# A basic User-Guide for Beginners Creating diagrams and charts, using mermaid code is simple. But how is the code turned into a diagram in a web page? This is done with the use of a mermaid renderer. Thankfully the mermaid renderer is very accessible, in essence it is a piece of javascript that can be called. Most widely used web browsers, such as Firefox, Chrome and Safari, can render mermaid, Internet Explorer however cannot. The web browser also needs access to the online mermaid renderer which it downloads from https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/mermaid # For beginners, there are three relatively easy ways you can use mermaid: 1. Using the mermaid [live editor](https://mermaid-js.github.io/mermaid-live-editor/) 2. Using a mermaid plugin, such as that for Confluence or [Atom](https://atom.io/packages/atom-mermaid). 3. Calling mermaid with HTML, deployed in a friendly browser. # Following either of these examples, you can get started with creating your own diagrams using mermaid code. ## 1. The mermaid live editor: A great way to get started with mermaid is to visit [The mermaid live editor](https://mermaidjs.github.io/mermaid-live-editor). In the `Code` section one can write or edit raw mermaid code, and instantly `Preview` the rendered result on the panel beside it. ![Flowchart](./img/n00b-liveEditor.png) You can also copy the code from the code section and paste it into either a mermaid plugin or in inside an html file, which will be taught in numbers 2 and 3. It is also an easier way to develop diagrams. You can also click "Copy Markdown" to copy the markdown code for the diagram, that can then be pasted directly into your documentation. ![Flowchart](./img/liveEditorOptions.png) The `Mermaid configuration` is for controlling mermaid behaviour. An easy introduction to mermaid configuration is found in the [Advanced usage](n00b-advanced.md) section. A complete configuration reference cataloguing default values is found on the [mermaidAPI](mermaidAPI.md) page. ## 2. Using mermaid plugins: Thanks to the growing popularity of mermaid, many plugins already exist which incorporate a mermaid renderer. One example is the [Atom plugin](https://atom.io/packages/atom-mermaid) for mermaid. Another example is the [Atlassian Confluence mermaid plugin](https://marketplace.atlassian.com/apps/1214124/mermaid-plugin-for-confluence?hosting=server&tab=overview) When the mermaid plugin is installed on a Confluence server, one can insert a mermaid object into any Confluence page. # Here is a step by step process for using the mermaid-Confluence plugin: --- - In a Confluence page, Add Other macros. ![Flowchart](./img/n00b-Confluence1.png) --- - Search for mermaid. ![Flowchart](./img/n00b-Confluence2.png) --- - The mermaid object appears. Paste your mermaid code into it. ![Flowchart](./img/n00b-Confluence3.png) --- - Save the page and the diagram appears. ![Flowchart](./img/n00b-Confluence4.png) --- ## 3. mermaid using any web server (or just a browser): This method can be used with any common web server. Apache, IIS, nginx, node express [...], you pick your favourite. We do not need to install anything on the server, apart from a program (like Notepad++) that can generate an html file, which is then deployed by a web browser (such as Firefox, Chrome, Safari, but not Internet Explorer). So if you want to really simplify things when testing this out, don't use a web server at all but just create the file locally and drag it into your browser window. It is the browser which does all the work of rendering mermaid! # Here are instructions for creating an html file with mermaid code: # Note that all this is written in the html `
` section of the web page. When writing the html file, we give the web browser three instructions inside the html code: a. A reference for fetching the online mermaid renderer, which is written in Javascript. b. The mermaid code for the diagram we want to create. c. The `mermaid.initialize()` command to start the rendering process. This is what needs to go into the html file: # a. The reference to the mermaid renderer has to be contained in a ` ``` # b. The embedded mermaid code is similarly placed inside a `