Mindmaps
What are Mind Maps?
Mermaid's mind maps help you visually organize ideas into hierarchical structures. For data teams, they're excellent for brainstorming project requirements, planning data models, documenting processes, and organizing complex concepts. Each mind map starts with a central idea, with related concepts branching out in a hierarchical structure.
Creating Your First Mindmap
Launch DinoAI: From Code IDE, access DinoAI to start creating diagrams.
Use a Simple Prompt: Tell DinoAI what kind of Mindmap Diagram you want to create. For example:
- "Create a mermaid mindmap showing my data project requirements and dependencies"
- "Generate a mermaid mindmap for my data warehouse architecture with all components and relationships"
- "Build a mermaid mindmap showing my dbt™ project structure with models, tests, and documentation"
Get Your Diagram: DinoAI will generate a complete
.mmd
file with proper Mermaid syntax.Preview Your Work: Click the eye icon (👁️) to preview your diagram in real-time as you edit.
Iterate and Refine: Modify the generated
.mmd
file directly, or ask DinoAI to make specific changes.
Example:
mindmap
root((mindmap))
Origins
Long history
::icon(fa fa-book)
Popularisation
British popular psychology author Tony Buzan
Research
On effectiveness<br/>and features
On Automatic creation
Uses
Creative techniques
Strategic planning
Argument mapping
Tools
Pen and paper
Mermaid

Reusable Mindmaps prompts for you and your team
You can create custom, standardized .dinoprompts for Mermaid's Mindmaps that ensure consistency across your data team. See step-by-step guide.
Diagram Syntax Guide
Basic Structure
Mind maps use indentation to create hierarchy:
mindmap
Root Topic
Subtopic 1
Detail A
Detail B
Subtopic 2
Detail C
Node Shapes
You can use different shapes for nodes:
Square:
id[text]
Rounded Square:
id(text)
Circle:
id((text))
Cloud:
id)text(
Bang:
id))text((
Hexagon:
id{{text}}
Default: Just text
Text Formatting
Use Markdown syntax for text formatting:
mindmap
root["`**Bold Text**
With *italic* words
🔍 Emojis work too!`"]
Data Team Examples
Project Planning
mindmap
Data Warehouse((Data Warehouse Project))
Requirements
Business Needs
Technical Specs
Timeline
Architecture
Source Systems
ETL Pipeline
Storage Layer
Implementation
Phase 1
Phase 2
Phase 3
Data Model Documentation
mindmap
Sales Model((Sales Analytics))
Fact Tables
Transactions
Orders
Returns
Dimensions
Customer
Product
Time
Metrics
Revenue
Profit
Units Sold
Best Practices
Start with a clear central concept
Use consistent indentation
Group related ideas together
Limit hierarchy depth for clarity
Use shapes to differentiate concept types
Keep node text concise
Advanced Features
Icons
Add icons to nodes (when configured):
mindmap
Root
Node A
::icon(fa fa-database)
Node B
::icon(fa fa-chart-bar)
CSS Classes
Apply custom styling:
mindmap
Root
Important Topic
:::urgent
Regular Topic
Additional Resources
For more syntax options and advanced features, visit the official Mermaid documentation
Mind Maps are an experimental feature in Mermaid. While the basic syntax is stable, some features like icon integration may change in future releases.
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