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Official agent skill

Excalidraw

by aws-samples in aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore

Create hand-drawn style diagrams and flowcharts using Excalidraw

OfficialMITAuto-check passedDevelopment

Install Excalidraw

skills CLI
$ npx skills add aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore --skill excalidraw -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore excalidraw --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/chatbot-app/agentcore/skills/excalidraw .claude/skills/excalidraw && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
excalidraw
GitHub stars
194
Token cost
~2.4k tokens
SKILL.md length
813 words
Files
2
Skills in repo
24
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Create hand-drawn style diagrams and flowcharts using Excalidraw

  • Tasks that involve Diagrams
  • SKILL.md covers When to Use This Skill, Diagram Type, Available Tools and Color Palette, plus 6 more sections
  • Instructions only: no scripts, shell commands, URLs or credentials in SKILL.md

What it does

Excalidraw is an agent skill from aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore, published by the product's own GitHub organization. Create hand-drawn style diagrams and flowcharts using Excalidraw

Its SKILL.md is about 2.4k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 1 other file (for example `diagram-patterns.md`).

It sits in Development, covering Diagrams. It works with Excalidraw. The repository describes itself as: Reference architecture for agentic AI chatbots with Strands Agents and Amazon Bedrock AgentCore. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Tasks that involve Diagrams

Example prompts

  • “/excalidraw”

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 6dd9d13. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    No scripts in the folder and no shell commands in SKILL.md (its code samples are json).

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    No URLs in SKILL.md.

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names no API keys, tokens, secrets or passwords.

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Excalidraw loads about 2.4k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 19 tokens; SKILL.md has 813 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~19
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~2.4k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); files beside SKILL.md are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore at commit 6dd9d13, republished under its MIT licence (© aws-samples). 813 words, ~2,362 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/excalidraw/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 1 other file; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
excalidraw
description
Create hand-drawn style diagrams and flowcharts using Excalidraw
type
tool

Excalidraw Diagrams

Create hand-drawn style diagrams, flowcharts, architecture diagrams, and mind maps using the Excalidraw format. Diagrams are rendered interactively in the Canvas panel.

When to Use This Skill

Use create_excalidraw_diagram when the user wants to visualize structure, flow, or relationships — not raw numbers.

Use this skill for...Use visualization skill for...
System architecture diagramSales figures by quarter
Flowchart or decision treeSurvey response percentages
Sequence / interaction diagramStock price over time
Mind map or concept mapMarket share breakdown
Shapes, boxes, arrows, labelsAny x/y or segment/value data

Diagram Type

Choose based on user intent. For Swimlane, Class, Sequence, ER, and DFD diagrams, read diagram-patterns.md before generating.

IntentTypePattern
Process steps, workflow, decisionsFlowchartRectangles + diamonds + arrows (see Example)
System components, dependenciesArchitectureZone rectangles + boxes + arrows
Concept hierarchy, brainstormingMind MapCenter node + radial branch arrows
Entity connections, associationsRelationshipBoxes + labeled arrows
Cross-functional workflow, actor responsibilitiesSwimlanediagram-patterns.md
OOP class structure, inheritanceClass Diagramdiagram-patterns.md
Object interactions over timeSequence Diagramdiagram-patterns.md
Database entities and relationshipsER Diagramdiagram-patterns.md
Data transformation, data movementDFDdiagram-patterns.md

Available Tools

  • create_excalidraw_diagram(elements, title, background_color): Generate a diagram from Excalidraw element JSON

Color Palette

Use these colors consistently across all diagrams.

Primary Colors (strokes, arrows, text)
NameHexUse
Blue#4a9eedPrimary actions, links
Amber#f59e0bWarnings, highlights
Green#22c55eSuccess, positive
Red#ef4444Errors, negative
Purple#8b5cf6Accents, special items
Cyan#06b6d4Info, secondary
Fill Colors (shape backgrounds)
ColorHexGood For
Light Blue#a5d8ffInput, sources, primary nodes
Light Green#b2f2bbSuccess, output, completed
Light Orange#ffd8a8Warning, pending, external
Light Purple#d0bfffProcessing, middleware
Light Red#ffc9c9Error, critical
Light Yellow#fff3bfNotes, decisions
Light Teal#c3fae8Storage, data
Background Zone Colors (use with opacity: 35 for layer grouping)
ColorHexGood For
Blue zone#dbe4ffUI / frontend layer
Purple zone#e5dbffLogic / agent layer
Green zone#d3f9d8Data / tool layer

Element Format

Required Fields (all elements)

type, id (unique string), x, y, width, height

Defaults (skip if using these values)

strokeColor="#1e1e1e", backgroundColor="transparent", fillStyle="solid", strokeWidth=2, roughness=1, opacity=100

Shape Types

Rectangle

json
{ "type": "rectangle", "id": "r1", "x": 100, "y": 100, "width": 200, "height": 80,
  "roundness": { "type": 3 }, "backgroundColor": "#a5d8ff", "fillStyle": "solid" }
  • roundness: { type: 3 } for rounded corners

Ellipse

json
{ "type": "ellipse", "id": "e1", "x": 100, "y": 100, "width": 150, "height": 150 }

Diamond

json
{ "type": "diamond", "id": "d1", "x": 100, "y": 100, "width": 150, "height": 150 }

Label on shape (PREFERRED — no separate text element needed)

json
{ "type": "rectangle", "id": "r1", "x": 100, "y": 100, "width": 200, "height": 80,
  "label": { "text": "My Label", "fontSize": 20 } }
  • Works on rectangle, ellipse, diamond
  • Text auto-centers; container auto-resizes to fit
  • Also works on arrows: "label": { "text": "connects" }

Standalone Text (titles, annotations only)

json
{ "type": "text", "id": "t1", "x": 150, "y": 50, "text": "Title", "fontSize": 24 }
  • x is the LEFT edge. To center at position cx: set x = cx - text.length × fontSize × 0.25

Arrow

json
{ "type": "arrow", "id": "a1", "x": 300, "y": 150, "width": 150, "height": 0,
  "points": [[0,0],[150,0]], "endArrowhead": "arrow",
  "startBinding": { "elementId": "r1", "fixedPoint": [1, 0.5] },
  "endBinding": { "elementId": "r2", "fixedPoint": [0, 0.5] } }
  • points: [dx, dy] offsets from element x, y
  • endArrowhead: null | "arrow" | "bar" | "dot" | "triangle"
  • strokeStyle: "solid" | "dashed" | "dotted"
  • fixedPoint for bindings: top [0.5,0], bottom [0.5,1], left [0,0.5], right [1,0.5]
Pseudo-Elements (not drawn — control behavior)

cameraUpdate — sets the viewport

json
{ "type": "cameraUpdate", "width": 800, "height": 600, "x": 0, "y": 0 }
  • x, y: top-left corner of visible area (scene coordinates)
  • Must be 4:3 ratio: 400×300, 600×450, 800×600, 1200×900, 1600×1200
  • ALWAYS place a cameraUpdate as the first element to frame the diagram
  • No id needed

delete — removes elements by ID

json
{ "type": "delete", "ids": "r1,a1,t2" }
  • Comma-separated element IDs to remove
  • Use when updating an existing diagram to remove elements before adding replacements
  • Never reuse a deleted ID — assign new IDs to replacements
Show full SKILL.md (310 more words)Show less

Camera Sizing Guide

The diagram displays at ~700px width. Use these standard sizes:

SizeWidth × HeightUse When
S400 × 3002–3 elements, close-up
M600 × 450Small diagram section
L800 × 600Standard (default)
XL1200 × 900Large overview
XXL1600 × 1200Very complex diagrams

Font size rules:

  • Body text / labels: minimum 16
  • Titles / headings: minimum 20
  • Annotations: minimum 14 (use sparingly)
  • At XL/XXL camera: increase minimums by ~4px

Element sizing rules:

  • Labeled rectangles/ellipses: minimum 120 × 60
  • Leave 20–30px gaps between elements

Updating an Existing Diagram

When the user asks to modify a diagram, you will receive the current elements in context. Respond with the complete updated elements array:

  • Keep the same id for unchanged elements
  • Modify fields on elements you want to change
  • Omit elements you want to remove
  • Add new elements with unique IDs not used before

Example: Flowchart

json
[
  { "type": "cameraUpdate", "width": 800, "height": 600, "x": 0, "y": 0 },
  { "type": "rectangle", "id": "el-1",
    "x": 300, "y": 60, "width": 160, "height": 60,
    "strokeColor": "#4a9eed", "backgroundColor": "#a5d8ff",
    "fillStyle": "solid", "roundness": { "type": 3 },
    "label": { "text": "Start", "fontSize": 18 } },
  { "type": "diamond", "id": "el-2",
    "x": 280, "y": 170, "width": 200, "height": 90,
    "strokeColor": "#f59e0b", "backgroundColor": "#fff3bf",
    "fillStyle": "solid",
    "label": { "text": "Decision?", "fontSize": 16 } },
  { "type": "arrow", "id": "el-3",
    "x": 380, "y": 120, "width": 0, "height": 50,
    "points": [[0,0],[0,50]], "endArrowhead": "arrow",
    "startBinding": { "elementId": "el-1", "fixedPoint": [0.5, 1] },
    "endBinding": { "elementId": "el-2", "fixedPoint": [0.5, 0] } },
  { "type": "rectangle", "id": "el-4",
    "x": 300, "y": 320, "width": 160, "height": 60,
    "strokeColor": "#22c55e", "backgroundColor": "#b2f2bb",
    "fillStyle": "solid", "roundness": { "type": 3 },
    "label": { "text": "End", "fontSize": 18 } },
  { "type": "arrow", "id": "el-5",
    "x": 380, "y": 260, "width": 0, "height": 60,
    "points": [[0,0],[0,60]], "endArrowhead": "arrow",
    "startBinding": { "elementId": "el-2", "fixedPoint": [0.5, 1] },
    "endBinding": { "elementId": "el-4", "fixedPoint": [0.5, 0] } }
]

Common Mistakes to Avoid

  • Camera must use exact 4:3 ratios — non-4:3 viewports cause distortion
  • Always start with cameraUpdate — without it the viewport is unpredictable
  • No comments in element arrays — elements must be valid JSON. Never add // or /* */ comments inside the array; they break JSON parsing
  • Text contrast — never use light gray on white. Minimum text color on white: #757575. For text on light fills use dark variants (#15803d not #22c55e)
  • Arrow labels need space — long labels overflow short arrows; keep labels short or widen arrows
  • No emoji — Excalidraw's font does not render emoji
  • Element overlap — check that labels, boxes, and zone overlays don't stack on each other (minimum 20px gap)
  • Camera padding — leave padding inside the camera frame; don't match camera size exactly to content size

UI Guidance (from tools-config)

Element Format:

  • Required: type, x, y, id
  • Shapes (rectangle/ellipse/diamond): add width, height
  • Arrows/lines: add width, height, points [[0,0],[dx,dy]]
  • Text: add text, fontSize
  • Use label field on shapes for centered text
  • Connect shapes with arrow elements using points routing

© aws-samples, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 1 other file in chatbot-app/agentcore/skills/excalidraw of aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore.

  • SKILL.md
  • diagram-patterns.md

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 6dd9d13

Compare with similar skills

Excalidraw next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Excalidraw compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Excalidraw this skillaws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore194—~2.4kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Diagram Designcathrynlavery/diagram-design44k1 repos~7.5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Excalidraw Diagramcoleam00/excalidraw-diagram-skill4.9k2 repos~6.1kAutomated safety check: PassNone
Excalidraw Diagrambreferrari/obsidian-mind4.9k—~3.9kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Excalidraw Skillyctimlin/mcp_excalidraw2.5k—~4.6kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Lanshu Animated Architecture Diagramcclank/lanshu-animated-architecture-diagram991—~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Works with

Categories

Questions about Excalidraw

What does Excalidraw do?

Create hand-drawn style diagrams and flowcharts using Excalidraw. Excalidraw is an agent skill from aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore, published by the product's own GitHub organization.

When should I use Excalidraw?

Excalidraw fits situations like: tasks that involve Diagrams.

How do I install Excalidraw in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore --skill excalidraw -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (chatbot-app/agentcore/skills/excalidraw in aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore) into .claude/skills/excalidraw in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Excalidraw in Codex?

Run `npx skills add aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore --skill excalidraw -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (chatbot-app/agentcore/skills/excalidraw in aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore) into .agents/skills/excalidraw in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Excalidraw in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore --skill excalidraw -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/excalidraw, .gemini/skills/excalidraw, .github/skills/excalidraw and .opencode/skills/excalidraw in your project.

What does Excalidraw need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Excalidraw is instructions for the agent only.

Does Excalidraw access the network?

SKILL.md contains no URLs. Any network use would come from the scripts or tools the agent runs. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Excalidraw safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. Review the folder before installing.

What licence does Excalidraw use?

Excalidraw is published under the MIT licence (the repository's licence). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Excalidraw use?

About 2.4k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 9.4k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full.

What are the alternatives to Excalidraw?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Excalidraw: Diagram Design (cathrynlavery/diagram-design, 44k stars), Excalidraw Diagram (coleam00/excalidraw-diagram-skill, 4.9k stars), Excalidraw Diagram (breferrari/obsidian-mind, 4.9k stars) and Excalidraw Skill (yctimlin/mcp_excalidraw, 2.5k stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Excalidraw?

aws-samples (a GitHub organization, an official publisher) maintains it in aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore, which has 194 GitHub stars. The repository holds 24 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on October 6, 2026.

Source: aws-samples/sample-strands-agent-with-agentcore on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.