How are different interaction types represented?

The skill uses specific arrow notations, such as '~>' for asynchronous events and '=>' for synchronous calls, to clearly define communication protocols.

Is there a width limit for the generated diagrams?

Yes, diagrams are optimized to fit within a 100-character width to ensure they display correctly across various terminal sizes and web interfaces.

What levels of system abstraction does it support?

It supports multiple zoom levels including system context diagrams, service container diagrams, and low-level component diagrams.

Does this skill require any external graphical software?

No, it functions entirely within the text-based environment of Claude Code, producing diagrams that do not require specialized image viewers.

Can these diagrams be used in GitHub Pull Requests?

Yes, the diagrams are generated as standard ASCII text, making them perfectly readable in Markdown files, GitHub PR descriptions, and terminal environments.

Visual ASCII Architecture Mapping

Name: Visual ASCII Architecture Mapping
Author: tjboudreaux

bytjboudreaux

0•

Learning & Documentation

Generates layered ASCII architecture diagrams for system design, pull requests, and architectural decision records directly within the terminal.

The Visual ASCII Architecture Mapping skill empowers Claude to create structured, text-based system visualizations that bridge the gap between complex system design and terminal-based development. By utilizing standardized ASCII grids and directional notations, it produces portable diagrams across three levels of abstraction: context, container, and component. This skill is particularly useful for developers who need to document service interactions, deployment contexts, and data flows without leaving their CLI environment, ensuring that architectural documentation remains version-controlled and easily accessible in PRs, ADRs, and README files.

Key Features

01Platform-specific metadata layering for various runtime environments

02Standardized layout grid using box-drawing and edge notations

030 GitHub stars

04Automated diagram storage and versioning within the project structure

05Protocol-specific flow annotations for HTTP, gRPC, and async events

06Multi-level zoom including Context, Container, and Component diagrams

Use Cases

01Visualizing complex data flows between system components during design phases

02Documenting microservice interactions within GitHub Pull Request descriptions

03Creating Architectural Decision Records (ADRs) that are readable in any text editor

What are Skills?·How to Install

Install with 🐟 Skill.Fish

npx skillfish add tjboudreaux/cc-visualization-skills tools-visual-ascii-arch

For use in Claude.ai and ChatGPT

Download Skill