Archboard

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---
name: archboard-diagramming
description: Guide for drawing, reading and editing Archboard diagrams with the Archboard MCP tools: workflow, document format, layout rules, plan limits, errors, and working live next to people on the canvas.
---

# Archboard diagramming

Archboard is a hosted workspace for structured diagrams: cloud architecture, Kubernetes, C4, flowcharts, ER diagrams, mind maps and boards. Every node has a type from a node pack, so a diagram stays a structured document that people keep editing. People may be looking at the same canvas while the agent works.

## When to use

- The person asks to draw, update, read or explain an Archboard diagram: architecture, Kubernetes, C4, flowchart, ER, mind map or board.
- The Archboard MCP server is connected (its tools include `list_diagrams`, `get_canvas`, `apply_ops` and `compose_diagram`).

## Workflow

1. This skill already holds the main `read_me` guide; call `read_me` only with a `topic` (`shapes`, `infographics`, `kinds`, `images`, `export`, `style`).
2. `list_workspaces` → pick the workspace; then `list_diagrams`, or `create_diagram` for a new one (Free: 3 diagrams). Only the organizations and workspaces this connection may use are listed: `access.mode` is `restricted` when the person limited it. Each organization, workspace, and diagram has a `permission`: `read` (view only), `write` (also create and edit), or `delete` (also move diagrams to the trash), from the person’s setting for this app, your role, and the plan; do not try to change anything where it is `read`.
3. `get_canvas` with mode `outline` first: bounds, counts, frames, `capacity` (elements used of 2000 and the plan’s node quota) and `share`. Fetch `full` only for the frame or the types you will change (`types` also takes a pack prefix such as `k8s.*`); a page holds up to `limit` records and about 48 KB; pass the returned cursor back as `cursor` for the next page.
4. `search_node_types` / `get_node_type` → use pack types (`k8s.*`, `cloud.*`, `c4.*`, `network.*`, `flowchart.*`, `bpmn.*`, `mindmap.*`, `core.*`…) instead of generic boxes. Custom shapes, logos, illustrations and drawings: call `read_me` with `topic: "shapes"`. Infographics, charts and posters: `read_me` with `topic: "infographics"`, then `compose_diagram` with `infographic`. Sequence, ER, UML, mind maps, org charts, roadmaps and C4: `read_me` with `topic: "kinds"`.
5. First draft of a flow: `compose_diagram` with a Mermaid flowchart and `types` (node ids, subgraph ids, classes or `"@shape"` → node types; map subgraphs to containers such as `network.vpc`). `direction: "auto"` picks the readable direction. Nodes with no incoming edge (CI, outside systems) go to the first row or column: move them afterwards. Mermaid keywords (`end`, `subgraph`, `direction`, `class`, `classDef`, `style`, `linkStyle`, `click`, `callback`) cannot be node ids, in any letter case (`mermaid_reserved_id`): rename such a node (`endNode`). The result has `nodeIds`, `groupIds` and `edgeIds` (`"A->B"`), not `idMap`.
6. Edits to existing shapes (insert a node between two, rename, reconnect): `apply_ops`; `compose_diagram` only adds, so redrawing a flow duplicates it. Use `dryRun` for large batches: it gives the result of the write (`wouldCreate` counts; `isError: true` when the write would be rejected). Group related ops in one call so that one revert undoes them together.
7. Existing logo or photo files: `add_image` for a public https address the person gave or approved. To draw a new mark, or to turn an SVG or an image already on the canvas into an editable, themed, connectable shape: `core.vector` (call `read_me` with `topic: "shapes"`). Prefer `add_image` / `upload_image` to base64 data URLs in `apply_ops`; those are still accepted (up to 4 MiB each) and re-encoded the same way. Add only images the person asked for. Formats, limits, errors and upload links: `read_me` with `topic: "images"`.
8. Check: `render_snapshot` (the whole diagram, one `frameId`, a `region`

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