diagram-patterns

# Diagram Selection & Patterns

## Interactive Diagram Selection

Use AskUserQuestion to understand requirements and recommend the optimal diagram type and tool:

```yaml
# Question 1: Primary Purpose (MCP: CLI best practices - scope selection)
question: "What are you trying to visualize?"
header: "Purpose"
options:
  - label: "System Architecture (Recommended)"
    description: "Components, services, containers, deployment"
  - label: "Process/Workflow"
    description: "Steps, decisions, activities, state transitions"
  - label: "Data Structures"
    description: "Classes, entities, relationships, schemas"
  - label: "Interactions"
    description: "Sequence of calls, messages, API flows"

# Question 2: Tool Constraints (MCP: CLI best practices - output format)
question: "Do you have tool or platform constraints?"
header: "Tool"
options:
  - label: "GitHub/GitLab Markdown (Recommended)"
    description: "Use Mermaid - native rendering, no setup"
  - label: "Maximum Customization"
    description: "Use PlantUML - more styling, sprites, icons"
  - label: "Enterprise Architecture"
    description: "Use PlantUML - C4, ArchiMate support"
  - label: "No Preference"
    description: "I'll recommend based on diagram type"
```

Use these responses to apply the decision tree and recommend the appropriate diagram type and tool.

## Overview

This skill helps you choose the right diagram type and tool for your visualization needs. Use this when you need to decide:

1. **Which diagram type** best represents your information
2. **Which tool** (Mermaid or PlantUML) to use
3. **How to structure** the diagram for clarity

---

## Diagram Type Decision Tree

```text
START
  |
  +-- Interactions over time? --> SEQUENCE DIAGRAM
  |
  +-- Object/class structure? --> CLASS DIAGRAM
  |
  +-- Database schema? --> ER DIAGRAM
  |
  +-- State transitions? --> STATE DIAGRAM
  |
  +-- Process/workflow? --> FLOWCHART or ACTIVITY DIAGRAM
  |
  +-- System architecture?
  |     |
  |     +-- High