diagramming

name	diagramming
description	Creates Mermaid and ASCII diagrams for flowcharts, architecture, ERDs, state machines, mindmaps, and more. Use when user mentions diagram, flowchart, mermaid, ASCII diagram, text diagram, terminal diagram, visualize, C4, mindmap, architecture diagram, sequence diagram, ERD, or needs visual documentation.

Diagram Generator

Expert skill for creating clear, professional diagrams in Mermaid or ASCII format.

Supported Formats

Format	Best For	Trigger Keywords
Mermaid	Web docs, GitHub, rich rendering	"diagram", "mermaid", "visualize"
ASCII	Terminals, plain text, emails	"ASCII", "text diagram", "terminal"

Diagram Types

graph/flowchart     - Flowcharts and decision trees
sequenceDiagram     - API interactions and workflows
classDiagram        - Object-oriented structures
stateDiagram-v2     - State machines and transitions
erDiagram           - Database relationships
C4Context/C4Container/C4Component - Architecture views (C4 model)
mindmap             - Brainstorming and idea organization
block-beta          - System block diagrams
gantt               - Project timelines
pie                 - Data distributions
gitGraph            - Git branching strategies
journey             - User experience flows
quadrantChart       - Priority matrices
timeline            - Historical events

Quick Start

1. Determine format: Mermaid (default) or ASCII (if user explicitly requests)
2. Select diagram type based on what's being visualized
3. Choose layout: TB/TD (top-down), LR (left-right) for Mermaid
4. Keep readable: Max 15-20 nodes per diagram
5. Apply meaningful styling: Colors/shapes with semantic meaning

Output Format

Mermaid (Default)

```mermaid
graph TD
    A[Start] --> B{Decision}
    B -->|Yes| C[Action 1]
    B -->|No| D[Action 2]

    classDef success fill:#90EE90
    class C success
```

ASCII (When Explicitly Requested)

+-------+     +----------+
| Start | --> | Decision |
+-------+     +----+-----+
                   |
         +---------+---------+
         |                   |
         v                   v
    +----------+       +----------+
    | Action 1 |       | Action 2 |
    +----------+       +----------+

ASCII Conventions:

• +---+ for boxes, | for vertical lines, --> or --- for connections
• Use consistent spacing and alignment
• Label arrows with [text] above the line when needed

Diagram Type Selection

Use Case	Recommended Type
Process/decision flow	graph (flowchart)
API/service interactions	sequenceDiagram
System architecture (high-level)	C4Context
System architecture (detailed)	C4Container, block-beta
Database schema	erDiagram
Brainstorming/ideas	mindmap
State transitions	stateDiagram-v2
Project timeline	gantt
Feature prioritization	quadrantChart

Resources

• WORKFLOW.md - Detailed creation methodology
• EXAMPLES.md - All diagram types with real-world examples
• TROUBLESHOOTING.md - Common errors and fixes

Integration

• Auto-invokes on trigger keywords (diagram, mermaid, ASCII, visualize, etc.)
• Manual: Use /diagram command
• With docs: Works alongside doc-coauthoring skill for documentation diagrams