Mind Map

Analyze source material and produce a Mermaid mindmap diagram with 2-4 levels of branching hierarchy.

Reference Files

Workflow

Copy this checklist to track progress:

Mind map progress:
- [ ] Step 1: Determine source type
- [ ] Step 2: Set scope (depth, budget, central concept)
- [ ] Step 3: Extract structure
- [ ] Step 4: Generate Mermaid mind map
- [ ] Step 5: Validate output
- [ ] Step 6: Present to user

Step 1: Determine source type

Identify which source type applies and run the corresponding discovery actions:

• Topic exploration: User names a concept. Ask one clarifying question about scope or audience if ambiguous. No file scanning needed.
• Codebase overview: Scan project structure. Read key config files (package.json, pyproject.toml, etc.). Map modules, entry points, and dependencies.
• File/document summary: Read the target file. Extract key themes, sections, and relationships between ideas.
• Feature planning / debugging: Gather requirements or symptoms. Decompose into components, phases, or possible causes.

Step 2: Set scope

Choose a depth level using the table in references/generation-guidelines.md (overview, standard, or detailed). Ask the user only if unclear. Default to standard (3 levels, 15-30 nodes).

Set the central concept: one clear noun or short phrase (1-3 words) for the root node. Total node budget: 40 max.

Step 3: Extract structure

• Identify 3-7 main branches from the source material (5 is ideal).
• For each branch, identify 2-5 sub-nodes per the depth setting.
• Group related concepts under the same branch.
• Each node must be a single keyword or short phrase, never a sentence.
• See references/generation-guidelines.md for node text word limits and keyword extraction techniques.

Step 4: Generate Mermaid mind map

Load references/mermaid-syntax.md for exact syntax. Generate inside a fenced mermaid code block.

Use node shapes intentionally (see references/generation-guidelines.md for the full shape strategy):

• Root: ((circle)) for the central concept
• Main branches: [square] for categories, (rounded) for processes
• Leaf nodes: default for general items, {cloud} for uncertain items

Step 5: Validate

Run these checks before presenting. If any fail, revise and re-check:

• Total node count (including root) is 40 or fewer
• Maximum depth does not exceed selected level
• No node text exceeds 6 words
• Root node text is 1-3 words
• Each main branch has 2-7 children
• No single-child branches (merge upward if found)
• No unescaped ()[]{} in plain-text nodes (will break Mermaid parsing)
• Branch depths are balanced (within 1 level of each other)

Step 6: Present output

Output the mind map in a fenced mermaid code block:

```mermaid
mindmap
  root((Central Concept))
    [Branch 1]
      Sub-topic A
      Sub-topic B
    [Branch 2]
      Sub-topic C
      (Process D)
```

Note where it renders: GitHub markdown, Mermaid Live Editor, VS Code with Mermaid extension.

If the user requests a file, write to a .md file containing the fenced block.

Anti-patterns

• Sentences as node labels (split into parent concept with child details instead)
• Depth beyond 4 levels (Mermaid becomes unreadable; split into multiple maps)
• More than 40 nodes (split into multiple focused maps)
• Adding icons unless requested (require Font Awesome, may not render)
• Mixing mindmap with other Mermaid diagram types in one code block

Related skills

• creating-presentations for slide decks that complement visual overviews
• plan-feature for implementation plans when a mind map reveals feature scope
• define-architecture for detailed architecture decisions beyond visual mapping