# Contributing to Diagram Design

Thanks for wanting to contribute — this project only gets better with more eyes on it.

Please read [CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md](CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md) first. All contributions are expected to keep the community welcoming.

---

## What this project is

Diagram Design is an agent skill (Claude Code, Codex, Pi) that produces editorial-quality diagrams as self-contained HTML files. The repo is documentation-first: `skills/diagram-design/SKILL.md` is the index, each of the 39 visual types has its own reference file, and the extractor scripts in `skills/diagram-design/scripts/` turn draw.io and Mermaid sources into a structured IR.

See [README.md](README.md) for the full picture, including the design system and the import/export flows.

---

## Before you start

- **Create an issue first** for anything non-trivial (new type, behavior change, import grammar work). Small fixes and docs can go straight to a PR.
- **Work on a branch** — never commit directly to `main`.
- **Keep the scope tight.** One PR = one concern. Mixing a new diagram type with a docs rewrite makes review slow.
- **Python 3.10+ is required** for the development scripts (CI runs 3.11 and 3.12 across Linux, Windows, and macOS).

---

## Validation gates

Every validation gate below must pass before a PR is ready. They also run automatically as GitHub Actions CI (`.github/workflows/ci.yml`).

Every PR changes the distributed plugin package, including documentation- and CI-only PRs. Increment both native manifests together before opening or updating a PR:

```bash
python3 scripts/bump-plugin-version.py          # patch (default)
python3 scripts/bump-plugin-version.py --minor  # minor release
python3 scripts/bump-plugin-version.py --major  # major release
```

The helper refuses to run if the Claude, Codex, and Factory versions already differ. If another release lands on `main` first, rebase and bump again so your version remains greater than the new base.

| What it checks | Command |
|---|---|
| Plugin bump helper and adversarial package cases | `python3 scripts/test-plugin-package.py` |
| Maintainer policy matches native manifests and current CI gates | `python3 scripts/test-maintainer-policy.py` |
| Synchronized, increasing versions; valid marketplace paths; packaged skill | `python3 scripts/verify-plugin-package.py origin/main` |
| Claude marketplace and plugin schema, with warnings treated as errors | `claude plugin validate . --strict` |
| Accessible SVG contract (unit tests for the a11y linter) | `python3 scripts/test-lint-a11y.py` |
| Semantic-pattern routing | `python3 scripts/verify-semantic-motion.py --markdown-only` |
| Animated-example structure and accessibility | `python3 scripts/verify-semantic-motion.py --example-only` |
| Skin conformance of every example and template (colors, fonts, a11y, assets, scripts) | `python3 scripts/lint-skin.py --all --baseline` |
| Rendered-layout checker and shipped examples/templates | `python3 scripts/lint-render.py --self-test && python3 scripts/lint-render.py --all` |
| Quantitative polar encoding and variant parity | `python3 scripts/test-verify-polar.py && python3 scripts/verify-polar.py` |
| A single file, e.g. a new example | `python3 scripts/lint-skin.py skills/diagram-design/assets/example-my-type.html` |
| Sequence-doc consistency (ATL fragments, budgets) | `python3 scripts/verify-sequence-oauth.py` |
| Semantic-motion verifier behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-semantic-motion.py` |
| Sequence-oauth verifier behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-sequence-oauth.py` |
| draw.io import path (real extractor vs fixtures + docs sync) | `python3 scripts/verify-drawio-import.py && python3 scripts/test-verify-drawio-import.py` |
| Mermaid import path (grammars, adversarial input, caps, docs sync) | `python3 scripts/verify-mermaid-import.py` |
| Optional motion contract (fallbacks, controls, budgets, determinism) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-motion.py` |
| Doctor diagnostics contract (env checks, script presence, routing wiring) | `python3 scripts/verify-doctor.py` |
| Doctor diagnostics adversarial tests | `python3 scripts/test-verify-doctor.py` |
| Every shipped motion template/example | `python3 scripts/verify-motion.py --shipped` |
| Docs/routing sync (description hooks, gallery, README tree, reference links, strict-bundler support paths, command/prompt surfaces) | `python3 scripts/verify-docs-sync.py && python3 scripts/test-verify-docs-sync.py` |
| Canonical README screenshots match their example HTML sources and recorded PNG digests | `python3 scripts/verify-screenshot-freshness.py` |
| Packaged output self-check behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-self-check.py` |
| Label masks are never clipped by a node painted after them | `python3 scripts/verify-geometry.py --all` |
| Label geometry checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-geometry.py` |
| Treemap cells match the values they are labelled with, and labels fit | `python3 scripts/verify-treemap.py --all` |
| Treemap checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-treemap.py` |
| Dumbbell domain resolves finitely and its marks clear 3:1 | `python3 scripts/verify-dumbbell.py` |
| Dumbbell checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-dumbbell.py` |
| Slopegraph axes share one scale and every endpoint matches its printed value | `python3 scripts/verify-slopegraph.py --all` |
| Slopegraph checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-slopegraph.py` |
| Ridgeline ridges share one amplitude and every printed range matches its bins | `python3 scripts/verify-ridgeline.py --all` |
| Ridgeline checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-ridgeline.py` |
| Sankey flow conservation and ribbon geometry | `python3 scripts/verify-sankey.py --all` |
| Sankey checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-sankey.py` |
| Bubble positions sit on shared axis scales and area encodes every declared size | `python3 scripts/verify-bubble.py --all` |
| Bubble checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-bubble.py` |
| Bump vertices sit exactly on one rank grid and every endpoint label is placed on both axes | `python3 scripts/verify-bump.py --all` |
| Bump checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-bump.py` |
| Beeswarm dots sit exactly at their values on one shared scale with no overprint | `python3 scripts/verify-beeswarm.py --all` |
| Beeswarm checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-beeswarm.py` |
| Every directional tone claim matches the ramp it describes, on every skin | `python3 scripts/verify-skin-polarity.py --all` |
| Skin-polarity checker behaves (pass + adversarial cases) | `python3 scripts/test-verify-skin-polarity.py` |
| Generated icon assets are up to date (`icons.html`, `primitive-icons.md`) | `python3 scripts/build-icons.py` then `git diff --exit-code` on the two generated files |

The semantic-pattern gate also caps `skills/diagram-design/SKILL.md` at 40,000 bytes so the installed skill remains practical to load. If that gate fails, reduce duplication or move detail into a routed reference; do not remove routing vocabulary from frontmatter.

Run them all at once before pushing:

```bash
python3 scripts/test-plugin-package.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-maintainer-policy.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-plugin-package.py origin/main \
  && claude plugin validate . --strict \
  && python3 scripts/test-lint-a11y.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-semantic-motion.py --markdown-only \
  && python3 scripts/verify-semantic-motion.py --example-only \
  && python3 scripts/verify-motion.py --shipped \
  && python3 scripts/lint-skin.py --all --baseline \
  && python3 scripts/lint-render.py --self-test \
  && python3 scripts/lint-render.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-polar.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-polar.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-sequence-oauth.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-semantic-motion.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-sequence-oauth.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-drawio-import.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-drawio-import.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-mermaid-import.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-motion.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-doctor.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-doctor.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-docs-sync.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-docs-sync.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-screenshot-freshness.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-self-check.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-geometry.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-geometry.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-treemap.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-treemap.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-dumbbell.py \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-dumbbell.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-slopegraph.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-slopegraph.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-ridgeline.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-ridgeline.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-sankey.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-sankey.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-bubble.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-bubble.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-bump.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-bump.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-beeswarm.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-beeswarm.py \
  && python3 scripts/verify-skin-polarity.py --all \
  && python3 scripts/test-verify-skin-polarity.py
```

### If a gate fails

- **`verify-plugin-package.py`:** run the bump helper if the versions did not increase. If packaging validation fails, keep both marketplaces pointed at the repository root and keep the shared skill at `skills/diagram-design/SKILL.md`.
- **`lint-skin.py`:** the failure message names the file, line, and category (`color`, `font-family`, `a11y`, `external-asset`, `pure-black`, `script`). Colors must come from the palette in `skills/diagram-design/references/style-guide.md`; fonts from the allowed list; diagrams must satisfy the accessible SVG contract (see below). The linter also requires the SHA-pinned controller from `template-motion.html` verbatim and rejects remote resources, CSS `@import`, non-fragment CSS `url()`, event handlers, `srcdoc`, executable URLs, and extra scripts.
- **`verify-*.py`:** the extractor's real behavior no longer matches its fixture or the documentation, or the reference/command/prompt wiring drifted. Fix the source of truth — do not widen a test to avoid a failure.
- **`verify-screenshot-freshness.py`:** a canonical minimal-light example or its committed PNG changed without a synchronized catalog refresh. Before the first regeneration, install the renderer with `python3 -m pip install playwright && python3 -m playwright install chromium`. Then run `python3 scripts/render-canonical-screenshots.py`, inspect all 39 renders, and commit the updated PNGs plus `docs/screenshots/manifest.json`.
- **`verify-slopegraph.py`:** the two axes disagree about scale or origin, or an endpoint is drawn somewhere other than where its own declared value belongs. Fix the coordinate, never the label — and never move a point to stop two endpoint labels colliding, because crowded labels mean the values really are close.
- **`verify-ridgeline.py`:** a ridge is drawn on its own amplitude, a baseline sits off the stack's pitch or away from its drawn rule, a ridge is sampled on its own x positions, or a printed range is wider than the bins it claims. Fix the geometry or the declaration so they state one thing — never renormalise a single ridge to make it readable, and never move a baseline to buy one ridge headroom.
- **`verify-bubble.py`:** a bubble is drawn off the shared axis scale its peers describe, its radius disagrees with the one area constant (`r = K·√size`), a second bubble wears the accent, an overlapping smaller bubble is painted under a larger one, or a bound label/tick disagrees with the mark it names. Fix the geometry, never the binding — and never nudge a bubble to open up space, because crowded bubbles mean the values really are close.
- **`verify-bump.py`:** a vertex sits off the rank grid the figure itself declares, a snapshot's ranks are not a permutation of 1..N, a segment curves or arrives by a relative command, or an endpoint label is missing a coordinate, drawn inboard of the end it names, or off the gutter its peers share. Fix the geometry or the declaration, never the label — and never nudge a vertex off its row to dodge a label collision, because a rank between two ranks is not a rank.
- **`verify-beeswarm.py`:** a dot is drawn off the shared value scale its peers describe, two dots declaring one value sit at two positions, a pair overprints instead of dodging, a second radius or a second non-focal fill appears, a second dot wears the accent, two dots share a `data-name` (or one is empty), anything positions a mark from CSS (`transform`, `translate`/`rotate`/`scale`, a geometry property, a motion path) by any carrier — attribute, inline `style`, or `<style>` rule, or a bound label/tick disagrees with the mark it names. Fix the geometry, never the binding — and never move a dot along the value axis to open up space, because crowding is data and the dodge is the only honest resolution.
- **`verify-skin-polarity.py`:** a legend key or caption names the ramp's direction by lightness (`darker is larger`) in a file whose ramp composites the other way. `ink` is a role, not a colour — it resolves near-black on light paper and near-white on dark — so one set of opacities runs darker as it strengthens in the light skin and lighter in the dark one. Name the direction by contrast against the paper (`stronger contrast is larger`), which survives the skin swap, and ship the same sentence in every variant; never invert the word for one file. The gate also fails closed on a claim it cannot substantiate — no resolvable paper colour, fewer than three rank-bearing ramp members, or a ramp that is not strictly ordered — and on wording it cannot parse: a tone word within six words of a magnitude word that no supported sentence form binds. Rephrase that as `<tone> <is|means|represents> <magnitude>` (`stronger contrast is larger`), because a claim the gate cannot read is a claim nothing checks.
- **`verify-geometry.py`:** a label mask overlaps a node declared later in the document, so the node fill clips the label at render time. Move the label to a free segment of its connector — keep the 6–10px gap from the stroke required by SKILL.md §6, and do not shrink the mask to sneak under the check.
- **Icon assets:** you changed `scripts/vendor/icons/` or `scripts/build-icons.py` and the generated files went stale. Rerun `python3 scripts/build-icons.py` and commit the regenerated files.

Do **not** add a file to `scripts/lint-skin-baseline.txt` to get your example through. The baseline exists only for legacy pre-2.0 examples that legitimately predate the current skin, and it still receives a11y checks.

---

## The accessible SVG contract (a11y)

Every diagram `<svg>` must satisfy the contract enforced by the linter:

1. `role="img"` and `aria-labelledby` naming the `<title>` **and** `<desc>`.
2. `<title>` is the **first child** of `<svg>` (before `<defs>`).
3. IDs are prefixed per diagram and variant: `<slug>-title` / `<slug>-desc` — for `example-loop-dark.html` the slug is `loop-dark`, so the IDs are `loop-dark-title` / `loop-dark-desc`. Bare `title`/`desc` IDs and duplicate IDs are rejected.
4. `<title>` is the short subject name (≈ the `<h1>`, ≤ 60 chars); `<desc>` is one sentence describing the *content*, not the geometry.
5. Purely decorative SVGs (`aria-hidden="true"`) are exempt.

The contract lives in `scripts/lint-skin.py` (`lint_accessible_svgs`) and is unit-tested by `scripts/test-lint-a11y.py`. When in doubt, pattern-match an existing example.

---

## Working on examples (diagrams)

Every diagram type ships three variants: minimal light (`example-<type>.html`), minimal dark (`example-<type>-dark.html`), and full editorial (`example-<type>-full.html`).

1. Copy the closest template (`skills/diagram-design/assets/template.html`, `template-dark.html`, or `template-full.html`).
2. Load the matching `references/type-<name>.md` and follow its layout conventions.
3. Replace the eyebrow, h1, and SVG body; replace the `[diagram-slug]` placeholders with your file's slug and keep the `<title>`/`<desc>` slots filled.
4. Run the taste gate in `SKILL.md` §9, then the linter:

```bash
python3 scripts/lint-skin.py skills/diagram-design/assets/example-my-type.html
```

New examples should be added to the gallery (`assets/index.html`) so they stay browsable.

Motion is opt-in. Start from `skills/diagram-design/assets/template-motion.html`, follow `references/animation.md`, and run `python3 scripts/verify-motion.py <file>` plus `python3 scripts/test-verify-motion.py`. A motion file must preserve complete no-JavaScript, reduced-motion, print, screenshot, and export states. Keep the controller byte-for-byte identical to the template; changes require updating the canonical template, example, documentation, and adversarial tests together.

## Design decisions (ADRs)

Settled policies live as short records in `docs/adr/` — one pinned motion controller, semantic patterns never expanding the visual-type taxonomy, the reveal-only autoplay rule, the SKILL.md byte cap with its trigger-rich description requirement, and geometric label placement being verified rather than reviewed. Read the relevant ADR before proposing a change that touches one; when a PR settles a new policy, add an ADR in the same PR.

## Adding a new diagram type

1. Write `skills/diagram-design/references/type-<name>.md` — layout conventions, anti-patterns, and a worked pattern for that type. Mirror an existing reference's structure.
2. Add the row to the selection table in `skills/diagram-design/SKILL.md` §3 **and** the type's name to the frontmatter `description` — `verify-docs-sync.py` fails if the description loses or lacks a type's lexical hook.
3. Add the three example variants (see above) and register them in the gallery (`assets/index.html`) — `verify-docs-sync.py` fails on any shipped example the gallery can't reach.
4. Run the full gate suite — new examples are linted automatically by `--all`.

## Changing the icon set

Icons are generated, never hand-edited:

1. Add or replace the source SVG in `scripts/vendor/icons/<source>/` (`tabler/`, `simple/`, …). Keep license provenance in `THIRD_PARTY_LICENSES.md` accurate.
2. Regenerate and verify:

```bash
python3 scripts/build-icons.py
git diff --exit-code -- skills/diagram-design/assets/icons.html skills/diagram-design/references/primitive-icons.md
```

## Touching the import paths

- draw.io: `skills/diagram-design/scripts/drawio_extract.py` — must pass `scripts/verify-drawio-import.py`, which drives the extractor against `scripts/fixtures/sample-architecture.drawio` in all four container formats (raw XML, deflate+base64, PNG-embedded, SVG-embedded).
- Mermaid: `skills/diagram-design/scripts/mermaid_extract.py` — must pass `scripts/verify-mermaid-import.py`, which covers every supported grammar, multi-block Markdown, adversarial labels, trust-boundary behavior, resource caps, and named failures.

Both scripts treat their input as **untrusted data** — they never render, fetch, or execute source content. Keep it that way. If you add a grammar or a new security boundary, extend the corresponding verifier with a fixture before merging.

Documentation and wiring must stay in sync: the import references, `SKILL.md` §11, the slash commands in `commands/`, and the Pi prompt templates in `prompts/` each describe the same flows. The verifiers check this — keep both sides updated in one PR.

## Documentation

Most of this repo *is* documentation. When behavior changes, update the affected reference files and the README in the same PR. Loose ends here are what the verifiers and reviewers will catch.

---

## Commit and PR conventions

Commit messages follow [Conventional Commits](https://www.conventionalcommits.org/): `type(scope): summary`, e.g. `fix(import): support current Mermaid syntax`, `ci: verify Mermaid imports`, `docs(onboarding): clarify the URL flow`. Keep summaries short and imperative.

A good PR:

- has a clear title and a description that says *what* changed and *why*;
- mentions how you tested it (which gates you ran);
- keeps generated and source files consistent (extractor + verifier + reference + command in one change);
- is rebased on `main` and green on CI.

## Questions?

Open a discussion or comment on the relevant issue. If it's about security, use the private reporting path in [SECURITY.md](SECURITY.md).