# A more basic getting started Writing mermaid code is simple. But how is the code turned into a diagram in a web page? To do this we need a mermaid renderer. Thankfully the mermaid renderer is very accessible. The requirement is on the part of the web browser. Modern web browsers, such as Firefox, Chrome and Safari, can render mermaid. But Internet Explorer cannot. The web browser also needs to be able to access the online mermaid renderer at cdn.jsdelivr.net/npm/ For an easy introduction, here follows three practical examples for turning code into diagram with: 1. an online mermaid editor 2. a mermaid plugin 3. a generic web server of your choosing Following either of these examples, you can get started with converting your own mermaid code into web diagrams. ## the mermaid live editor The quickest 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. This is a great way to get started. It is also the easiest way to develop diagrams, the code of which can be pasted straight into documentation. ![Flowchart](./img/n00b-liveEditor.png) The `Mermaid configuration` is for controlling mermaid behaviour. An easy introduction to mermaid configuration is found in the [n00b Advanced section]. A complete configuration reference is found [here]. ## mermaid using plugins Thanks to the growing popularity of mermaid, many plugins already exist which incorporate a mermaid renderer. One 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. --- - 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) --- ## mermaid using any web server This example 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 normal file of html to be reached 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! Through the html file, we give the web browser three instructions inside the html code it retrieves: 1. a reference for fetching the online mermaid renderer, in essence a javascript. 2. the mermaid code we want to diagram. 3. the `mermaid.initialize()` command to start the rendering process All this is done in the html `
` section of the web page. This is what needs to go into the html file: 1. The reference to the mermaid renderer is done in a ` ``` 2. The embedded mermaid code is similarly placed in a `