visual-explainer

# Visual Explainer Design technical diagrams, visualizations, and data tables. Always open the result in the browser. Never fall back to ASCII art when this skill is loaded. ## Relationship to Now Read [`../now/SKILL.md`](../now/SKILL.md) when the request mixes readable content with visuals, teaching, sales copy, feedback, document navigation, publishing, or capability-backed actions. Now owns the canonical RenderSpec component graph; this skill is its specialist visual-authoring path. - Decompose every request into audience requirements, claims/evidence, reading sequence, visual relationships, and interactions before selecting primitives. - Treat the command lenses below as research and QA recipes, not page schemas or fixed experiences. - Prefer ordinary RenderSpec components: diagram, chart, data-table, section, card, code-block, document, navigation, action, and feedback. For educational or persuasive visuals, compose the same graph with `objective`, `source-list`, `exercise`, `evidence`, `decision`, `proof`, or `testimonial` where those semantics are required. - Use `custom-html` only when the graph cannot express a load-bearing visual or interaction. Include typed export metadata so the artifact is not an opaque HTML island. - A lesson, technical brief, sales letter, reader, and feedback surface can all include the same visual components. Do not force prose out of a visual composition or force a whole request through one visual template. For educational visuals, apply Teach-quality authoring: ground the explanation in the learner's mission and current knowledge, target one tangible win, source load-bearing claims, reduce acquisition difficulty, and add retrieval/practice/feedback when skill retention matters. Mission/resource/learning-record/glossary files remain content inputs; they never select a lesson route or replace RenderSpec. **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. ## Command Interface Single entry point: `/visual-explainer <type> [args...] [all|publish]` Everything after `/visual-explainer` is an arg. The first arg may select a **lens** for investigation and QA. It does not select a schema or mandatory layout. Remaining args provide context. The last arg can be a **quality mode**. ### Lenses | Type | What it does | Example | |------|-------------|---------| | `diagram` | Freeform visual explanation | `diagram websocket lifecycle` | | `comparison` | Tradeoff analysis between options | `comparison rust vs go for cli tools` | | `diff-review` | Visual diff review of code changes | `diff-review main` | | `plan-review` | Plan vs codebase analysis | `plan-review ./plan.md` | | `project-recap` | Mental model snapshot | `project-recap 2w` | | `fact-check` | Verify claims against code | `fact-check ./diagram.html` | | `slides` | Magazine-quality slide deck | `slides api design overview` | | `visual-plan` | Implementation spec with state machines | `visual-plan add caching layer` | | `decision` | Interactive decision capture with persistence | `decision cdo-s8 architecture decisions` | If no lens matches, treat the entire arg string as a visual topic and select primitives after decomposition. ### Quality Modes Appended as the final arg: | Mode | Behavior | |------|----------| | *(default)* | Local only. Generate and open in browser. Standard quality checks (squint, swap, themes, overflow, zoom). | | `all` | Full quality gate. All standard checks + print stylesheet verification + responsive testing (375px, 768px, 1440px) + slop test + fact-check pass on any claims. For thorough local review. | | `publish` | `all` + publish via here.now. External audience — every quality check runs, then `./skills/here-now/scripts/publish.sh` deploys the result. Returns the live URL. | `publish` implies `all`. You never publish without running the full gate. ### Examples ``` /visual-explainer comparison sqlite vs postgres for agent memory /visual-explainer diff-review HEAD all /visual-explainer diagram kubernetes pod lifecycle publish /visual-explainer project-recap 30d /visual-explainer fact-check /visual-explainer slides visual-explainer skill overview publish ``` ### Arg Parsing 1. Split `$@` into tokens 2. Match the first token against the lens table (case-insensitive, supports aliases: `compare`→`comparison`, `diff`→`diff-review`, `recap`→`project-recap`, `plan`→`plan-review`, `check`→`fact-check`, `feedback`→`decision`, `decide`→`decision`, `poll`→`decision`) 3. Pop the last token — if it's `publish` or `all`, set quality mode accordingly 4. Everything between type and quality mode is the context/topic args ## Workflow ### 1. Think (5 seconds, not 5 minutes) 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 relationships must become visible?** Architecture, sequence, causality, data flow, schema/ER, state, hierarchy, comparison, chronology, or metrics each need different primitives. Select per relationship instead of declaring the whole request one content type. **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):** - Blueprint (technical drawing feel, subtle grid background, deep slate/blue palette, monospace labels, precise borders) — see `websocket-implementation-plan.html` for reference - Editorial (serif headlines like Instrument Serif or Crimson Pro, generous whitespace, muted earth tones or deep navy + gold) - Paper/ink (warm cream `#faf7f5` background, terracotta/sage accents, informal feel) - Monochrome terminal (green/amber on near-black, monospace everything, CRT glow optional) **Flexible aesthetics (use with caution):** - IDE-inspired (borrow a real, named color scheme: Dracula, Nord, Catppuccin Mocha/Latte, Solarized Dark/Light, Gruvbox, One Dark, Rosé Pine) — commit to the actual palette, don't approximate - Data-dense (small type, tight spacing, maximum information, muted colors) **Explicitly forbidden:** - Neon dashboard (cyan + magenta + purple on dark) — always produces AI slop - Gradient mesh (pink/purple/cyan blobs) — too generic - Any combination of Inter font + violet/indigo accents + gradient text 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. ### 2. Structure **Read the reference material** before generating. Don't memorize it — read it each time to absorb the patterns. - For text-heavy architecture overviews (card content matters more than topology): read `./templates/architecture.html` - For flowcharts, ER diagrams, state machines, mind maps, data flows: read `./templates/mermaid-flowchart.html` - For sequence diagrams: read `./templates/sequence-diagram.html` - For data tables, audits, feature matrices: read `./templates/data-table.html` - For comparisons and tradeoff analysis: read `./templates/comparison.html` - For timelines and roadmaps: read `./templates/timeline.html` - For dashboards and metrics pages: read `./templates/dashboard.html` - For implementation plans and feature specs: read `./templates/implementation-plan.html` - For interactive decision/feedback capture: read `./templates/decision.html` - For slide deck presentations (when `--slides` flag is present or `/generate-slides` is invoked): read `./templates/slide-deck.html` and `./references/slide-patterns.md` - For prose-heavy publishable pages (READMEs, articles, blog posts, essays): read the "Prose Page Elements" section in `./references/css-patterns.md` and "Typography by Content Voice" in `./references/libraries.md` **For 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 | | 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) to every `.mermaid-wrap` container. **Mermaid scaling:** Diagrams with 10+ nodes render too small by default. For 10-12 nodes, increase `fontSize` in themeVariables to 18-20px and set `INITIAL_ZOOM` to 1.5-1.6. 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 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`). **AI-generated illustrations (optional).** If [surf-cli](https://github.com/nicobailon/surf-cli) is available, you can generate images via Gemini and embed them in the page for creative, illustrative, explanatory, educational, or decorative purposes. Check availability with `which surf`. If available: ```bash # Generate to a temp file (use --aspect-ratio for control) surf gemini "descriptive prompt" --generate-image /tmp/ve-img.png --aspect-ratio 16:9 # Base64 encode for self-containment (macOS) IMG=$(base64 -i /tmp/ve-img.png) # Linux: IMG=$(base64 -w 0 /tmp/ve-img.png) # Embed in HTML and clean up # <img src="data:image/png;base64,${IMG}" alt="descriptive alt text"> rm /tmp/ve-img.png ``` See `./references/css-patterns.md` for image container styles (hero banners, inline illustrations, captions). **When to use:** Hero banners that establish the page's visual tone. Conceptual illustrations for abstract systems that Mermaid can't express (physical infrastructure, user journeys, mental models). Educational diagrams that benefit from artistic or photorealistic rendering. Decorative accents that reinforce the aesthetic. **When to skip:** Anything Mermaid or CSS handles well. Generic decoration that doesn't convey meaning. Data-heavy pages where images would distract. Always degrade gracefully — if surf isn't available, skip images without erroring. The page should stand on its own with CSS and typography alone. **Prompt craft:** Match the image to the page's palette and aesthetic direction. Specify the style (3D render, technical illustration, watercolor, isometric, flat vector, etc.) and mention dominant colors from your CSS variables. Use `--aspect-ratio 16:9` for hero banners, `--aspect-ratio 1:1` for inline illustrations. Keep prompts specific — "isometric illustration of a message queue with cyan nodes on dark navy background" beats "a diagram of a queue." ### 3. Style 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):** - DM Sans + Fira Code (technical, precise) - Instrument Serif + JetBrains Mono (editorial, refined) - IBM Plex Sans + IBM Plex Mono (reliable, readable) - Bricolage Grotesque + Fragment Mono (bold, characterful) - Plus Jakarta Sans + Azeret Mono (rounded, approachable) 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):** - Terracotta + sage (`#c2410c`, `#65a30d`) — warm, earthy - Teal + slate (`#0891b2`, `#0369a1`) — technical, precise - Rose + cranberry (`#be123c`, `#881337`) — editorial, refined - Amber + emerald (`#d97706`, `#059669`) — data-focused - Deep blue + gold (`#1e3a5f`, `#d4a73a`) — premium, sophisticated Put your primary aesthetic in `:root` and the alternate in the media query: ```css /* 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.