DMITRY MELNIKOV
Project 03 · Personal

Graph Editor

Visual logic, simplified. Diagramming at the speed of thought. Inspired by Mermaid/PlantUML online editors. Use of "Braun" design language

Year2025
StatusDone
Stack
Vue · TypeScript · Mermaid · Monaco Editor
Third-party
PlantUML API
One-liner
Mermaid/PlantUML graph editor.
Fig. 01

Graph Editor, main view with "Braun design language" style

Overview 01

Edit diagrams and schemas with real-time preview, clear design.

Graph Editor was born from a frustration with clunky GUI-based diagramming tools. It provides a focused environment where users can write Mermaid or PlantUML code and see high-fidelity SVG renders updated in real-time.

The application integrates the Monaco Editor — the same engine powering VS Code — to provide a familiar and powerful editing experience with syntax highlighting and intelligent indentation.

By decoupling the input from the rendering logic through an atomic state management layer, the editor remains fluid even when handling complex architectural diagrams with hundreds of nodes.

Timeline Q1 · 2025 Scope Editor UX
State Architecture
Rendering Scale Multi-idiom support
Instant preview

Architecture 02

Stateless web application. No backend needed.

Decisions 03

Optimized for feedback loops.

/01
Vue vs React

Originally created in React, the app was totally rewritten in Vue for simplicity and performance

Tradeoff · none
/02
State with Pinia

Great performance of Pinia enables smooth flow of code → image

Tradeoff · none
/03
Monaco for input

While lighter editors exist (even regular textarea), the Monaco Editor provides a professional feel that developers expect. Features like multi-cursor editing and advanced search/replace make it a “workstation” rather than a simple textarea.

Tradeoff · large bundle, superior DX
/04
URL-based persistence

Base64 encoded input + settings, allows for complete sharing experience without any backend

Tradeoff · unreadable url
/05
Dual-idiom rendering

Supporting both Mermaid and PlantUML allows users to choose the best tool for the job — Mermaid for fast, beautiful web-native SVGs, and PlantUML for more traditional, complex enterprise diagrams.

Tradeoff · package complexity, maximum utility

A picture is worth a thousand lines of code

— Arthur Brisbane (could have said that)
Outcome 04

The sketchpad refined.

Graph Editor has become an essential tool for documenting complex systems quickly and brainstorming architectures. The combination of a high-fidelity editor and instant visual feedback reduces the friction between having a thought and seeing it mapped out.

Impact Instant visualization
Sharable architecture links Cost 1 weeks · Solo build

Fig. 02

Editor folded. View-only mode.