flowmpl-flow-diagram

name	flowmpl-flow-diagram
description	Use this skill when creating flow diagrams, causal chains, decision trees, process flows, or entity relationship diagrams using flowmpl's flow_diagram() function. Provides detailed API reference for nodes, edges, routing heuristics, and face overrides. Triggers on "flow diagram", "causal chain", "process flow", "decision tree", "entity diagram", "flow_diagram()", "node and edge".

flowmpl flow_diagram() — Quick Reference

flow_diagram() renders labeled rounded-box nodes connected by auto-routed arrows. Use it for causal chains, decision trees, process flows, and SPV/entity diagrams.

---

Import

from src.plotting import COLORS, CONTEXT, FONTS, FIGSIZE, flow_diagram
# or, if using flowmpl directly:
from flowmpl import COLORS, CONTEXT, FONTS, FIGSIZE, flow_diagram

In Systems notebooks use src.plotting. The shim re-exports everything from flowmpl.

---

Signature

fig = flow_diagram(
    nodes: dict[str, tuple[str, float, float, str, str]],
    edges: list[dict],
    *,
    figsize: tuple[float, float] = (18, 6),
    xlim: tuple[float, float] | None = None,
    ylim: tuple[float, float] | None = None,
    font_size: int | None = None,         # node label size; default 10
    edge_font_size: int | None = None,    # edge label size; default 9
    pad: float = 0.2,                     # space around text inside box
    box_pad: float = 0.1,                 # FancyBboxPatch rounding
    corner_radius: float = 0.4,           # elbow corner rounding (data units)
    legend_handles: list | None = None,
    legend_ncol: int | None = None,
    max_autoscale: float | None = 1.5,    # max vertical stretch factor
) -> plt.Figure

---

Node Format

nodes = {
    "key": (label, cx, cy, fill_color, text_color),
}

Field	Type	Notes
key	str	Any identifier — used in edge src/dst
label	str	Box text; use \n for multi-line
cx, cy	float	Centre in abstract data units (renderer scales to fit)
fill_color	str	Hex color or COLORS token
text_color	str	Hex color — use "#ffffff" on dark fills

Color conventions:

• Accent/focal node → COLORS["accent"] fill, "#ffffff" text
• Positive/confirmed → COLORS["positive"] fill, "#ffffff" text
• Neutral/speculative → COLORS["neutral"] fill, COLORS["text_dark"] text
• Context/background → CONTEXT fill, COLORS["text_dark"] text
• Negative/risk → COLORS["negative"] fill, "#ffffff" text

---

Edge Format

edges = [
    {"src": "a", "dst": "b"},                              # basic arrow
    {"src": "a", "dst": "b", "label": "12–18 mo"},         # with label
    {"src": "a", "dst": "b", "dashed": True},              # dashed line
    {"src": "a", "dst": "b", "color": COLORS["negative"]}, # custom color
    {"src": "a", "dst": "b", "curve": 0.3},                # arc (+ = left bow)
    {"src": "a", "dst": "b", "exit": "top",   "entry": "left"},  # face override
    {"src": "a", "dst": "b", "exit": "bottom", "entry": "left"}, # face override
]

Key	Type	Default	Notes
src, dst	str	required	Node keys
label	str	—	Edge label at midpoint
dashed	bool	False	Dashed linestyle
curve	float	0	arc3 bow radius; positive = left of direction
color	str	COLORS["muted"]	Arrow and label color
exit	"top"/"bottom"/"left"/"right"	auto	Force which face the arrow exits
entry	"top"/"bottom"/"left"/"right"	auto	Force which face the arrow arrives at

---

Routing Heuristic

The auto-router uses the vector from src center → dst center (vx, vy):

Condition	Route	Faces used
|vy| < 0.25 * |vx|	Near-horizontal → straight	Exit/enter left or right
|vx| < 0.25 * |vy|	Near-vertical → straight	Exit/enter top or bottom
|vy| < 0.75 * |vx|	Primarily-horizontal → elbow	Exit top/bottom, enter left/right
else	Primarily-vertical → elbow	Exit left/right, enter top/bottom

When the heuristic fails: when the angle is near-diagonal (≈45°), or when multiple edges exit from the same face and overlap. Use explicit exit/entry to fix.

---

Face Override Rule

Use exit/entry whenever:

1. Multiple edges share a source face — they will overlap without overrides. The fix: send each edge out a different face.
2. Near-diagonal vectors misclassify as the wrong heuristic branch.
3. T-layout: one straight edge (no override) + two diagonal edges (need overrides).

Example — T-layout (one root → three destinations):

nodes = {
    "r": ("Root",   1.0, 1.5, COLORS["accent"],   "#ffffff"),
    "a": ("Top",    4.5, 3.0, COLORS["positive"], "#ffffff"),
    "m": ("Middle", 4.5, 1.5, COLORS["neutral"],  COLORS["text_dark"]),
    "b": ("Bottom", 4.5, 0.0, CONTEXT,            COLORS["text_dark"]),
}
edges = [
    {"src": "r", "dst": "a", "exit": "top",    "entry": "left"},  # exits r's TOP
    {"src": "r", "dst": "m"},                                       # straight, no override
    {"src": "r", "dst": "b", "exit": "bottom", "entry": "left"},  # exits r's BOTTOM
]

Without overrides: all three arrows exit r's right face and overlap. With overrides: each arrow exits a different face — no overlap.

---

Design Token Quick Reference

# Colors — semantic roles
COLORS["accent"]      # primary story color (dark teal)
COLORS["positive"]    # genuinely good/confirmed
COLORS["negative"]    # genuinely bad/risk
COLORS["neutral"]     # speculative, neither confirmed nor denied
COLORS["muted"]       # secondary, supporting
COLORS["reference"]   # reference lines and guides
COLORS["background"]  # figure background
COLORS["text_dark"]   # dark text (on light fills)
COLORS["text_light"]  # light text (on dark fills)

# SWD gray — non-focus elements
CONTEXT               # "#c0c0c0" — use for context/background nodes

# Fonts
FONTS["title"]        # 16
FONTS["subtitle"]     # 14
FONTS["axis_label"]   # 12
FONTS["annotation"]   # 11  ← flow node labels use this - 2 (= 9 default)
FONTS["legend"]       # 10
FONTS["tick_label"]   # 10
FONTS["caption"]      # 9
FONTS["small"]        # 8
FONTS["value_label"]  # 9

# Figure sizes
FIGSIZE["standard"]   # (10, 5)
FIGSIZE["wide"]       # (14, 5)
FIGSIZE["tall"]       # (8, 10)
FIGSIZE["map"]        # (12, 7)

---

Display in Marimo

@app.cell
def _(COLORS, CONTEXT, flow_diagram, mo, save_fig):
    fig = flow_diagram(
        nodes={...},
        edges=[...],
        figsize=(18, 6),
    )
    save_fig(fig, "dd001_my_diagram.png")
    return (fig,)

@app.cell
def _(mo):
    mo.image("notebooks/images/dd001_my_diagram.png")

---

Common Patterns

Linear chain (pipeline steps)

fig = flow_diagram(
    nodes={
        "announce": ("Announce",  1.0, 0.0, CONTEXT,            COLORS["text_dark"]),
        "permit":   ("Permit",    3.5, 0.0, COLORS["neutral"],  COLORS["text_dark"]),
        "procure":  ("Procure",   6.0, 0.0, COLORS["neutral"],  COLORS["text_dark"]),
        "build":    ("Build",     8.5, 0.0, COLORS["positive"], "#ffffff"),
        "operate":  ("Operate",  11.0, 0.0, COLORS["accent"],   "#ffffff"),
    },
    edges=[
        {"src": "announce", "dst": "permit",  "label": "6–12 mo"},
        {"src": "permit",   "dst": "procure", "label": "12–18 mo"},
        {"src": "procure",  "dst": "build",   "label": "18–36 mo"},
        {"src": "build",    "dst": "operate", "label": "24–36 mo"},
    ],
    figsize=(18, 4),
)

Decision fork (single source → multiple outcomes)

fig = flow_diagram(
    nodes={
        "q":    ("Demand\nMaterializes?", 1.0, 1.0, COLORS["accent"],   "#ffffff"),
        "yes":  ("Revenue\nJustified",    4.5, 2.5, COLORS["positive"], "#ffffff"),
        "part": ("Partial\nReturn",       4.5, 1.0, COLORS["neutral"],  COLORS["text_dark"]),
        "no":   ("Stranded\nAsset",       4.5, -0.5, COLORS["negative"], "#ffffff"),
    },
    edges=[
        {"src": "q", "dst": "yes",  "label": "high elasticity", "exit": "top",    "entry": "left"},
        {"src": "q", "dst": "part", "label": "moderate"},
        {"src": "q", "dst": "no",   "label": "low elasticity",  "exit": "bottom", "entry": "left"},
    ],
)

Entity chain with dashed liability link

fig = flow_diagram(
    nodes={
        "tech":    ("Tech Giant\n(tenant)",      1.0, 1.0, CONTEXT,            COLORS["text_dark"]),
        "spv":     ("SPV\n(landlord)",           4.0, 1.0, COLORS["neutral"],  COLORS["text_dark"]),
        "credit":  ("Private Credit\n(lender)",  7.0, 1.0, COLORS["negative"], "#ffffff"),
        "pension": ("Pension Fund\n(LP)",        7.0, -0.5, COLORS["negative"], "#ffffff"),
    },
    edges=[
        {"src": "tech",   "dst": "spv",    "label": "3–5 yr lease"},
        {"src": "spv",    "dst": "credit",  "label": "10 yr loan @ 10%+"},
        {"src": "credit", "dst": "pension", "label": "LP exposure", "dashed": True,
         "exit": "bottom", "entry": "top"},
    ],
)

---

Sizing Tips

• figsize=(18, 6) works for 4–6 horizontally arranged nodes
• figsize=(14, 8) for taller layouts with 3 vertical tiers
• figsize=(10, 10) for dense 2D grids
• For tight layouts reduce pad=0.15 and box_pad=0.08
• max_autoscale=1.5 prevents explosive vertical spread (default); set None to disable

---

Troubleshooting

Problem	Fix
Arrows overlap at source	Add exit overrides: "top", "bottom", etc.
Arrows overlap at destination	Add entry overrides
Elbow goes the wrong way	Flip exit / entry values
Labels clip at edges	Increase figsize or reduce pad
Vertical layout too spread out	Lower max_autoscale (e.g. 1.2)
Vertical layout too cramped	Increase max_autoscale or adjust cy values
Straight line when elbow expected	Use curve=0.3 for an arc, or set explicit faces