Book Image

The Official Guide to Mermaid.js

By : Knut Sveidqvist, Ashish Jain
Book Image

The Official Guide to Mermaid.js

By: Knut Sveidqvist, Ashish Jain

Overview of this book

Mermaid is a JavaScript-based charting and diagramming tool that lets you represent diagrams using text and code, which simplifies the maintenance of complex diagrams. This is a great option for developers as they’re more familiar with code, rather than using special tools for generating diagrams. Besides, diagrams in code simplify maintenance and ensure that the code is supported by version control systems. In some cases, Mermaid makes refactoring support for name changes possible while also enabling team collaboration for review distribution and updates. Developers working with any system will be able to put their knowledge to work with this practical guide to using Mermaid for documentation. The book is also a great reference for looking up the syntax for specific diagrams when authoring diagrams. You’ll start by learning the importance of accurate and visual documentation. Next, the book introduces Mermaid and establishes how to use it to create effective documentation. By using different tools, editors, or a custom documentation platform, you’ll also understand how to use Mermaid syntax for various diagrams. Later chapters cover advanced configuration settings and theme options to manipulate your diagram as per your needs. By the end of this book, you’ll be well-versed with Mermaid diagrams and how they can be used in your workflows.
Table of Contents (19 chapters)
1
Section 1: Getting Started with Mermaid
7
Section 2: The Most Popular Diagrams
12
Section 3: Powerful Diagrams for the Advanced User

Summary

We have looked at state diagrams and now you know what they are and how to create them using Mermaid. You know what states are and the different types of states that are supported by Mermaid. You know how to create transitions in different ways and how to draw a choice shape using the <<choice>> keyword to clarify different paths in the state machine. You have also looked at how to define and highlight concurrency in state machines. That is not all as you also have come to know how to add more details by visualizing synchronicity in the concurrency using forks and joins. On top of that, you have also learned how to add notes directly into your state diagram.

We have covered many diagrams that describe systems and other technical aspects of software development, but in the next chapter, it is time to look at a non-technical diagram – Gantt charts, which are used for project planning.