Mermaid Diagram Generator

About Mermaid Diagram Generator

Flowchart generator online uses Mermaid syntax to turn plain text descriptions into clean, rendered diagrams instantly. Define your nodes and connections in simple markup and see the flowchart appear in real time with no signup or software required. This free browser-based tool is useful for documenting processes, planning application logic, and visualizing decision trees.

The Mermaid Diagram Generator lets you write Mermaid diagram syntax and see the rendered diagram in real time in a side-by-side preview. Mermaid is a text-based diagramming language that generates flowcharts, sequence diagrams, class diagrams, Gantt charts, entity-relationship diagrams, pie charts, and more from plain text definitions. It is supported natively by GitHub and GitLab Markdown, Notion, Confluence, and many documentation tools. Writing diagrams as text rather than drawing them manually has several advantages: diagrams can be stored in version control, reviewed in pull requests, generated programmatically, and updated by editing text rather than rearranging shapes. This tool provides real-time rendering, a syntax reference panel, and multiple diagram examples to help you get started.

Mermaid syntax is designed to be readable as text even without rendering. A simple flowchart looks like: graph TD; A[Start] --> B{Decision}; B -->|Yes| C[Action]; B -->|No| D[End]. The indentation and arrow notation makes the structure clear even in raw text form. Sequence diagrams use participant and actor declarations followed by arrows (->>, -->>) to show message flow between components, which is ideal for documenting API call sequences, authentication flows, and event-driven systems. Class diagrams support inheritance, composition, and interface implementation, which is useful for documenting object-oriented system designs. Gantt charts display project timelines with tasks and dependencies. Entity-relationship diagrams document database schemas. For technical documentation in GitHub repositories, Mermaid code blocks (triple backtick followed by "mermaid") render automatically in Markdown files, README files, and GitHub Wiki pages without any plugins. For Confluence, a dedicated Mermaid macro or the built-in Markdown renderer supports it. When embedding in web pages, the mermaid.js library (available from CDN) renders diagrams client-side from script tags with type="text/x-mermaid". This tool is particularly useful for previewing and iterating on diagram syntax before embedding it in documentation.

How to use Mermaid Diagram Generator

  1. Select a diagram template
  2. Customize your diagram code
  3. Download your diagram as SVG

Frequently Asked Questions

What is Mermaid and what types of diagrams can I create?
Mermaid is a JavaScript-based diagramming tool that generates diagrams from simple, human-readable text syntax. It supports a wide range of diagram types including flowcharts, sequence diagrams, entity relationship diagrams, class diagrams, state diagrams, Gantt charts, pie charts, and Git graphs making it a powerful tool for technical documentation, software architecture, and project planning.
Where can I use Mermaid diagrams?
Mermaid diagrams are natively supported in GitHub README files, GitLab, Notion, Obsidian, Confluence, and many static site generators and documentation platforms. They can also be exported as SVG or PNG images for use in presentations, technical specifications, and any project where visual diagrams help communicate complex systems and workflows clearly.
What is the advantage of using Mermaid over traditional diagramming tools?
Unlike traditional diagramming tools like Lucidchart or draw.io, Mermaid diagrams are written as plain text meaning they can be version-controlled alongside your code, updated instantly without dragging and dropping shapes, and rendered automatically in supported platforms. This makes Mermaid the ideal choice for developers who want to keep their documentation close to their codebase and maintain diagrams as easily as they update code.