Excalidraw Generator

Excalidraw Diagram Generator

Create complete, valid .excalidraw.json files that users can directly open at excalidraw.com.

Core Capabilities

Diagram types supported:

• Flowcharts - Process flows, decision trees, workflows
• Architecture Diagrams - System architectures, network topologies, component diagrams
• UML Diagrams - Class diagrams, sequence diagrams, use case diagrams
• Mind Maps - Hierarchical concept maps, brainstorming diagrams

Two visual styles:

• Professional Mode (default): Clean, polished diagrams for technical documentation
• Hand-drawn Mode: Sketch-style diagrams for brainstorming and informal use

Quick Reference

JSON Schema

jsonCopy code
{
  "type": "excalidraw",
  "version": 2,
  "source": "https://excalidraw.com",
  "elements": [],
  "appState": {
    "gridSize": null,
    "viewBackgroundColor": "#ffffff"
  },
  "files": {}
}

Coordinate System

• Origin: Top-left corner (0, 0)
• X-axis: Increases rightward
• Y-axis: Increases downward
• Unit: Pixels

Grid-Based Layout System

Use a 20px grid for alignment:

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GRID_UNIT = 20
COLUMN_WIDTH = 200    # Element + gap
ROW_HEIGHT = 150      # Element + gap

Position formula:
  x = START_X + (column * COLUMN_WIDTH)
  y = START_Y + (row * ROW_HEIGHT)

Recommended START_X = 50, START_Y = 100

Standard Element Sizes

Text Calculations (CRITICAL)

Text Height Formula

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textHeight = fontSize × lineHeight × numberOfLines
           = fontSize × 1.25 × numberOfLines

Examples:
- 1 line, fontSize 20: 20 × 1.25 × 1 = 25px
- 3 lines, fontSize 14: 14 × 1.25 × 3 = 52.5px ≈ 53px
- 12 lines, fontSize 15: 15 × 1.25 × 12 = 225px

Text Centering Formula

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text_x = shape_x + (shape_width - text_width) / 2
text_y = shape_y + (shape_height - text_height) / 2

Text Size Reference

Estimate text_width: char_count × char_width

Centering Example

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Shape: x=100, y=100, width=160, height=80
Text: "Process" (7 chars), fontSize=16

text_width = 7 × 9 = 63
text_height = 1 × 20 = 20
text_x = 100 + (160 - 63) / 2 = 148.5 ≈ 148
text_y = 100 + (80 - 20) / 2 = 130

UML Class Diagram Container Height

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containerHeight = headerHeight + attributesHeight + methodsHeight + padding

Where:
- headerHeight = classNameTextHeight + topPadding (typically 15px + 15px = 30px)
- attributesHeight = fontSize × 1.25 × numberOfAttributes + 10px
- methodsHeight = fontSize × 1.25 × numberOfMethods + 10px

Example (12 attributes, 10 methods, fontSize 15):
- Header: 20 + 15 = 35px
- Attributes: 15 × 1.25 × 12 + 10 = 235px
- Methods: 15 × 1.25 × 10 + 10 ≈ 198px
- Total: 35 + 10 + 235 + 10 + 198 = 488px (round to 500px)

Arrow Positioning

Horizontal Arrow (Left to Right)

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From shape at (x1, y1, w1, h1) to shape at (x2, y2, w2, h2):

arrow_x = x1 + w1           # Right edge of source
arrow_y = y1 + h1/2         # Vertical center
gap = x2 - (x1 + w1)        # Space between shapes
points = [[0, 0], [gap, 0]]

Vertical Arrow (Top to Bottom)

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arrow_x = x1 + w1/2         # Horizontal center
arrow_y = y1 + h1           # Bottom edge of source
gap = y2 - (y1 + h1)
points = [[0, 0], [0, gap]]

Feedback Loop (Return Arrow)

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From bottom-right back to left:
  Start: (800, 400)
  points=[
    [0, 0],        # Start
    [0, 80],       # Down
    [-400, 80],    # Left
    [-400, -150]   # Up to target
  ]

Z-Order (Element Array Order)

Elements render in array order. First = back, last = front.

Correct order:

1. Background shapes (containers, frames)
2. Connection lines/arrows
3. Foreground shapes (nodes, boxes)
4. Text labels
5. Icons/overlays

Visual Styles

Professional Mode (Default)

Use for: Architecture diagrams, UML, technical docs, formal presentations

jsonCopy code
{
  "roughness": 0,
  "fillStyle": "solid",
  "strokeWidth": 2,
  "fontFamily": 2
}

Colors (light backgrounds for readability):

Hand-drawn Mode

Use for: Brainstorming, sketches, informal sharing

jsonCopy code
{
  "roughness": 1,
  "fillStyle": "hachure",
  "strokeWidth": 2,
  "fontFamily": 1
}

Colors (medium saturation):

Stroke color: #1e1e1e (dark gray, softer than pure black)

Element Types

Common Properties (required for all)

jsonCopy code
{
  "id": "unique-id",
  "type": "rectangle",
  "x": 100,
  "y": 100,
  "width": 160,
  "height": 80,
  "strokeColor": "#1e1e1e",
  "backgroundColor": "transparent",
  "fillStyle": "solid",
  "strokeWidth": 2,
  "roughness": 1,
  "opacity": 100,
  "angle": 0,
  "seed": 100,
  "version": 1,
  "isDeleted": false,
  "boundElements": null,
  "link": null,
  "locked": false
}

Type-Specific Properties

Rectangle: Add "roundness": {"type": 3} for rounded corners

Text:

jsonCopy code
{
  "type": "text",
  "text": "Content\nLine 2",
  "fontSize": 16,
  "fontFamily": 1,
  "textAlign": "center",
  "verticalAlign": "middle"
}

• fontFamily: 1=Virgil (hand), 2=Helvetica, 3=Cascadia (mono)

Arrow/Line:

jsonCopy code
{
  "type": "arrow",
  "points": [[0, 0], [100, 0]],
  "startArrowhead": null,
  "endArrowhead": "arrow"
}

• Points are relative to element's x,y
• Arrowheads: null, "arrow", "bar", "dot", "triangle"

Workflow

Step 1: Identify Diagram Type

Match the request to a diagram type:

• Flowchart: Process flows, algorithms, decision trees, workflows
• Architecture: System designs, microservices, cloud infrastructure
• UML Class: Object-oriented design, class hierarchies, relationships
• Mind Map: Brainstorming, concept hierarchies, topic exploration

Step 2: Use Templates as Foundation

Templates in assets/:

• flowchart-template.json
• architecture-template.json
• uml-class-template.json
• mindmap-template.json

Usage:

1. Read the appropriate template
2. Modify IDs, text, positions, colors
3. Add/remove elements as needed
4. Ensure all IDs are unique

Step 3: Generate Elements

Key element types:

• rectangle - Boxes, containers, processes
• ellipse - Start/end nodes, databases
• diamond - Decisions, conditional branches
• arrow / line - Connections, flows
• text - Labels, descriptions

Step 4: Calculate Layout

Use the grid system and text centering formulas above.

Layout strategies:

• Flowcharts: Top-to-bottom, centered alignment
• Architecture: Left-to-right for flow, grouped by layer
• UML Class: Use container height formula; prevent text overflow
• Mind Maps: Radial from center, balanced branches

Step 5: Style and Polish

1. Choose visual style (Professional or Hand-drawn)
2. Apply consistent colors from the palette
3. Ensure adequate spacing (80-100px between elements)

Step 6: Save to File

Always save directly as .excalidraw.json (no code blocks).

1. Write complete JSON to file
2. Name descriptively (e.g., user-login-flow.excalidraw.json)
3. Save to current directory unless specified otherwise

After saving, provide:

1. Confirmation with file path
2. Brief description of diagram structure
3. Instructions: "Open at excalidraw.com → Menu → Open"

Common Patterns

Pattern 1: Sequential Flow

For A → B → C processes:

1. Place elements vertically with 120px gaps
2. Use rectangles for processes, ellipses for start/end
3. Connect with arrows (endArrowhead: "arrow")
4. Center-align all elements

Pattern 2: Decision Tree

For conditional branches:

1. Use diamond for decision nodes
2. Branch arrows left/right or up/down
3. Add text labels on arrows ("Yes", "No")
4. Rejoin paths when appropriate

Pattern 3: Hierarchical Structure

For layered architectures:

1. Group elements by layer (horizontal rows)
2. Use different colors per layer
3. Vertical arrows show dependencies
4. Consistent element sizes within layers

Pattern 4: Radial Mind Map

For concept exploration:

1. Central node (ellipse) in middle
2. Lines radiate outward
3. Different colors per branch
4. Rectangles for sub-topics

Positioning Checklist

Before generating:

1. Define grid: START_X, START_Y, COLUMN_WIDTH, ROW_HEIGHT
2. List all elements with row/column positions
3. Calculate exact x,y using formulas
4. Calculate text positions using centering formula
5. Calculate arrow start points and relative endpoints
6. Order elements correctly for z-order
7. Assign unique IDs and incrementing seeds

Complete Node Example

jsonCopy code
[
  {
    "id": "node1-box",
    "type": "rectangle",
    "x": 100, "y": 100, "width": 160, "height": 80,
    "strokeColor": "#1971c2",
    "backgroundColor": "#a5d8ff",
    "fillStyle": "solid",
    "strokeWidth": 2,
    "roughness": 1,
    "opacity": 100,
    "angle": 0,
    "seed": 100,
    "version": 1,
    "isDeleted": false,
    "boundElements": [{"id": "arrow1", "type": "arrow"}],
    "roundness": {"type": 3},
    "link": null,
    "locked": false
  },
  {
    "id": "node1-text",
    "type": "text",
    "x": 130, "y": 130,
    "width": 100, "height": 20,
    "text": "Process Step",
    "fontSize": 16,
    "fontFamily": 1,
    "textAlign": "center",
    "verticalAlign": "middle",
    "strokeColor": "#1e1e1e",
    "backgroundColor": "transparent",
    "fillStyle": "solid",
    "strokeWidth": 1,
    "roughness": 1,
    "opacity": 100,
    "angle": 0,
    "seed": 101,
    "version": 1,
    "isDeleted": false,
    "boundElements": null,
    "link": null,
    "locked": false
  }
]

Tips for Quality Diagrams

1. Unique IDs: Generate random 8-16 character IDs for each element
2. Consistent spacing: Follow spacing guidelines strictly
3. Color harmony: Use the recommended color palette
4. Text sizing: Match text width to container width with padding
5. Arrow connections: Position arrow start/end points precisely
6. Version numbers: Use random integers for versionNonce and seed

Handling Complex Requests

For large or complex diagrams:

1. Start simple: Create core structure first
2. Iterate: Add details progressively
3. Group logically: Use visual grouping (colors, spacing)
4. Limit complexity: Suggest breaking into multiple diagrams if needed
5. Maintain readability: Ensure text doesn't overlap, adequate spacing

Resources

assets/

Templates for common diagram types:

• flowchart-template.json
• architecture-template.json
• uml-class-template.json
• mindmap-template.json

references/

• excalidraw-format.md - Complete JSON format specification
• elements.md - Element types and properties
• processing-loop-template.md - Processing loop example