external-diagram-mermaid-generate: Salesforce Diagram Generation

Use this skill when the user needs text-based diagrams: Mermaid diagrams for architecture, OAuth, integration flows, ERDs, or Agentforce structure, plus ASCII fallback when plain-text compatibility matters.

Scope

In Scope

Use external-diagram-mermaid-generate when the user wants:

Mermaid output
ASCII fallback diagrams
architecture, sequence, flowchart, or ERD views in markdown-friendly form
diagrams that can live directly in docs, READMEs, or issues

Out of Scope — Delegate elsewhere when the user wants:

rendered PNG/SVG images or polished mockups → external-diagram-visual-generate
non-Salesforce systems only → use a more general diagramming skill
object discovery before an ERD → platform-custom-object-generate or platform-custom-field-generate

Supported Diagram Families

Type	Preferred Mermaid form	Typical use
OAuth / auth flows	`sequenceDiagram`	Authorization Code, JWT, PKCE, Device Flow
ERD / data model	`flowchart LR`	object relationships and sharing context
integration sequence	`sequenceDiagram`	request/response or event choreography
system landscape	`flowchart`	high-level architecture
role / access hierarchy	`flowchart`	users, profiles, permissions
Agentforce behavior map	`flowchart`	agent → topic → action relationships

Required Context to Gather First

Ask for or infer:

diagram type
scope and entities / systems involved
output preference: Mermaid only, ASCII only, or both
whether styling should be minimal, documentation-first, or presentation-friendly
for ERDs: whether org metadata is available for grounding

Recommended Workflow

1. Pick the right diagram structure

use sequenceDiagram for time-ordered interactions
use flowchart LR for ERDs and capability maps
keep a single primary story per diagram when possible

2. Gather data

For ERDs and grounded diagrams:

use platform-custom-object-generate or platform-custom-field-generate when real schema discovery is needed
optionally use the local metadata helper script for counts / relationship context when appropriate

3. Generate Mermaid first

Apply:

accurate labels
simple readable node text
consistent relationship notation
restrained styling that renders cleanly in markdown viewers

4. Add ASCII fallback when useful

Provide an ASCII version when the user wants terminal compatibility or plaintext documentation.

5. Explain the diagram briefly

Call out the key relationships, flow direction, and any assumptions.

High-Signal Rules

For sequence diagrams

use autonumber when step order matters
distinguish requests vs responses clearly
use notes sparingly for protocol detail

For ERDs

prefer flowchart LR
keep object cards simple
use clear relationship arrows
avoid field overload unless the user explicitly asks for field-level detail
color-code object types only when it improves readability

For ASCII output

keep width reasonable
align arrows and boxes consistently
optimize for readability over decoration

Output Format

markdown

## <Diagram Title>

### Mermaid Diagram
```mermaid
<diagram>
```

### ASCII Fallback
```text
<ascii>
```

### Notes
- <key point>
- <assumption or limitation>

Cross-Skill Integration

Need	Delegate to	Reason
real object / field definitions	platform-custom-object-generate / platform-custom-field-generate	grounded ERD generation
rendered diagram / image output	external-diagram-visual-generate	visual polish beyond Mermaid
connected-app auth setup context	integration-connectivity-connected-app-configure	accurate OAuth flows
Agentforce logic visualization	agentforce-generate	source-of-truth behavior details
Flow behavior diagrams	automation-flow-generate	actual Flow logic grounding

Gotchas

Issue	Resolution
Mermaid renderer not available	Provide ASCII fallback automatically; note that the Mermaid block still carries the diagram for copy-paste into a renderer
ERD becomes unreadable with too many objects	Split into sub-diagrams by domain (Sales, Service, etc.) and link them in prose
Sequence diagram step order unclear	Use `autonumber` directive to make step ordering explicit
OAuth flow actors differ by grant type	Read the relevant asset template first before generating to avoid actor mismatch

Reference File Index

Conventions & rules — read before generating

references/diagram-conventions.md [blocked] — consistency rules for all diagram types
references/mermaid-reference.md [blocked] — Mermaid syntax quick reference
references/usage-examples.md [blocked] — worked examples per diagram type

Styling

references/mermaid-styling.md [blocked] — theming and annotation patterns
references/color-palette.md [blocked] — color-blind-friendly palette with hex values
references/erd-conventions.md [blocked] — ERD-specific layout and notation rules

Preview

references/preview-guide.md [blocked] — how to render Mermaid locally
scripts/README.md [blocked] — setup and usage instructions for all scripts in this skill
scripts/mermaid_preview.py [blocked] — live-reload preview server; run to preview diagrams in browser
scripts/query-org-metadata.py [blocked] — queries org schema to ground ERD generation

OAuth flow templates — load the matching template when generating OAuth diagrams

assets/oauth/authorization-code.md [blocked] — Authorization Code grant
assets/oauth/authorization-code-pkce.md [blocked] — PKCE variant for mobile/SPA
assets/oauth/jwt-bearer.md [blocked] — JWT Bearer server-to-server
assets/oauth/client-credentials.md [blocked] — Client Credentials service accounts
assets/oauth/device-authorization.md [blocked] — Device Flow for CLI/IoT
assets/oauth/refresh-token.md [blocked] — Refresh Token renewal flow
assets/oauth/user-agent-social-sign-on.md [blocked] — User-Agent / Social Sign-On

Data model ERD templates — load the matching template when generating ERDs

assets/datamodel/salesforce-erd.md [blocked] — core Salesforce objects
assets/datamodel/sales-cloud-erd.md [blocked] — Sales Cloud objects
assets/datamodel/service-cloud-erd.md [blocked] — Service Cloud objects
assets/datamodel/b2b-commerce-erd.md [blocked] — B2B Commerce objects
assets/datamodel/campaigns-erd.md [blocked] — Campaigns and campaign member model
assets/datamodel/consent-erd.md [blocked] — Consent and privacy objects
assets/datamodel/files-erd.md [blocked] — Files and ContentDocument model
assets/datamodel/forecasting-erd.md [blocked] — Forecasting objects
assets/datamodel/fsl-erd.md [blocked] — Field Service Lightning objects
assets/datamodel/party-model-erd.md [blocked] — Party model objects
assets/datamodel/quote-order-erd.md [blocked] — Quote and Order objects
assets/datamodel/revenue-cloud-erd.md [blocked] — Revenue Cloud objects
assets/datamodel/scheduler-erd.md [blocked] — Scheduler objects
assets/datamodel/territory-management-erd.md [blocked] — Territory Management objects

Other diagram templates

assets/architecture/system-landscape.md [blocked] — system landscape overview template
assets/integration/api-sequence.md [blocked] — API callout sequence template
assets/agentforce/agent-flow.md [blocked] — Agentforce agent → topic → action flow
assets/role-hierarchy/user-hierarchy.md [blocked] — role and permission hierarchy template

Output Expectations

Deliverables produced by this skill for each request:

Mermaid code block — fenced ```mermaid block ready to paste into GitHub, Confluence, or any Mermaid-capable renderer
ASCII fallback (when requested or when Mermaid renderer is unavailable) — text-only diagram using box/arrow characters
Brief explanation — 2-5 bullet points calling out key relationships, flow direction, and any assumptions or limitations in the diagram
For ERDs: object cards with field labels and relationship type annotations
For sequence diagrams: numbered steps (autonumber) with clear actor labels

Score Guide

Score	Meaning
72–80	production-ready diagram
60–71	clear and useful with minor polish left
48–59	functional but could be clearer
35–47	needs structural improvement
< 35	inaccurate or incomplete