What a Mermaid mindmap is for
A mindmap branches out from one central idea. Indentation sets the hierarchy, so you can write it like a nested outline and Mermaid lays it out radially.
Mindmap syntax
| Syntax | Meaning |
|---|---|
mindmap |
Start a mindmap |
Indentation |
A line indented under another becomes its child |
root((Text)) |
Circle node |
A[Text] |
Square node |
A(Text) |
Rounded node |
A))Text(( |
Bang (explosion) node |
A)Text( |
Cloud node |
A{{Text}} |
Hexagon node |
::icon(fa fa-book) |
Icon on the node above (needs the icon font on the page) |
Basic example
mindmap
root((Web performance))
Network
HTTP/2 and HTTP/3
CDN caching
Compression
Rendering
Critical CSS
Lazy loading
JavaScript
Code splitting
Tree shaking
Open this example in the Mermaid editor
More mindmap examples
Project kickoff outline
Different shapes mark different kinds of items; the hierarchy comes only from indentation.
mindmap
root((Launch))
Goals
::icon(fa fa-flag)
10k signups
Press coverage
Risks))Risks((
Payment provider delay
Load on day one
Team[Team]
Design
Engineering
Marketing
Open “Project kickoff outline” in the editor
Common mistakes
- Indentation must be consistent: use spaces only, the same amount per level.
- There is exactly one root; a second unindented line is an error.
Use it in Markdown
```mermaid
mindmap
root((Web performance))
Network
HTTP/2 and HTTP/3
CDN caching
Compression
Rendering
Critical CSS
Lazy loading
JavaScript
Code splitting
Tree shaking
```
GitHub, GitLab, Azure DevOps, Obsidian, Notion and docs generators such as Docusaurus and MkDocs (with a plugin) draw fenced mermaid blocks. Check it locally in the Markdown preview.
Other Mermaid diagrams
- Mermaid flowchart syntax
- Mermaid sequence diagram syntax
- Mermaid class diagram syntax
- Mermaid state diagram syntax
- Mermaid er diagram syntax
- Mermaid gantt chart syntax
- Mermaid pie chart syntax
- Mermaid timeline syntax
- Mermaid git graph syntax
- Mermaid user journey syntax
- Mermaid quadrant chart syntax
- Mermaid xy chart syntax
Sources
Spotted a mistake? Email hello@devtoolsmith.com and we’ll fix it.
Frequently asked questions
How do I start a Mermaid mindmap?
Begin the diagram with the keyword mindmap on its own line, then add one statement per line. In Markdown, wrap the whole diagram in a fenced code block with the language mermaid so GitHub, GitLab and most docs sites draw it.
How do I export a Mermaid mindmap as an image?
Paste the diagram into the editor on this page and use SVG or PNG above the preview. SVG stays sharp at any size and can be edited further; PNG is exported at twice the screen resolution for slides and documents. Nothing is uploaded.