Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jun 19, 2026

Mermaid (software)

Mermaid is an open-source JavaScript-based diagramming and charting software 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.

Last revised
Jun 19, 2026
Read time
≈ 3 min
Length
650 w
Citations
31
Source
Wikipedia ↗
Mermaid
DevelopersKnut Sveidqvist and contributors
Release2014 (2014)
Written inTypeScript, JavaScript
Operating systemCross-platform
TypeDiagramming and charting
LicenseMIT
Websitemermaid.js.org Edit this at Wikidata
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.23

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

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.678

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."9 A guidebook on Mermaid, The Official Guide to Mermaid.js, was published in 2021.10

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,67 focusing on text-to-diagram workflows that support versioning, automation, and code review processes.1112

Integration

Mermaid is supported natively by several platforms and services:1314

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."25

See also

See also

References

References

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