Mermaid Image Export

Mermaid diagram image export using mermaid-cli. When Claude needs to export Mermaid diagrams as high-quality images (PNG, SVG, PDF) for documentation, presentations, print materials, or web embedding. Uses mermaid-cli with Puppeteer-based rendering for pixel-perfect outputs.

Mermaid CLI Image Export Skill

Professional image export skill for Mermaid diagrams using mermaid-cli. Converts Mermaid code into high-quality PNG, SVG, and PDF images suitable for documentation, presentations, and print materials.

Quick Start

Prerequisites

# Check if Node.js is installed
node --version

# Check if npm is installed
npm --version

Installation Check

python scripts/install_mermaid_cli.py --check

Basic Usage

Export a Mermaid diagram to PNG:

python scripts/export_mermaid_image.py diagram.mmd -o output.png

Export to SVG:

python scripts/export_mermaid_image.py diagram.mmd -f svg -o diagram.svg

Batch export multiple files:

python scripts/export_mermaid_image.py *.mmd -d outputs/

Core Features

Supported Formats

• PNG: Raster image, ideal for web and documents
• SVG: Vector image, scalable without quality loss
• PDF: Document format for printing and sharing

Quality Controls

• Resolution scaling (--scale)
• Background color (--background)
• Width and height constraints (--width, --height)
• Custom CSS styling (--css)

Theme Support

• All Mermaid built-in themes: default, forest, dark, neutral
• Custom theme configuration (--config)
• Dark/light mode switching

Batch Processing

• Export multiple diagrams at once
• Progress tracking and error handling
• Consistent settings across all exports

Workflow

1. Environment Setup

Ensure Node.js and mermaid-cli are installed:

npm install -g @mermaid-js/mermaid-cli

2. Diagram Creation

Create Mermaid diagrams using standard syntax.

3. Image Export

Use appropriate format based on needs:

• Web/Docs: PNG or SVG
• Print: PDF or high-resolution PNG
• Development: Quick PNG previews

4. Integration

Embed exported images in:

• README documentation
• Presentation slides
• Technical papers
• API documentation
• Blog posts

Comparison with Termaid

Feature	Termaid	Mermaid-CLI Export
Output	ASCII terminal	PNG/SVG/PDF images
Dependencies	Pure Python	Node.js + Puppeteer
Use Case	Terminal preview	Professional export
Quality	Terminal-friendly	Print-ready
Speed	Instant	Requires browser

Advanced Usage

Custom Configuration

# Custom CSS
python scripts/export_mermaid_image.py diagram.mmd --css custom.css -o output.png

# Specific theme
python scripts/export_mermaid_image.py diagram.mmd -t dark -o output.png

# High resolution
python scripts/export_mermaid_image.py diagram.mmd --scale 2.0 -o output.png

Automation

# CI/CD integration
python scripts/export_mermaid_image.py docs/*.mmd -d generated/

# Documentation generation
find . -name "*.mmd" -exec python scripts/export_mermaid_image.py {} -o images/{}.png \;

Troubleshooting

Common Issues

1. Node.js not installed: Install Node.js from nodejs.org
2. mermaid-cli not found: Run npm install -g @mermaid-js/mermaid-cli
3. Browser errors: Ensure Chrome/Chromium is installed
4. Memory issues: Reduce image size or resolution

Performance Tips

• Use lower resolution for quick previews
• Cache frequently used diagrams
• Batch process multiple diagrams
• Consider using SVG for scalability

Examples

See assets/examples/ for complete examples:

• Basic export workflow
• Configuration examples
• Template diagrams

References

Complete documentation in references/:

• overview.md: Skill overview
• installation.md: Installation guide
• usage.md: Usage instructions
• formats.md: Format specifications
• troubleshooting.md: Problem solving

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Note: This skill requires Node.js and mermaid-cli installation. For terminal-only rendering without dependencies, use the termaid skill.