drawio

name	drawio
description	Create and edit draw.io diagram files (.drawio) for architecture diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, and technical illustrations. Use when the user asks to create diagrams, architecture visuals, flowcharts, wireframes, network topology, or any visual that should be editable in draw.io/diagrams.net. Outputs XML-based .drawio files that can be imported directly into draw.io desktop or web app.

Draw.io Diagram Skill

Create professional, editable diagram files in draw.io's native XML format.

Reading Compressed Diagrams

Standard .drawio files may contain compressed XML data within the <diagram> tag. To read and analyze these files, use the following Python snippet to decode the content:

import base64, zlib, urllib.parse, re

def decode_drawio(file_path):
    with open(file_path, 'r', encoding='utf-8') as f:
        content = f.read()
    
    # Extract the compressed data from the <diagram> tag
    match = re.search(r'<diagram[^>]*>(.*?)</diagram>', content, re.DOTALL)
    if not match:
        return "No diagram found"
        
    compressed_data = match.group(1)
    
    # Decode: Base64 -> Decompress (Zlib) -> URL Unquote
    try:
        decoded = base64.b64decode(compressed_data)
        decompressed = zlib.decompress(decoded, -15)
        return urllib.parse.unquote(decompressed.decode('utf-8'))
    except Exception as e:
        return f"Decoding error: {str(e)}"

# Example usage:
# print(decode_drawio('path/to/diagram.drawio'))

Always use this method before analyzing existing .drawio files to ensure you are seeing the actual XML structure.

Output Format

Draw.io files are XML with this structure:

<mxfile host="app.diagrams.net" modified="DATE" agent="Claude" version="21.0.0" type="device">
  <diagram name="DIAGRAM_NAME" id="UNIQUE_ID">
    <mxGraphModel dx="1200" dy="800" grid="1" gridSize="10" guides="1" tooltips="1" connect="1" arrows="1" fold="1" page="1" pageScale="1" pageWidth="1100" pageHeight="850" math="0" shadow="0">
      <root>
        <mxCell id="0" />
        <mxCell id="1" parent="0" />
        <!-- All diagram elements go here -->
      </root>
    </mxGraphModel>
  </diagram>
</mxfile>

Core Element Types

Basic Shapes

<!-- Rectangle -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="Label Text" style="rounded=0;whiteSpace=wrap;html=1;fillColor=#dae8fc;strokeColor=#6c8ebf;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="100" width="120" height="60" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

<!-- Rounded Rectangle -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="Label" style="rounded=1;whiteSpace=wrap;html=1;fillColor=#d5e8d4;strokeColor=#82b366;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="100" width="120" height="60" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

<!-- Cylinder (Database) -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="Database" style="shape=cylinder3;whiteSpace=wrap;html=1;boundedLbl=1;backgroundOutline=1;size=15;fillColor=#f8cecc;strokeColor=#b85450;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="100" width="80" height="80" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

<!-- Ellipse -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="Node" style="ellipse;whiteSpace=wrap;html=1;fillColor=#fff2cc;strokeColor=#d6b656;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="100" width="80" height="80" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

Containers & Groups

<!-- Swimlane (Container with Header) -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="Section Title" style="swimlane;fontStyle=1;align=center;verticalAlign=top;childLayout=stackLayout;horizontal=1;startSize=30;fillColor=#f5f5f5;strokeColor=#666666;fontColor=#333333;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="40" y="40" width="200" height="150" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

<!-- Header Bar (using brand primary color) -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="" style="rounded=0;whiteSpace=wrap;html=1;fillColor=#0066CC;strokeColor=#0066CC;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="40" y="40" width="400" height="40" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

Connectors & Arrows

<!-- Basic Arrow -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="" style="endArrow=classic;html=1;rounded=0;strokeWidth=2;strokeColor=#666666;" edge="1" parent="1" source="source-id" target="target-id">
  <mxGeometry relative="1" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

<!-- Bidirectional Arrow -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="" style="endArrow=classic;startArrow=classic;html=1;rounded=0;strokeWidth=2;" edge="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry relative="1" as="geometry">
    <mxPoint x="200" y="200" as="sourcePoint" />
    <mxPoint x="400" y="200" as="targetPoint" />
  </mxGeometry>
</mxCell>

<!-- Flex Arrow (Block Arrow) -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="" style="shape=flexArrow;endArrow=classic;html=1;fillColor=#FFB800;strokeColor=#cc9400;width=20;endSize=8;" edge="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry relative="1" as="geometry">
    <mxPoint x="200" y="200" as="sourcePoint" />
    <mxPoint x="400" y="200" as="targetPoint" />
  </mxGeometry>
</mxCell>

<!-- Dashed Line -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="" style="endArrow=classic;html=1;dashed=1;dashPattern=8 8;strokeColor=#999999;" edge="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry relative="1" as="geometry">
    <mxPoint x="200" y="200" as="sourcePoint" />
    <mxPoint x="400" y="200" as="targetPoint" />
  </mxGeometry>
</mxCell>

Text Elements

<!-- Plain Text -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="Label Text" style="text;html=1;strokeColor=none;fillColor=none;align=center;verticalAlign=middle;whiteSpace=wrap;rounded=0;fontSize=12;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="100" width="100" height="30" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

<!-- Bold Title -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="Title" style="text;html=1;strokeColor=none;fillColor=none;align=center;verticalAlign=middle;whiteSpace=wrap;rounded=0;fontSize=18;fontStyle=1;fontColor=#333333;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="20" width="300" height="40" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

<!-- Multi-line Text (use &#xa; for newlines) -->
<mxCell id="unique-id" value="Line 1&#xa;Line 2&#xa;Line 3" style="text;html=1;strokeColor=none;fillColor=none;align=left;verticalAlign=top;whiteSpace=wrap;rounded=0;fontSize=10;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="100" width="150" height="60" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

Common Style Properties

Colors (use hex codes)

Property	Purpose	Example
fillColor	Background	fillColor=#dae8fc
strokeColor	Border	strokeColor=#6c8ebf
fontColor	Text	fontColor=#333333

Standard Color Palette

Blue:    fillColor=#dae8fc;strokeColor=#6c8ebf
Green:   fillColor=#d5e8d4;strokeColor=#82b366
Yellow:  fillColor=#fff2cc;strokeColor=#d6b656
Orange:  fillColor=#ffe6cc;strokeColor=#d79b00
Red:     fillColor=#f8cecc;strokeColor=#b85450
Purple:  fillColor=#e1d5e7;strokeColor=#9673a6
Grey:    fillColor=#f5f5f5;strokeColor=#666666

Typography

Property	Values	Example
fontSize	Number	fontSize=12
fontStyle	0=normal, 1=bold, 2=italic, 3=bold+italic	fontStyle=1
align	left, center, right	align=center
verticalAlign	top, middle, bottom	verticalAlign=middle

Borders & Effects

Property	Values	Example
rounded	0 or 1	rounded=1
strokeWidth	Number	strokeWidth=2
dashed	0 or 1	dashed=1
dashPattern	Pattern	dashPattern=8 8
shadow	0 or 1	shadow=1

Company Branding (Customisable)

This skill supports company-specific branding. Edit references/branding.md to set your organisation's colours and styles.

Default brand placeholders (replace with your own):

Primary:   fillColor=#0066CC;strokeColor=#0052a3;fontColor=#FFFFFF
Secondary: fillColor=#FFB800;strokeColor=#cc9400;fontColor=#333333
Dark:      fillColor=#1a1a2e;strokeColor=#1a1a2e;fontColor=#FFFFFF
Light BG:  fillColor=#f0f4f8;strokeColor=#0066CC

See references/branding.md for full customisation instructions.

Diagram Patterns

Architecture Diagram Layout

1. Title bar at top (full width, branded color)
2. Main sections as swimlanes or rounded containers
3. Components as rounded rectangles inside sections
4. Databases as cylinders
5. External systems on left/right edges
6. Arrows showing data/control flow
7. Legend in corner explaining colors/symbols
8. Footer with metadata

Layered Architecture (Top to Bottom)

┌─────────────────────────────────────┐
│           Users / Clients           │  ← Top layer
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│           API / Interface           │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Business Logic              │
├─────────────────────────────────────┤
│         Data / Storage              │  ← Bottom layer
└─────────────────────────────────────┘

Left-to-Right Flow

┌──────┐     ┌──────────┐     ┌──────────┐
│Source│ ──► │ Process  │ ──► │  Target  │
└──────┘     └──────────┘     └──────────┘

Best Practices

1. Unique IDs: Every mxCell needs a unique id attribute
2. Parent hierarchy: Set parent="1" for top-level elements
3. Positioning: Use mxGeometry with x, y, width, height
4. Layering: Elements defined later appear on top
5. Alignment: Use consistent x/y spacing (grid of 10-20px)
6. Colors: Use coordinated fill/stroke pairs from the palette
7. Labels: Keep text concise; use separate text elements for descriptions
8. Whitespace: Leave margins inside containers (20-40px padding)

Workflow

1. Determine diagram type and layout pattern
2. Set page dimensions in mxGraphModel (pageWidth, pageHeight)
3. Create container structure (swimlanes, groups)
4. Add components with unique IDs
5. Add connectors referencing source/target IDs
6. Add labels and annotations
7. Add legend if using color coding
8. Save as .drawio file
9. Copy to /mnt/user-data/outputs/ and present to user

Cloud Provider Icons (AWS, Azure, GCP)

Draw.io includes built-in shape libraries for major cloud providers. Use official icons for professional architecture diagrams.

AWS Icons (Quick Reference)

AWS uses shape=mxgraph.aws4.resourceIcon with resIcon=mxgraph.aws4.SERVICE:

<mxCell id="lambda-1" value="Lambda" style="sketch=0;outlineConnect=0;fontColor=#232F3E;fillColor=#ED7100;strokeColor=#ffffff;dashed=0;verticalLabelPosition=bottom;verticalAlign=top;align=center;html=1;fontSize=12;fontStyle=0;aspect=fixed;shape=mxgraph.aws4.resourceIcon;resIcon=mxgraph.aws4.lambda;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="100" width="78" height="78" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

Common AWS resIcon values:

• Compute: ec2, lambda, ecs, eks, fargate
• Storage: s3, elastic_block_store, elastic_file_system
• Database: rds, dynamodb, aurora, elasticache, redshift
• Networking: vpc, cloudfront, route_53, api_gateway, elastic_load_balancing
• Security: iam, cognito, secrets_manager, kms, waf

AWS Category Colors:

• Compute: #ED7100
• Storage: #7AA116
• Database: #C925D1
• Networking: #8C4FFF
• Security: #DD344C

Azure Icons (Quick Reference)

Azure uses image=img/lib/azure2/CATEGORY/SERVICE.svg:

<mxCell id="vm-1" value="VM" style="aspect=fixed;html=1;points=[];align=center;image;fontSize=12;image=img/lib/azure2/compute/Virtual_Machine.svg;verticalLabelPosition=bottom;verticalAlign=top;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="100" y="100" width="68" height="68" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

Common Azure image paths:

• compute/Virtual_Machine.svg, compute/Function_Apps.svg
• containers/Kubernetes_Services.svg
• storage/Storage_Accounts.svg, storage/Blob_Storage.svg
• databases/SQL_Database.svg, databases/Azure_Cosmos_DB.svg
• networking/Virtual_Networks.svg, networking/Load_Balancers.svg
• security/Key_Vaults.svg, identity/Azure_Active_Directory.svg

AWS Group Containers

<!-- VPC -->
<mxCell id="vpc" value="VPC" style="sketch=0;outlineConnect=0;gradientColor=none;html=1;whiteSpace=wrap;fontSize=12;fontStyle=0;shape=mxgraph.aws4.group;grIcon=mxgraph.aws4.group_vpc;strokeColor=#8C4FFF;fillColor=none;verticalAlign=top;align=left;spacingLeft=30;dashed=0;" vertex="1" parent="1">
  <mxGeometry x="40" y="40" width="400" height="300" as="geometry" />
</mxCell>

<!-- Public Subnet -->
grIcon=mxgraph.aws4.group_public_subnet;strokeColor=#7AA116;fillColor=#E9F3E6

<!-- Private Subnet -->
grIcon=mxgraph.aws4.group_private_subnet;strokeColor=#00A4A6;fillColor=#E6F6F7

References

For advanced patterns and complete icon lists, see:

• references/architecture-patterns.md - Common architecture diagram layouts
• references/style-guide.md - Extended styling options and icon placement
• references/cloud-icons.md - Complete AWS, Azure, GCP icon reference
• references/branding.md - Company branding customisation guide