Before generating slides, read ./references/slide-patterns.md (engine CSS, slide types, transitions, nav chrome, presets) and ./templates/slide-deck.html (reference template showing all 10 types). Also read ./references/css-patterns.md for shared patterns and ./references/libraries.md for Mermaid/Chart.js theming.
Slides are not pages reformatted. They're a different medium. Each slide is exactly one viewport tall (100dvh) with no scrolling. Typography is 2–3× larger. Compositions are bolder. The agent composes a narrative arc (impact → context → deep dive → resolution) rather than mechanically paginating the source.
Content completeness. Changing the medium does not mean dropping content. Follow the "Planning a Deck from a Source Document" process in slide-patterns.md before writing any HTML: inventory the source, map every item to slides, verify coverage. Every section, decision, data point, specification, and collapsible detail from the source must appear in the deck. If a plan has 7 sections, the deck covers all 7. If there are 6 decisions, present all 6 — not the 2 that fit on one slide. Collapsible details in the source become their own slides. Add more slides rather than cutting content. A 22-slide deck that covers everything beats a 13-slide deck that looks polished but is missing 40% of the source.
Slide types (10): Title, Section Divider, Content, Split, Diagram, Dashboard, Table, Code, Quote, Full-Bleed. Each has a defined layout in slide-patterns.md. Content that exceeds a slide's density limit splits across multiple slides — never scrolls within a slide.
Visual richness: Use SVG decorative accents, per-slide background gradients, inline sparklines, and small Mermaid diagrams where they make the story more compelling. Visual-first, text-second.
Compositional variety: Consecutive slides must vary spatial approach — centered, left-heavy, right-heavy, split, edge-aligned, full-bleed. Three centered slides in a row means push one off-axis.
Curated presets: Four slide-specific presets as starting points (Midnight Editorial, Warm Signal, Terminal Mono, Swiss Clean) plus the existing 8 aesthetic directions adapted for slides. Pick one and commit. See slide-patterns.md for preset CSS values.
--slides flag on existing prompts: When a user passes --slides to /diff-review, /plan-review, /project-recap, or other prompts, the agent gathers data using the prompt's normal data-gathering instructions, then presents the content as a slide deck instead of a scrollable page. The slide version tells the same story with different structure and pacing — but the same breadth of coverage. Don't use the slide format as an excuse to summarize or skip sections that the scrollable version would have included.
Every diagram is a single self-contained .html file. No external assets except CDN links (fonts, optional libraries). Structure:
<!DOCTYPE html>
<html lang="en">
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8" />
<meta name="viewport" content="width=device-width, initial-scale=1.0" />
<title>Descriptive Title</title>
<link
href="https://fonts.googleapis.com/css2?family=...&display=swap"
rel="stylesheet"
/>
<style>
/* CSS custom properties, theme, layout, components — all inline */
</style>
</head>
<body>
<!-- Semantic HTML: sections, headings, lists, tables, inline SVG -->
<!-- No script needed for static CSS-only diagrams -->
<!-- Optional: <script> for Mermaid, Chart.js, or anime.js when used -->
</body>
</html>
Before delivering, verify:
min-width: 0. Side-by-side panels need overflow-wrap: break-word. Never use display: flex on <li> for marker characters — it creates anonymous flex items that can't shrink, causing lines with many inline <code> badges to overflow. Use absolute positioning for markers instead. See the Overflow Protection section in ./references/css-patterns.md..mermaid-wrap container must have zoom controls (+/−/reset/expand buttons), Ctrl/Cmd+scroll zoom, click-and-drag panning, and click-to-expand (clicking without dragging opens the diagram full-size in a new tab). The expand button (⛶) provides the same functionality. See ./references/css-patterns.md for the full pattern including the openMermaidInNewTab() function.These patterns are explicitly forbidden. They signal "AI-generated template" and undermine the skill's purpose of producing distinctive, high-quality diagrams. Review every generated page against this list.
Forbidden fonts as primary --font-body:
Required: Pick from the font pairings in ./references/libraries.md. Every generation should use a different pairing from the last.
Forbidden accent colors:
#8b5cf6, #7c3aed, #a78bfa) — Tailwind's default purple range#06b6d4 → #d946ef → #f472b6)Forbidden color effects:
background: linear-gradient(...); background-clip: text;) — this screams AI-generatedbox-shadow: 0 0 20px var(--glow); animation: glow 2s...)Required: Build palettes from the reference templates (terracotta/sage, teal/cyan, rose/cranberry, slate/blue) or derive from real IDE themes (Dracula, Nord, Solarized, Gruvbox, Catppuccin). Accents should feel intentional, not default.
Forbidden:
Required: Use styled monospace labels with colored dot indicators (see .section-label in templates), numbered badges (section__num pattern), or asymmetric section dividers. If an icon is genuinely needed, use an inline SVG that matches the palette — not emoji.
Forbidden:
Required: Vary visual weight. Hero sections should dominate (larger type, more padding, accent-tinted background). Reference sections should feel compact. Use the depth tiers (hero → elevated → default → recessed). Asymmetric layouts create interest.
Forbidden:
Required: Code blocks use a simple header with filename or language label. KPI cards vary by importance — hero numbers for the primary metric, subdued treatment for supporting metrics. Pick aesthetics with natural constraints: Blueprint (must feel technical/precise), Editorial (must have generous whitespace and serif typography), Paper/ink (must feel warm and informal).
Before delivering, apply this test: Would a developer looking at this page immediately think "AI generated this"? The telltale signs:
background-clip: text gradientIf two or more of these are present, the page is slop. Regenerate with a different aesthetic direction — Editorial, Blueprint, Paper/ink, or a specific IDE theme. These constrained aesthetics are harder to mess up because they have specific visual requirements that prevent defaulting to generic patterns.