Mermaid Architect - Hierarchical Diagram and Documentation Skill
Mermaid diagram and documentation system with specialized guides and code-to-diagram capabilities.
Table of Contents
Decision Tree
How this skill works:
- User makes a request → Skill analyzes intent
- Skill determines diagram/document type → Loads appropriate guide(s)
- AI reads specialized guide → Generates diagram/document using templates
- Result delivered → With validation and export options
User Intent Analysis:
flowchart TD
Start([User Request]) --> Analyze{Analyze Intent}
Analyze -->|"workflow, process, business logic"| Activity[Load Activity Diagram Guide<br/>references/guides/diagrams/activity-diagrams.md]
Analyze -->|"infrastructure, deployment, cloud"| Deploy[Load Deployment Diagram Guide<br/>references/guides/diagrams/deployment-diagrams.md]
Analyze -->|"system architecture, components"| Arch[Load Architecture Guide<br/>references/guides/diagrams/architecture-diagrams.md]
Analyze -->|"API flow, interactions"| Sequence[Load Sequence Diagram Guide<br/>references/guides/diagrams/sequence-diagrams.md]
Analyze -->|"class, ER, state, wiki, walkthrough"| WikiGuide[Load WikiTicket GitHub Guide<br/>references/guides/wiki-ticket-and-github.md]
Analyze -->|"code to diagram"| CodeToDiag[Load Code-to-Diagram Guide<br/>references/guides/code-to-diagram/ + examples/]
Analyze -->|"design document, full docs"| DesignDoc[Load Design Document Template<br/>assets/*-design-template.md]
Analyze -->|"unicode symbols, icons"| Unicode[Load Unicode Symbols Guide<br/>references/guides/unicode-symbols/guide.md]
Analyze -->|"extract, validate, convert"| Scripts[Use Python Scripts<br/>scripts/extract_mermaid.py<br/>scripts/mermaid_to_image.py]
Activity --> Generate[Generate Diagram]
Deploy --> Generate
Arch --> Generate
Sequence --> Generate
WikiGuide --> Generate
CodeToDiag --> Generate
DesignDoc --> Generate
Unicode --> Generate
Scripts --> Execute[Execute Script]
Generate --> Validate{Validate?}
Validate -->|Yes| RunValidation[Run mmdc validation]
Validate -->|No| Output
RunValidation --> Output[Output Result]
Execute --> Output
classDef decision fill:#FFD700,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:black
classDef guide fill:#90EE90,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:darkgreen
classDef action fill:#87CEEB,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:darkblue
class Analyze,Validate decision
class Activity,Deploy,Arch,Sequence,WikiGuide,CodeToDiag,DesignDoc,Unicode,Scripts guide
class Generate,Execute,RunValidation,Output action
Available Guides and Resources
Diagram Type Guides (references/guides/diagrams/)
| Guide |
Full Path |
Load When User Wants |
Examples |
| Activity Diagrams |
references/guides/diagrams/activity-diagrams.md |
Workflows, processes, business logic, user flows, decision trees |
"Show checkout flow", "Document ETL pipeline", "Create approval workflow" |
| Deployment Diagrams |
references/guides/diagrams/deployment-diagrams.md |
Infrastructure, cloud architecture, K8s, serverless, network topology |
"Show AWS architecture", "Document GCP deployment", "Create K8s diagram" |
| Architecture Diagrams |
references/guides/diagrams/architecture-diagrams.md |
System architecture, component design, high-level structure |
"Show system components", "Document microservices", "Architecture overview" |
| Sequence Diagrams |
references/guides/diagrams/sequence-diagrams.md |
API interactions, service communication, request/response flows |
"Show API call sequence", "Document auth flow", "Service interactions" |
| WikiTicket / GitHub / Confluence |
references/guides/wiki-ticket-and-github.md |
Design docs, walkthroughs, requirements, wiki publish, Confluence images |
"architecture doc", "code walkthrough", "wiki", "Confluence" |
Default for WikiTicket and GitHub wiki is this skill, including classDiagram, erDiagram, and stateDiagram-v2. Do not send those to PlantUML. If GitHub fails to render C4 / architecture-beta / block-beta, fall back to flowchart TD.
Code-to-Diagram Guide & Examples
| Resource |
Full Path |
What It Provides |
| Master Guide |
references/guides/code-to-diagram/README.md |
Complete workflow for analyzing any codebase and extracting diagrams |
| Spring Boot |
examples/spring-boot/README.md |
Controller→Service→Repository architecture, deployment config, sequence from methods, activity from business logic |
| FastAPI |
examples/fastapi/README.md |
Python async patterns, Pydantic models, dependency injection, cloud deployment |
| React |
examples/react/README.md |
Component hierarchy, state management, data flow, build pipeline |
| Python ETL |
examples/python-etl/README.md |
Data pipeline, transformation steps, error handling, scheduling |
| Node/Express |
examples/node-webapp/README.md |
Middleware chain, route handlers, async patterns, deployment |
| Java Web App |
examples/java-webapp/README.md |
Traditional MVC, servlet containers, WAR deployment |
Design Document Templates
| Template |
Full Path |
Use For |
Load When |
| Architecture Design |
assets/architecture-design-template.md |
System-wide architecture |
"Create architecture doc", "Document system design" |
| API Design |
assets/api-design-template.md |
API specifications |
"API design doc", "Document REST API" |
| Feature Design |
assets/feature-design-template.md |
Feature planning |
"Feature design", "Plan new feature" |
| Database Design |
assets/database-design-template.md |
Database schema |
"Database design", "Document schema" |
| System Design |
assets/system-design-template.md |
Complete system |
"System design doc", "Full system documentation" |
Unicode Symbols Guide
Full Path: references/guides/unicode-symbols/guide.md
Load when user mentions: "unicode symbols", "emoji in diagrams", "semantic icons", "add symbols"
Quick Reference:
- 📦 Infrastructure: ☁️ 🌐 🔌 📡 🗄️
- ⚙️ Compute: ⚙️ ⚡ 🔄 ♻️ 🚀 💨
- 💾 Data: 💾 📦 📊 📈 🗃️ 🧊
- 📨 Messaging: 📨 📬 📤 📥 🐰 📢
- 🔐 Security: 🔐 🔑 🛡️ 🚪 👤 🎫
- 📝 Monitoring: 📝 📊 🚨 ⚠️ ✅ ❌
Python Scripts (scripts/)
| Script |
Use For |
Load When |
extract_mermaid.py |
Extract diagrams from Markdown, validate syntax, replace with images |
"extract diagrams", "validate mermaid", "find all diagrams" |
mermaid_to_image.py |
Convert .mmd to PNG/SVG, batch conversion, custom themes |
"convert to image", "render diagram", "create PNG" |
resilient_diagram.py |
Full workflow: save .mmd, generate image, validate, error recovery |
"generate diagram", "create diagram with validation", "resilient diagram" |
GitHub wiki, WikiTicket, and Confluence
Load references/guides/wiki-ticket-and-github.md for WikiTicket design docs,
code walkthroughs, requirements, GitHub wiki, or Confluence.
| Target |
What to ship |
| GitHub wiki / GFM |
Fenced mermaid block. GitHub renders class, ER, state, sequence, flowchart, C4. |
| Confluence / Notion / Word / PDF |
Also render PNG or SVG (scripts/resilient_diagram.py or mmdc) and upload the image. Do not rely on Confluence to render Mermaid. |
PlantUML is opt-in for Salt wireframes, use case, timing, ArchiMate, nwdiag, and WBS. Those always ship as PNG or SVG.
Usage Patterns
Common request patterns and guide selection. See When to Use What for complete mapping.
| Pattern |
Example Request |
Guides to Load |
| Single Diagram |
"Create activity diagram for login flow" |
Diagram type guide + Unicode symbols |
| Code-to-Diagram |
"Generate deployment from application.yml" |
Framework example + Deployment guide |
| Design Document |
"Create API design document" |
Template from assets/ + Relevant diagram guides |
| Extract/Validate |
"Extract diagrams from design.md" |
Use scripts/extract_mermaid.py |
| Batch Convert |
"Convert all .mmd to PNG" |
Use scripts/mermaid_to_image.py |
Resilient Workflow
CRITICAL: This is the recommended approach for ALL diagram generation. It ensures validation, error recovery, and consistent file organization.
Full Guide: references/guides/resilient-workflow.md
Workflow Overview
flowchart LR
A[1. Identify Type] --> B[2. Save .mmd + Image]
B --> C{3. Valid?}
C -->|Yes| D[4. Add to Markdown]
C -->|No| E[5. Error Recovery]
E --> F{Fix Found?}
F -->|Yes| A
F -->|No| G[Search External]
G --> A
classDef step fill:#90EE90,stroke:#333,color:darkgreen
classDef decision fill:#FFD700,stroke:#333,color:black
class A,B,D,E,G step
class C,F decision
Key Principle
NEVER add a diagram to markdown until it passes validation. This prevents broken diagrams in documentation.
Using the Script (Recommended)
## Generate with full error recovery
python scripts/resilient_diagram.py \
--code "flowchart TD; A-->B" \
--markdown-file design_doc \
--diagram-num 1 \
--title "process_flow" \
--format png \
--json
Output: Both .mmd and .png files in ./diagrams/ directory.
File Naming Convention
./diagrams/<markdown_file>_<num>_<type>_<title>.mmd
./diagrams/<markdown_file>_<num>_<type>_<title>.png
Example: ./diagrams/api_design_01_sequence_auth_flow.png
Error Recovery Priority
When validation fails, the workflow automatically:
- Check troubleshooting guide -
references/guides/troubleshooting.md (28 documented errors)
- Search with perplexity -
perplexity_ask MCP for syntax questions
- Search with brave -
brave_web_search MCP for recent solutions
- Ask gemini -
gemini skill for alternative perspective
- General search -
WebSearch tool as fallback
Manual Fallback Steps
If the script is unavailable:
- Identify diagram type from first line (flowchart, sequence, etc.)
- Load reference guide from
references/guides/diagrams/
- Save to
./diagrams/<markdown_file>_<num>_<type>_<title>.mmd
- Validate:
mmdc -i file.mmd -o file.png -b transparent
- On error: Search
references/guides/troubleshooting.md for matching error
- If not found: Use search tools in priority order above
- Add reference:

Pattern 6: Resilient Diagram Generation
User: "Create a sequence diagram and add it to the design doc"
Skill Actions:
- Identify intent: diagram generation + markdown integration
- Load workflow guide:
references/guides/resilient-workflow.md
- Identify diagram type: sequence
- Load diagram guide:
references/guides/diagrams/sequence-diagrams.md
- Generate Mermaid code using templates
- Execute resilient workflow:
python scripts/resilient_diagram.py \
--code "[generated code]" \
--markdown-file design_doc \
--diagram-num 1 \
--title "api_sequence" \
--json
- If validation fails → Apply troubleshooting fix → Retry
- On success → Add
 to markdown
Unicode Semantic Symbols
Always use Unicode symbols to enhance diagram clarity. Common patterns:
Infrastructure & Deployment
graph TB
Client[👤 User] --> LB[🌐 Load Balancer]
LB --> App1[⚙️ App Server 1]
LB --> App2[⚙️ App Server 2]
App1 --> DB[(💾 Database)]
App1 --> Cache[(⚡ Redis)]
Activity Flow with States
flowchart TD
Start([🚀 Start]) --> Process[⚙️ Process Data]
Process --> Check{✓ Valid?}
Check -->|Yes| Save[💾 Save]
Check -->|No| Error[❌ Error]
Save --> Complete([✅ Complete])
Microservices Architecture
graph TB
API[🌐 API Gateway] --> Auth[🔐 Auth Service]
API --> Orders[📋 Order Service]
Orders --> Queue[📬 Message Queue]
Queue --> Worker[⚙️ Background Worker]
Worker --> Storage[📦 Object Storage]
For complete symbol reference, load: references/guides/unicode-symbols/guide.md
Python Utilities
Extract Mermaid Diagrams
## List all diagrams
python scripts/extract_mermaid.py document.md --list-only
## Extract to separate files
python scripts/extract_mermaid.py document.md --output-dir diagrams/
## Validate all diagrams
python scripts/extract_mermaid.py document.md --validate
## Replace with image references (for Confluence upload)
python scripts/extract_mermaid.py document.md --replace-with-images \
--image-format png --output-markdown output.md
Convert to Images
## Single conversion
python scripts/mermaid_to_image.py diagram.mmd output.png
## With custom settings
python scripts/mermaid_to_image.py diagram.mmd output.svg \
--theme dark --background white --width 1200
## Batch convert directory
python scripts/mermaid_to_image.py diagrams/ output/ --format png --recursive
## From stdin
echo "graph TD; A-->B" | python scripts/mermaid_to_image.py - output.png
Decision Tree Examples
Example 1: User Asks for Workflow Diagram
Input: "Show the checkout process workflow"
Skill Decision Path:
1. Analyze: workflow, process → ACTIVITY DIAGRAM
2. Load guide: guides/diagrams/activity-diagrams.md
3. Find pattern: E-commerce checkout (template exists in guide)
4. Generate using template + Unicode symbols
5. Output activity diagram with decision points
Output: Complete activity diagram with Unicode symbols for cart, payment, order states.
Example 2: User Provides Spring Boot Code
Input: "Here's my Spring Boot controller, create diagrams"
Skill Decision Path:
1. Analyze: Spring Boot, code provided → CODE-TO-DIAGRAM + SPRING BOOT
2. Load guides:
- examples/spring-boot/README.md
- guides/diagrams/architecture-diagrams.md (for structure)
- guides/diagrams/sequence-diagrams.md (for method calls)
- guides/diagrams/activity-diagrams.md (for business logic)
3. Generate multiple diagrams:
a. Architecture diagram from @RestController/@Service/@Repository annotations
b. Sequence diagram from method call chain
c. Activity diagram from business logic flow
4. Output all diagrams with explanations
Output: 3-4 diagrams showing different views of the Spring Boot application.
Example 3: User Wants Infrastructure Documentation
Input: "Document my GCP Cloud Run deployment with AlloyDB"
Skill Decision Path:
1. Analyze: infrastructure, GCP, Cloud Run → DEPLOYMENT DIAGRAM
2. Load guides:
- guides/diagrams/deployment-diagrams.md
- examples/spring-boot/ or examples/fastapi/ (if code provided)
3. Check for IaC files (Pulumi, Terraform, docker-compose)
4. Generate deployment diagram with:
- Cloud Run services with specs
- VPC connector
- AlloyDB cluster
- Security (IAM, Secret Manager)
- Monitoring
5. Apply Unicode symbols for clarity
6. Output with resource specifications
Output: Complete GCP deployment diagram with all resources labeled.
High-Contrast Styling
ALL diagrams MUST use high-contrast colors:
graph TB
classDef primary fill:#90EE90,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:darkgreen
classDef secondary fill:#87CEEB,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:darkblue
classDef database fill:#E6E6FA,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px,color:darkblue
classDef error fill:#FFB6C1,stroke:#DC143C,stroke-width:2px,color:black
%% Every classDef MUST have color: property
Rules:
- Light background → Dark text color
- Dark background → Light text color
- Always specify
color: in every classDef
File Organization
design-doc-mermaid/
├── SKILL.md # This file - Main orchestrator
├── README.md # User documentation
├── CLAUDE.md # Claude Code instructions
│
├── references/ # Reference materials
│ ├── mermaid-diagram-guide.md # Legacy general guide
│ └── guides/ # Specialized guides (load on-demand)
│ ├── diagrams/
│ │ ├── activity-diagrams.md # Workflows, processes
│ │ ├── deployment-diagrams.md # Infrastructure, cloud
│ │ ├── architecture-diagrams.md # System architecture
│ │ └── sequence-diagrams.md # API interactions
│ ├── code-to-diagram/
│ │ └── README.md # Master guide for code analysis
│ ├── unicode-symbols/
│ │ └── guide.md # Complete symbol reference
│ └── troubleshooting.md # Common syntax errors & fixes
│
├── assets/ # Design document templates
│ ├── architecture-design-template.md
│ ├── api-design-template.md
│ ├── feature-design-template.md
│ ├── database-design-template.md
│ └── system-design-template.md
│
├── scripts/ # Python utilities
│ ├── extract_mermaid.py # Extract & validate diagrams
│ └── mermaid_to_image.py # Convert to PNG/SVG
│
├── examples/ # Language-specific patterns
│ ├── spring-boot/ # Spring Boot patterns
│ ├── fastapi/ # FastAPI patterns
│ ├── react/ # React patterns
│ ├── python-etl/ # Data pipeline patterns
│ ├── node-webapp/ # Express.js patterns
│ └── java-webapp/ # Traditional Java patterns
│
└── references/ # General Mermaid reference
└── mermaid-diagram-guide.md # Complete Mermaid syntax guide
Workflow Summary
- Analyze user intent → Determine diagram type, document type, or action needed
- Load appropriate guide(s) → Read only what's needed (token efficient)
- Apply templates and patterns → Use examples from guides
- Generate output → Create diagram or document
- Validate (optional) → Use scripts to verify
- Convert (optional) → Export to images if needed
When to Use What
| User Request |
Load This |
| "activity diagram", "workflow", "process flow" |
references/guides/diagrams/activity-diagrams.md |
| "deployment", "infrastructure", "cloud", "k8s" |
references/guides/diagrams/deployment-diagrams.md |
| "architecture", "system design", "components" |
references/guides/diagrams/architecture-diagrams.md + design template |
| "API", "sequence", "interactions", "flow" |
references/guides/diagrams/sequence-diagrams.md |
| "class diagram", "ER", "state machine", "wiki", "walkthrough", "architecture doc" |
references/guides/wiki-ticket-and-github.md plus the matching type guide |
| "Confluence", "upload image", "PNG", "SVG" |
scripts/resilient_diagram.py or scripts/mermaid_to_image.py |
| "Spring Boot code" |
examples/spring-boot/ + relevant diagram guides |
| "FastAPI code", "Python API" |
examples/fastapi/ + relevant diagram guides |
| "React app", "frontend" |
examples/react/ + architecture guide |
| "ETL", "data pipeline", "Python batch" |
examples/python-etl/ + activity guide |
| "symbols", "unicode", "emoji" |
references/guides/unicode-symbols/guide.md |
| "syntax error", "diagram won't render", "troubleshoot" |
references/guides/troubleshooting.md |
| "extract diagrams" |
scripts/extract_mermaid.py |
| "convert to image", "PNG", "SVG" |
scripts/mermaid_to_image.py |
| "create diagram", "generate diagram", "add diagram to markdown" |
scripts/resilient_diagram.py + references/guides/resilient-workflow.md |
| "design document", "full docs" |
assets/*-design-template.md + diagram guides |
Best Practices
- Single Responsibility: One diagram = One concept
- Unicode Enhancement: Always use semantic symbols for clarity
- High Contrast: Never skip the
color: property in styles
- Validate Early: Use scripts to catch syntax errors
- Template Reuse: Leverage existing templates and examples
- Load On-Demand: Only read guides needed for the specific request
- Token Efficiency: Use hierarchical loading instead of reading everything
Learning Path
New to Mermaid? Start here:
- Read
references/guides/unicode-symbols/guide.md for symbol meanings
- Read
references/guides/diagrams/activity-diagrams.md for basic patterns
- Try examples in
examples/spring-boot/ or examples/fastapi/
- Use
scripts/extract_mermaid.py --validate to check your work
Need to document code? Follow this:
- Identify your framework → Load relevant
examples/{framework}/
- Match code pattern to diagram type
- Use templates from guide
- Validate with scripts
Creating design docs? Follow this:
- Choose document type → Load template from
assets/
- Fill in text sections
- Load diagram guides as needed for each section
- Use Unicode symbols throughout
- Save to
docs/design/ with timestamp
Version: 2.0 (Hierarchical Architecture)
Last Updated: 2025-01-13
Maintained by: Claude Code Skills