Mermaid (software)

Mermaid
DevelopersKnut Sveidqvist and contributors
Initial release2014 (2014)
Written inTypeScript, JavaScript
Operating systemCross-platform
TypeDiagramming and charting
LicenseMIT
Websitemermaid.js.org
Repository

Mermaid is an open-source JavaScript-based diagramming and charting software that generates diagrams from text-based descriptions.[1] Created by Knut Sveidqvist in 2014, the project originated from a need to simplify diagram creation in documentation workflows after experiencing issues with proprietary software file formats.[2][3]

Features

Mermaid allows users to create various types of diagrams using a Markdown-like syntax, including:[4]

The software provides both text-based and visual editing interfaces, allowing users to switch between the two modes.[2] Users can create diagrams through the Mermaid Live Editor, a web-based tool that provides real-time preview capabilities without requiring local installation.[5]

The use of LLMs makes it easier to create diagram using Mermaid, because they can prompt the LLMs to directly generate a Mermaid diagram without having to code by simply indicating the context[6].

History

Mermaid.js was created in 2014 by Swedish software architect Knut Sveidqvist to keep diagrams aligned with software documentation. Sveidqvist stated that the idea emerged after losing a Microsoft Visio file, which led him to pursue a text-based, Markdown-centric approach. The project name was inspired by The Little Mermaid, which his children were watching at the time.[7][8][9]

The project's goal is to describe diagrams in plain text kept in version control, helping documentation keep pace with development and addressing "doc-rot."[10] A guidebook on Mermaid, The Official Guide to Mermaid.js, was published in 2021.[11]

In 2022, Sveidqvist co-founded Mermaid Chart Inc. (referred to as Mermaid), which offers hosted editing tools and enterprise features distinct from the open-source library. The company's hosted and enterprise offerings are proprietary open-core extensions,[7][8] focusing on text-to-diagram workflows that support versioning, automation, and code review processes.[12][13]

Integration

Mermaid is supported natively by several platforms and services:[14][15]

Development

As of 2024, the project is developed under both open-source and commercial models. The core functionality remains open-source under the MIT License, while a commercial offering called Mermaid Chart provides additional features and hosted services.[2] The open-source project has garnered significant community engagement, with over 74,000 GitHub stars and 6,800 forks as of early 2025.[1]

In March 2024, the commercial entity raised $7.5 million in seed funding from investors including Open Core Ventures, Sequoia, and Microsoft's M12 fund.[2]

Recognition

The project received the JS Open Source Award in 2019 for "The Most Exciting Use of Technology."[26]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b "Mermaid GitHub Repository". GitHub.
  2. ^ a b c d Frederic Lardinois (March 20, 2024). "Mermaid Chart, a Markdown-like tool for creating diagrams, raises $7.5M". TechCrunch.
  3. ^ Amit Chowdhry (Aug 26, 2024). "Mermaid Chart: How This Company Creates Complex Diagrams From Markdown-Style Code". Pulse 2.0.
  4. ^ Kerry Doyle (December 12, 2023). "A review of software architecture visualization tools". TechTarget.
  5. ^ "Mermaid Live Editor".
  6. ^ Johnson, Dave (2026-01-23). "How visuals improve threat intelligence reporting | TI Essentials | Feedly". Threat Intelligence Essentials - Best Practices for CTI Pros. Retrieved 2026-03-05.
  7. ^ a b Chowdhry, Amit (26 August 2024). "Mermaid Chart: How This Company Creates Complex Diagrams From Markdown-Style Code". Pulse 2.0. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  8. ^ a b Lardinois, Frederic (20 March 2024). "Mermaid Chart, a Markdown-like tool for creating diagrams, raises $7.5M". TechCrunch. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  9. ^ Lindberg, Erica (10 October 2022). "Why we invested in Mermaid Chart". Open Core Ventures. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  10. ^ Buchta, Brian (2024-06-03). "Mermaid: Helping Documentation Catch Up with Development". Keyhole Software. Retrieved 2026-01-05.
  11. ^ Sveidqvist, Knut; Jain, Ashish (2021). The Official Guide to Mermaid.js. Packt.
  12. ^ "Mermaid Chart (Ecosystem)". Mermaid.js documentation. mermaid-js. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  13. ^ Joshua Meiri. "Visual Thinking Meets Code: How Mermaid.js Is Transforming Process Design". Origami Precision — Insights. Retrieved 27 October 2025.
  14. ^ Justin Pot (November 13, 2024). "Use Mermaid to Create Charts and Diagrams Without Image Editing Tools". LifeHacker.
  15. ^ "Mermaid Integrations".
  16. ^ "Markdown Guidance for Wikis – Azure DevOps". 6 September 2024.
  17. ^ "Include diagrams in Markdown files with Mermaid on GitHub". 14 February 2022.
  18. ^ Ian Elliot (February 15, 2022). "GitHub Supports Mermaid For Creating Diagrams". I Programmer.
  19. ^ "Gitea - Compared to other Git hosting".
  20. ^ "Gitlab Handbook".
  21. ^ "Joplin - Markdown Guide".
  22. ^ "Tuleap 12.7".
  23. ^ "Notion – Release Notes 2021-12-23".
  24. ^ "Obsidian Changelog 0.7.6".
  25. ^ "Quarto – Diagram Authoring".
  26. ^ "Winners for 2019". JavaScript Open Source Awards. Retrieved 21 September 2025.
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