stevefeldman/design-doc-mermaid

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
• Available Guides and Resources
• Usage Patterns
• Resilient Workflow
• Unicode Semantic Symbols
• Python Utilities
• Decision Tree Examples
• High-Contrast Styling
• File Organization
• Workflow Summary
• When to Use What
• Best Practices
• Learning Path

Decision Tree

How this skill works:

1. User makes a request → Skill analyzes intent
2. Skill determines diagram/document type → Loads appropriate guide(s)
3. AI reads specialized guide → Generates diagram/document using templates
4. 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 -->|"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
    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,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" |

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" |

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:

1. Check troubleshooting guide - references/guides/troubleshooting.md (28 documented errors)
2. Search with perplexity - perplexity_ask MCP for syntax questions
3. Search with brave - brave_web_search MCP for recent solutions
4. Ask gemini - gemini skill for alternative perspective
5. General search - WebSearch tool as fallback

Manual Fallback Steps

If the script is unavailable:

1. Identify diagram type from first line (flowchart, sequence, etc.)
2. Load reference guide from references/guides/diagrams/
3. Save to ./diagrams/<markdown_file>_<num>_<type>_<title>.mmd
4. Validate: mmdc -i file.mmd -o file.png -b transparent
5. On error: Search references/guides/troubleshooting.md for matching error
6. If not found: Use search tools in priority order above
7. Add reference: ![Description](./diagrams/filename.png)

Pattern 6: Resilient Diagram Generation

User: "Create a sequence diagram and add it to the design doc"

Skill Actions:

1. Identify intent: diagram generation + markdown integration
2. Load workflow guide: references/guides/resilient-workflow.md
3. Identify diagram type: sequence
4. Load diagram guide: references/guides/diagrams/sequence-diagrams.md
5. Generate Mermaid code using templates
6. Execute resilient workflow:

   python scripts/resilient_diagram.py \
       --code "[generated code]" \
       --markdown-file design_doc \
       --diagram-num 1 \
       --title "api_sequence" \
       --json
   

7. If validation fails → Apply troubleshooting fix → Retry
8. On success → Add ![API Sequence](./diagrams/design_doc_01_sequence_api_sequence.png) 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

1. Analyze user intent → Determine diagram type, document type, or action needed
2. Load appropriate guide(s) → Read only what's needed (token efficient)
3. Apply templates and patterns → Use examples from guides
4. Generate output → Create diagram or document
5. Validate (optional) → Use scripts to verify
6. 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/mermaid-diagram-guide.md (sequence section) | | "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

1. Single Responsibility: One diagram = One concept
2. Unicode Enhancement: Always use semantic symbols for clarity
3. High Contrast: Never skip the color: property in styles
4. Validate Early: Use scripts to catch syntax errors
5. Template Reuse: Leverage existing templates and examples
6. Load On-Demand: Only read guides needed for the specific request
7. Token Efficiency: Use hierarchical loading instead of reading everything

Learning Path

New to Mermaid? Start here:

1. Read references/guides/unicode-symbols/guide.md for symbol meanings
2. Read references/guides/diagrams/activity-diagrams.md for basic patterns
3. Try examples in examples/spring-boot/ or examples/fastapi/
4. Use scripts/extract_mermaid.py --validate to check your work

Need to document code? Follow this:

1. Identify your framework → Load relevant examples/{framework}/
2. Match code pattern to diagram type
3. Use templates from guide
4. Validate with scripts

Creating design docs? Follow this:

1. Choose document type → Load template from assets/
2. Fill in text sections
3. Load diagram guides as needed for each section
4. Use Unicode symbols throughout
5. Save to docs/design/ with timestamp

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Version: 2.0 (Hierarchical Architecture) Last Updated: 2025-01-13 Maintained by: Claude Code Skills