Diagram (diagram)

Category: diagrams | Form: | Symbol: Dg

Mermaid-backed visual planning surface for BPMN-style and UML diagrams

Diagram is a Mermaid-centered planning element. Mermaid text is the canonical portable source, while the workbench renders and edits it as a native Triform canvas. BPMN mode stores process diagrams as Mermaid flowcharts with BPMN-style shape hints; UML modes use Mermaid sequence, class, state, ER, requirement, and architecture syntax. Diagram nodes can carry the same Name, Intention, Readme, and verbal Requirements used by real elements so the diagram can later become a template or materialization input without creating real elements in v1.

Guide

Mermaid-backed visual planning surface for BPMN-style and UML diagrams

What It Does

Diagram is a Mermaid-centered planning element. Mermaid text is the canonical, portable source, while the workbench renders and edits it as a native Triform canvas. BPMN mode stores process diagrams as Mermaid flowcharts with BPMN-style shape hints; UML modes use Mermaid sequence, class, state, ER, requirement, and architecture syntax.

Diagram nodes can carry the same Name, Intention, Readme, and verbal Requirements used by real elements, so a diagram can later become a template or materialization input without creating real elements in v1. A node MAY also carry an optional element_ref pointing at a real workspace element (for example, dropped from the library) — when present, the node renders with the referenced element’s identity (icon, color, slug) instead of its plain BPMN shape.

This is a data element (has_data: true, llm_role: data): it stores diagram state rather than executing on invocation. It is not wirable (wirable: false) and exposes no runtime operations. Its open mode is workbench, routed through the generated diagram-workbench shell role to the workbench-diagram-canvas.

Element Definition

Property	Value
Type	diagram
Category	diagrams
Form	atom
Symbol	Dg / #0EA5E9
Icon	account_tree
Open mode	workbench
Shell role	diagram-workbench

States

State	Initial	Transitions to
provisioned	yes	active
active	—	provisioned
error	—	provisioned

Properties

DiagramProperties — Mermaid source and Triform-side visual metadata. No fields are required.

Field	Type	Default	Description
diagram	object	(BPMN starter flowchart)	Canonical diagram data — see sub-fields below
diagram.version	integer	1	Diagram schema version
diagram.kind	string (enum)	bpmn	Mermaid family / BPMN profile: flowchart, bpmn, sequence, class, state, er, requirement, architecture
diagram.mermaid	string	—	Canonical Mermaid source for import/export and agent editing
diagram.layout	object	—	Triform-only canvas positions, shape hints, and node planning metadata (Mermaid does not preserve these)
diagram.layout.nodes[]	array	—	Diagram nodes; each holds positional + planning metadata and an optional element_ref
diagram.layout.nodes[].element_ref	object	absent	Optional pointer to a real workspace element: circle_slug, element_slug, element_type
export_format	string (enum)	mermaid	Preferred export format. v1 supports Mermaid text only (mermaid)

Capabilities

Capability	Description
mermaid-source	Stores Mermaid text as the canonical import/export and agent-editable diagram source
bpmn-profile	Maps BPMN-style process shapes onto Mermaid flowchart nodes and edges
uml-profiles	Supports Mermaid-backed UML-oriented modes such as sequence, class, state, ER, and requirement diagrams
planning-metadata	Stores Name, Intention, Readme, and structured verbal Requirements on visual nodes without creating real elements

Attachable Modifiers

The diagram element accepts these attached modifiers (contract.attaches):

Modifier	Purpose
auth-policy	Access control over the element
rate-limit	Request rate limiting
variable	Attached variable values

Observability

Event	Description	Attributes
diagram.updated	Diagram Mermaid source or layout metadata changed	diagram.kind, diagram.node_count, diagram.edge_count

Operations

This element defines no operations (ops.yaml → operations: {}). It is a data/planning element, not wirable, and exposes no ops/* runtime endpoints. Diagrams are created and edited through standard element CRUD and the diagram workbench.

Quick Start

Creating via API

Element URLs are flat: /api/{circle}/{slug}/.... Create a diagram by POSTing to the project create endpoint. Omitting spec yields the default BPMN starter flowchart (Start → New task → Done).

POST /api/{circle}/{project}/
Content-Type: application/json

{
  "element_type": "diagram",
  "slug": "my-diagram",
  "name": "My Diagram",
  "spec": {
    "diagram": {
      "version": 1,
      "kind": "bpmn",
      "mermaid": "flowchart LR\n    start((Start)) --> task[New task]\n    task --> done((Done))"
    },
    "export_format": "mermaid"
  }
}

Editing

Update the Mermaid source (and/or layout) via standard element update, or edit visually in the diagram workbench (open mode workbench). kind selects the Mermaid family/profile; switch it to author a UML mode (e.g. sequence, class, state, er, requirement, architecture).

Common Mistakes

Empty or oversized Mermaid source. When diagram.mermaid is set, the mermaid_length validation rule requires a non-empty string of at most 100000 characters. (null is allowed; an empty string or one over 100000 characters is rejected.)

Expecting non-Mermaid export. export_format only accepts mermaid in v1 — Mermaid text is the sole portable export format.

Treating it as an executable element. Diagram has no operations and is not wirable. It stores planning state; it does not run on invoke or accept wired inputs.

Assuming a node is a real element. Diagram nodes are plain Mermaid labels unless they carry an element_ref. A node with element_ref is a reference to an existing workspace element (rendered with its identity), not a newly created element — v1 does not materialize real elements from a diagram.

Relationships

• Attaches to: auth-policy, rate-limit, variable

Capabilities

• mermaid-source: Stores Mermaid text as the canonical import/export and agent-editable diagram source
• bpmn-profile: Maps BPMN-style process shapes onto Mermaid flowchart nodes and edges
• uml-profiles: Supports Mermaid-backed UML-oriented modes such as sequence, class, state, ER, and requirement diagrams
• planning-metadata: Stores Name, Intention, Readme, and structured verbal Requirements on visual nodes without creating real elements

Properties

Property	Type	Default	Description
diagram	object	{"kind":"bpmn","layout":{"edges":[{"bpmn_kind":"sequence_flow","id":"edge-start-task","label":"","source_node_id":"start","target_node_id":"task"},{"bpmn_kind":"sequence_flow","id":"edge-task-done","label":"","source_node_id":"task","target_node_id":"done"}],"nodes":[{"bpmn_kind":"start_event","id":"start","intention":"","name":"Start","position":{"x":140,"y":160},"readme":"","requirements":{},"size":{"h":64,"w":92}},{"bpmn_kind":"task","id":"task","intention":"","name":"New task","position":{"x":330,"y":140},"readme":"","requirements":{},"size":{"h":88,"w":160}},{"bpmn_kind":"end_event","id":"done","intention":"","name":"Done","position":{"x":590,"y":160},"readme":"","requirements":{},"size":{"h":64,"w":92}}]},"mermaid":"flowchart LR\n start((Start)) --> task[New task]\n task --> done((Done))","version":1}	Canonical diagram data. kind declares the Mermaid family/profile, mermaid is the portable text source, and layout stores Triform-only visual placement and node metadata that Mermaid does not preserve.
export_format	string	"mermaid"	Preferred export format. v1 supports Mermaid text only.

Operations

activity

Get /ops/activity | Auth: Read

Get activity events for this element

Scope depends on element capabilities: individual elements query by element_id, project-form elements with activity-scope-members include member activities, circle-level elements with activity-scope-all query the entire circle. Gracefully returns empty list if activities table is missing (old circles).

attachments

Get /ops/attachments | Auth: Read

List all modifiers and resources attached to this element

Returns both modifiers (policy enforcement) and resources (data injection) with is_modifier flag to distinguish. Items in the generated MODIFIER_TYPES list are modifiers; everything else is a resource. Includes cascade_policy and version pin info.

batch_stats

Get /ops/batch_stats | Auth: Read

Get per-element statistics for all children of this element

Returns per-child stats plus an aggregate. Most meaningful on compound or manifest form elements (repositories, circles, projects); atoms have no children so the result is an empty children array with a zeroed aggregate. Uses efficient GROUP BY SQL. Weighted averages for eval scores.

compose

Post /ops/compose | Auth: Execute

Batch add and remove modifiers on this element in a single call

Declarative composition: add modifiers by ref path (slug or path@version) and remove by attachment ID, all in one atomic call on the target element. Each ‘add’ entry resolves the source element, validates topology, attaches with optional priority and cascade policy. Each ‘remove’ entry deletes the attachment row. Returns a summary of what was added and removed. Example: compose({ add: [{ref: “my-prompt”}, {ref: “rate-limit/api@v2”, priority: 50}], remove: [{attachment_id: “uuid”}] })

context

Get /ops/context | Auth: Read

Get connected elements (graph traversal)

Graph traversal showing all connected elements with their relationship type (contains, contained_by, references, referenced_by, attaches, etc.). Use ?depth=N to control traversal depth (default 1) and ?types=actor,data to filter by element types.

create

Post /ops/create | Auth: Write

Create child element

POST to the parent path — element_type goes in the request body, NOT the URL. Both element_type and slug are required and must be non-empty. Name is derived from slug if omitted. Writes to both Git and PostgreSQL. All elements are stored flat under the circle — no intermediate library wrapper rows.

delete

Delete /ops/delete | Auth: Admin

Delete element (soft delete)

Soft delete — sets state to ‘deleted’ but retains the record. Cannot delete elements that have children (has_no_bond precondition) or active runs. Requires admin auth and confirmation.

disable

Post /ops/disable | Auth: Admin

Disable element (hides and prevents use)

Idempotent — safe to call on already-disabled elements. Optionally pass a reason string. Disabled elements cannot be invoked or executed. Inverse of enable.

enable

Post /ops/enable | Auth: Admin

Enable element (makes usable and visible)

Idempotent — safe to call on already-enabled elements. Transitions element to ready/enabled state. Cannot enable deleted elements. Inverse of disable.

export_bundle

Get /ops/export/bundle | Auth: Read

Export element as downloadable git bundle

On non-root-namespace elements, returns a binary git bundle. On root-namespace (circle) elements, dispatch hands off to the circle’s own export_bundle op, which returns a multi-element JSON envelope with one base64 bundle per child element — this is intentional, not an error.

get

Get /ops/get | Auth: Read

Get element details

Element is already resolved by the routing layer — this returns the cached element, not a fresh DB query. Use the path /api/{circle}/{slug} to address elements.

import_bundle

Post /ops/import/bundle | Auth: Write

Import git bundle into element

Accepts a base64-encoded git bundle in the JSON bundle_base64 field. Use overwrite=true to replace existing elements with same slug (default skips duplicates). Imported elements get new UUIDs. Returns counts of imported/skipped elements and any errors.

intention

Get /ops/intention | Auth: Read

Get element intention with full inheritance chain

Returns three levels: direct (this element’s intention), inherited (from category and root), and resolved (final merged intention). Useful for understanding an element’s purpose in context of its hierarchy.

promote

Post /ops/promote | Auth: Admin

Promote element configuration to a target environment

Only for manifest-form elements (projects). Environments advance: dev → demo → live. dev→demo requires member+ role, demo→live requires admin. Freezes member versions at promotion time (creates snapshot). Persists environment config to spec.environments.

readme

Get /ops/readme | Auth: Read

Get element README.md content

Reads README.md from the element’s git repository. Returns empty content (not an error) if no README exists. Always returns markdown format.

readme_update

Post /ops/readme_update | Auth: Write

Update element README.md content

Creates or overwrites README.md in the element’s git repo. Commits to the draft branch. Content must be provided as a markdown string.

remove-modifier

Post /ops/remove-modifier | Auth: Execute

Remove an attached modifier from this element by attachment ID

Removes a modifier/resource attachment by its row ID. The ID comes from the attachments or context API. This is the reverse of attach — called on the target element, not the source.

restore

Post /ops/restore | Auth: Admin

Restore element to a specific version

Automatically snapshots the current state before restoring (creates a ‘Before restore to vN’ version entry). Writes restored spec to git as .triform/spec.yaml. Git failures warn but don’t fail the operation — DB state is authoritative. Cannot restore deleted elements.

schema

Get /ops/schema | Auth: Read

Get element input/output schema (MCP tools/list compatible)

Returns type-level port schemas from the TypeRegistry — not instance-specific overrides. Includes direction (input/output), required flag, and JSON schema per port. Useful for understanding what data an element accepts and produces.

source

Get /ops/source | Auth: Read

Get any file’s content from the element’s git repository

Reads an arbitrary file from the element’s CAS-backed git tree by its relative path. Same store as readme, just generalized. Path safety: rejects .. traversal, leading /, and null bytes. Use this to view main.py for action elements, asset files for SPAs, etc. Returns empty content (not an error) if the file doesn’t exist.

source_branches

Get /ops/source/branches | Auth: Read

List Source branches for this element

Returns the standard draft/demo/live Source branches, their current commits, and promotion relationships. Use GET /api/{element_path}/ops/source/branches.

source_promote

Post /ops/source/promote | Auth: Write

Promote Source branch forward

Promotes draft to demo or demo to live through the generated element op path. Direct Git pushes to demo/live are blocked by Source policy.

source_repair

Post /ops/source/repair | Auth: Write

Inspect or repair the element Source index

Runs Source repair through the element operation path. Defaults to dry_run=true; set dry_run=false only after reviewing a dry-run report.

source_status

Get /ops/source/status | Auth: Read

Get Source control status for this element

Returns the branch-aware clone URL, checkout commands, current draft commit, child source-link count, portable export summary, Source health, warnings, and auth hints for the addressed element. Use the element-first path: GET /api/{element_path}/ops/source/status.

source_validate

Post /ops/source/validate | Auth: Read

Validate Source branch contents

Validates a Source branch before accepting local Git workflow changes or promotion. Defaults to branch=draft and rejects runtime data, generated output, secret material, and unreadable CAS refs.

stats

Get /ops/stats | Auth: Read

Get aggregate statistics for this element

Health status is computed: error if errors_per_day > 5 or success_rate < 0.8, warning if errors_per_day > 0 or success_rate < 0.95. Firing alerts escalate health to error/warning. Default period is ‘day’. Returns runs_per_day, success_rate, avg_duration_ms, and more.

tree

Get /ops/tree | Auth: Read

Get the element’s position in the graph — ancestors, children, references, and subtree statistics

Uses per-circle ElementGraph cache for O(1) lookups. Returns ancestors (containment chain), children (direct), members (references), referenced_by (reverse refs), attachments, and subtree stats. Default depth is 3, max is 10. Pass ?include_metadata=true for name/state on each node.

update

Patch /ops/update | Auth: Write

Update element

Partial update — send only the fields you want to change. spec, name, and intention are all independently optional. spec MUST be a JSON object when present; deep-merged into the existing spec by default. Empty {"spec":{}} preserves existing spec content but still records a new version (no-op for content, not for version state). To clear/replace the entire spec wholesale send {"spec":{...},"deep":false}. List-typed spec fields use replace semantics (the patch list replaces the existing list, no array merging). Coordinates Git + DB writes. Slug cannot be changed after creation.

update_meta

Patch /ops/update_meta | Auth: Write

Update element metadata (lightweight merge — does NOT bump version or snapshot spec)

Shallow JSONB merge into element.meta. Top-level keys in the provided value replace existing meta values; other keys are preserved. Used for UI metadata like canvas positions, panel state, viewer preferences. Wire-shape op_name is update_meta (distinct from update) so SSE subscribers + the cache auto-invalidator can distinguish lightweight metadata changes from spec edits without inspecting the payload. The MutatingElementStore wrapper stamps this op_name on the lifecycle event emitted by update_element_meta storage calls.

version

Get /ops/version | Auth: Read

Get current version or full history

Returns current version by default. Pass ?history=true for full version history (up to ?limit=N, default 50). Versions are backed by the element_versions table. Every spec update creates a new version entry.