| Developer(s) | Knut Sveidqvist and contributors |
|---|---|
| Initial release | 2014 |
| Repository | github |
| Written in | JavaScript |
| Operating system | Cross-platform |
| Type | Diagramming and charting |
| License | MIT |
| Website | mermaid |
Mermaid is an open-source JavaScript-based diagramming and charting tool that generates diagrams from text-based descriptions. 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.
Features
Mermaid allows users to create various types of diagrams using a Markdown-like syntax, including:
- Flowcharts
- Sequence diagrams
- Class diagrams
- State diagrams
- Gantt charts
- Entity-relationship diagrams
The software provides both text-based and visual editing interfaces, allowing users to switch between the two modes. Users can create diagrams through the Mermaid Live Editor, a web-based tool that provides real-time preview capabilities without requiring local installation.
Integration
Mermaid is supported natively by several platforms and services:
- Azure DevOps (in project wikis)
- GitHub (in Markdown files)
- Gitea
- GitLab
- Joplin
- Tuleap
- Notion
- Obsidian
- Quarto
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. The open-source project has garnered significant community engagement, with over 74,000 GitHub stars and 6,800 forks as of early 2025.
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.
Recognition
The project received the JS Open Source Award in 2019 for "The Most Exciting Use of Technology."
See also
References
- ^ "Mermaid GitHub Repository". GitHub.
- ^ Frederic Lardinois (March 20, 2024). "Mermaid Chart, a Markdown-like tool for creating diagrams, raises $7.5M". TechCrunch.
- Amit Chowdhry (Aug 26, 2024). "Mermaid Chart: How This Company Creates Complex Diagrams From Markdown-Style Code". Pulse 2.0.
- Kerry Doyle (December 12, 2023). "A review of software architecture visualization tools". TechTarget.
- "Mermaid Live Editor".
- Justin Pot (November 13, 2024). "Use Mermaid to Create Charts and Diagrams Without Image Editing Tools". LifeHacker.
- "Mermaid Integrations".
- "Markdown Guidance for Wikis – Azure DevOps". 6 September 2024.
- "Include diagrams in Markdown files with Mermaid on GitHub". 14 February 2022.
- Ian Elliot (February 15, 2022). "GitHub Supports Mermaid For Creating Diagrams". I Programmer.
- "Gitea - Compared to other Git hosting".
- "Gitlab Handbook".
- "Joplin - Markdown Guide".
- "Tuleap 12.7".
- "Notion – Release Notes 2021-12-23".
- "Obsidian Changelog 0.7.6".
- "Quarto – Diagram Authoring".
- ""Mermaid" – Notes by NicFab". 22 March 2022.