Markdown, Mermaids, Monsters

A Glossary of Mermaid Diagrams as Supported by Markdown Monster

Purpose

Use this gloasary as a handy reference to the syntax and appearance that characterize each of the Mermaid Diagrams illustrated.

Genesis

The idea for this was suggested by developer buddy Michael Riley, who has aphantasia.¹ This means that Mike is unable to visualize images in his mind but also means that he relies more on his ability to understand structure than most of us. He has a different, and quite valuable way, of viewing things. This can be especially useful in the IT world, where structure, especially at what might be termed an architectural level, is becoming increasingly important.

For individuals with aphantasia, diagrams can play an important role in their understanding of structure, since a diagram is not abstract, but rather is a concrete representation of a structure.

The Examples

Each Mermaid diagram topic contains an example of the code used by Markdown Monster and Documentation Monster in support of Mermaid. This is followed by a rendering of the actual diagram itself. Finally, a brief statement of why the particular diagram is useful is often included.

Mike and I are both Toastmasters², although belonging to clubs hundreds of miles apart. So it seemed natural to base many of the examples on our shared Toastmasters experience.

Note that this Glossary is only a sampling of the extensive capabilities of Mermaid. For an exhaustive examination of Mermaid visit the Mermaid Documentation³

Dedication

This Glossary is respectfully dedicated to anyone who wants to expand their understanding of good system design, architecture and communication, and especially to all who may be in that small group of people we call aphantasic but I like to call aphantastic.