Agent skill

Excalidraw Diagram Guide

by wentorai in wentorai/research-plugins

Generate hand-drawn style Excalidraw diagrams from text descriptions

MITAuto-check passedDevelopment

Install Excalidraw Diagram Guide

skills CLI
$ npx skills add wentorai/research-plugins --skill excalidraw-diagram-guide -a claude-code

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

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install wentorai/research-plugins excalidraw-diagram-guide --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/wentorai/research-plugins.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/skills/tools/diagram/excalidraw-diagram-guide .claude/skills/excalidraw-diagram-guide && 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-diagram-guide
GitHub stars
298
Used in
1 other repo
Token cost
~1.6k tokens
SKILL.md length
504 words
Files
1
Skills in repo
405
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Generate hand-drawn style Excalidraw diagrams from text descriptions

  • Works in 3 steps: Create a shared session for the… → Export the final sketch as .excalidraw… → Generate high-resolution PNG/SVG exports…
  • Tasks that involve Diagrams
  • SKILL.md covers Overview, Creating Diagrams from…, Research Workflow Diagrams and Embedding and Export, plus 3 more sections
  • Reaches excalidraw.com

What it does

Excalidraw Diagram Guide is an agent skill from wentorai/research-plugins. Generate hand-drawn style Excalidraw diagrams from text descriptions

Its SKILL.md is about 1.6k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. It is a single SKILL.md file with no bundled scripts.

It sits in Development, covering Diagrams. It works with Excalidraw. The repository describes itself as: 350+ academic research skills, MCP configs, and plugins for Research-Claw and AI agents. The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Tasks that involve Diagrams

Example prompts

  • “/excalidraw-diagram-guide”

Requirements

  • Python 3

Workflow steps

3 steps, taken from the first numbered list in SKILL.md.

  1. Create a shared session for the brainstorming phase
  2. Export the final sketch as .excalidraw JSON and commit to the project repository
  3. Generate high-resolution PNG/SVG exports for inclusion in papers or presentations

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit bf44b3c. 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, html and python).

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

  • Network

    Hosts in commands or code, which the agent is likely to contact:

    • excalidraw.com

    Also links to:

    • github.com
    • libraries.excalidraw.com
    • docs.excalidraw.com

    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 Diagram Guide loads about 1.6k tokens when it runs. Until then it costs about 23 tokens; SKILL.md has 504 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~23
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~1.6k

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 wentorai/research-plugins at commit bf44b3c, republished under its MIT licence (© wentorai). 504 words, ~1,584 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/excalidraw-diagram-guide/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder).
name
excalidraw-diagram-guide
description
Generate hand-drawn style Excalidraw diagrams from text descriptions

Excalidraw Diagram Guide

Generate hand-drawn style diagrams, wireframes, and visual explanations using Excalidraw's open-source whiteboard format. This skill enables researchers to create informal yet informative sketches for brainstorming sessions, presentations, and collaborative workshops.

Overview

Excalidraw is an open-source virtual whiteboard tool that produces diagrams with a distinctive hand-drawn aesthetic. Unlike formal diagramming tools such as PlantUML or Visio, Excalidraw prioritizes approachability and rapid ideation. Its output looks intentionally informal, which makes it well-suited for early-stage research brainstorming, teaching materials, and conference posters where a polished UML diagram would feel overly rigid.

The tool stores diagrams in a JSON-based .excalidraw format, making them fully version-controllable and programmatically generatable. Researchers can describe what they need in natural language, and this skill translates those descriptions into valid Excalidraw scene files that can be opened in the Excalidraw editor or embedded directly into web pages.

Excalidraw supports real-time collaboration, end-to-end encryption for shared sessions, and export to PNG and SVG. The hand-drawn style is achieved through a custom rendering engine that applies subtle randomization to stroke paths, giving each element a natural, sketched appearance.

Creating Diagrams from Descriptions

The Excalidraw JSON format consists of an array of elements, each with a type (rectangle, ellipse, arrow, text, line, diamond), position coordinates, dimensions, and style properties.

Basic Element Structure
json
{
  "type": "rectangle",
  "x": 100,
  "y": 200,
  "width": 200,
  "height": 80,
  "strokeColor": "#1e1e1e",
  "backgroundColor": "#a5d8ff",
  "fillStyle": "hachure",
  "strokeWidth": 1,
  "roughness": 1,
  "roundness": { "type": 3 }
}
Key Properties
PropertyValuesDescription
fillStylehachure, cross-hatch, solidFill pattern style
roughness0, 1, 2Hand-drawn roughness level
strokeWidth1, 2, 4Line thickness
strokeStylesolid, dashed, dottedLine style
roundnessnull, { "type": 3 }Corner rounding
Common Academic Color Palette
Primary:   #1971c2 (blue)    Background: #a5d8ff
Accent:    #e03131 (red)     Background: #ffc9c9
Success:   #2f9e44 (green)   Background: #b2f2bb
Warning:   #f08c00 (orange)  Background: #ffec99
Neutral:   #495057 (gray)    Background: #dee2e6

Research Workflow Diagrams

Methodology Flowchart

Describe a research pipeline and generate the corresponding layout:

Input: "Create a flowchart showing: Literature Review -> Research Questions ->
        Hypothesis Formation -> Study Design -> Data Collection -> Analysis ->
        Results -> Discussion -> Publication"

Each step becomes a rounded rectangle connected by arrows. Decision points (e.g., "Results Significant?") use diamond shapes with branching arrows.

Show full SKILL.md (216 more words)Show less
System Architecture Sketches

For software or experimental system diagrams, use grouped rectangles with labeled connections:

Input: "Draw a system architecture with three layers:
        Frontend (React dashboard),
        Backend (FastAPI + PostgreSQL),
        External (OpenAlex API, CrossRef API)"

The output places each layer as a dashed-border container with internal component boxes and inter-layer arrows.

Embedding and Export

Export Options
  • PNG: Best for slides and documents. Use exportScale: 2 for high-DPI output.
  • SVG: Ideal for papers and web embedding. Scales without quality loss.
  • JSON: Native format for version control and programmatic manipulation.
Web Embedding
html
<iframe
  src="https://excalidraw.com/#json=YOUR_ENCODED_DATA"
  width="800"
  height="600"
  style="border: none;">
</iframe>
Programmatic Generation (Python)
python
import json

def create_box(text, x, y, width=200, height=80, color="#a5d8ff"):
    return [
        {
            "type": "rectangle",
            "x": x, "y": y,
            "width": width, "height": height,
            "backgroundColor": color,
            "fillStyle": "hachure",
            "roughness": 1,
            "strokeWidth": 1
        },
        {
            "type": "text",
            "x": x + 10, "y": y + 25,
            "text": text,
            "fontSize": 16
        }
    ]

scene = {
    "type": "excalidraw",
    "version": 2,
    "elements": create_box("Literature Review", 100, 100)
                + create_box("Data Analysis", 100, 250)
}

with open("research_flow.excalidraw", "w") as f:
    json.dump(scene, f, indent=2)

Collaboration Features

Excalidraw supports live collaboration through shared session links. Each participant sees real-time cursor positions and edits. Sessions can be encrypted end-to-end using the built-in encryption feature, which is important when sketching unpublished research ideas.

For research teams, the recommended workflow is:

  1. Create a shared session for the brainstorming phase
  2. Export the final sketch as .excalidraw JSON and commit to the project repository
  3. Generate high-resolution PNG/SVG exports for inclusion in papers or presentations

Integration with Research Tools

  • Obsidian: The Excalidraw plugin enables whiteboard sketching directly in research notes
  • Notion: Embed via iframe or exported SVG
  • LaTeX: Export as SVG, include with \includesvg{} (requires svg package)
  • Jupyter: Display exported PNG inline using IPython.display.Image
  • VS Code: Official Excalidraw extension for editing .excalidraw files in the IDE

References

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

Files

Just SKILL.md in skills/tools/diagram/excalidraw-diagram-guide of wentorai/research-plugins.

Open the folder on GitHubat commit bf44b3c

Used in 1 other repository

We found 1 copy of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 1 other GitHub owner. This page covers the copy in wentorai/research-plugins, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

Excalidraw Diagram Guide 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 Diagram Guide compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Excalidraw Diagram Guide this skillwentorai/research-plugins2981 repos~1.6kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
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Excalidraw Diagramcoleam00/excalidraw-diagram-skill5k2 repos~6.1kAutomated safety check: PassNone
Excalidraw Diagrambreferrari/obsidian-mind5k—~3.9kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Excalidraw Skillyctimlin/mcp_excalidraw2.5k—~4.6kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Lanshu Animated Architecture Diagramcclank/lanshu-animated-architecture-diagram995—~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

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Works with

Categories

Questions about Excalidraw Diagram Guide

What does Excalidraw Diagram Guide do?

Generate hand-drawn style Excalidraw diagrams from text descriptions. Excalidraw Diagram Guide is an agent skill from wentorai/research-plugins.

When should I use Excalidraw Diagram Guide?

Excalidraw Diagram Guide fits situations like: tasks that involve Diagrams.

How do I install Excalidraw Diagram Guide in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add wentorai/research-plugins --skill excalidraw-diagram-guide -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/tools/diagram/excalidraw-diagram-guide in wentorai/research-plugins) into .claude/skills/excalidraw-diagram-guide in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Excalidraw Diagram Guide in Codex?

Run `npx skills add wentorai/research-plugins --skill excalidraw-diagram-guide -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (skills/tools/diagram/excalidraw-diagram-guide in wentorai/research-plugins) into .agents/skills/excalidraw-diagram-guide in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Excalidraw Diagram Guide 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 wentorai/research-plugins --skill excalidraw-diagram-guide -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-diagram-guide, .gemini/skills/excalidraw-diagram-guide, .github/skills/excalidraw-diagram-guide and .opencode/skills/excalidraw-diagram-guide in your project.

What does Excalidraw Diagram Guide need to run?

SKILL.md names no scripts, command-line tools or credentials: Excalidraw Diagram Guide is instructions for the agent only. Our summary lists: Python 3.

Does Excalidraw Diagram Guide access the network?

SKILL.md names 4 domains. In commands or code: excalidraw.com; the agent is likely to contact it when it follows the instructions. As links in the text: github.com, libraries.excalidraw.com and docs.excalidraw.com. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Excalidraw Diagram Guide 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 Diagram Guide use?

Excalidraw Diagram Guide 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 Diagram Guide use?

About 1.6k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 6.3k 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 Diagram Guide?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Excalidraw Diagram Guide: Diagram Design (cathrynlavery/diagram-design, 49k stars), Excalidraw Diagram (coleam00/excalidraw-diagram-skill, 5k stars), Excalidraw Diagram (breferrari/obsidian-mind, 5k 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 Diagram Guide?

wentorai (a GitHub user) maintains it in wentorai/research-plugins, which has 298 GitHub stars. The repository holds 405 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on June 19, 2026.

Source: wentorai/research-plugins on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.