Diagramming with Excalidraw

Generate valid .excalidraw JSON files.

File Format

{
  "type": "excalidraw",
  "version": 2,
  "source": "https://excalidraw.com",
  "elements": [],
  "appState": {
    "viewBackgroundColor": "#ffffff"
  },
  "files": {}
}

Workflow

1. Plan – Choose diagram type, layout, colors
2. Generate – Create elements with proper structure
3. Validate – Check bindings and structure before writing

Validation Checklist

Before writing a diagram, verify:

Bindings

• Arrows connecting shapes have both startBinding and endBinding set
• Arrow x,y sits at the source shape’s edge, not floating in space
• Shapes list connected arrows in their boundElements (bidirectional)
• Text labels have containerId pointing to their container
• Containers have boundElements referencing their text

Polygons

• Polygon labels use groupIds (not containerId)
• Text positioned manually at polygon center
• Polygons cannot have arrow bindings – bind to grouped text label instead
• Polygon’s boundElements must be null

Layout

• Elements don’t overlap unexpectedly
• Arrows route around shapes, not through them
• Minimum 40px between sibling elements
• All IDs are unique
• Label text matches actual names (verify spelling)

Text

• Use standard font sizes: S (16), M (20), L (28), XL (36)
• Bound text: set containerId, textAlign: "center", verticalAlign: "middle"
• Position bound text at container center; Excalidraw adjusts automatically

Frames (presentations only)

• Frames are slides/artboards, not for grouping elements in a single diagram

Reference Index

Load references progressively based on need:

Elements

Styling