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🧜‍♀️Mermaid-Sequence

Cheat Sheet for Mermaid.

2. Sequence Diagrams

A Sequence diagram is an interaction diagram that shows how processes operate with one another and in what order.

2.1 Participants

The participants or actors are rendered in order of appearance in the diagram source text.

Feature
Diagram

You can specify the actor's order of appearance to show the participants in a different order.

sequenceDiagram
    participant Alice
    participant John
    Alice->>John: John, how are you?
    John-->>Alice: Great!

You can specify the actor’s order of appearance to show the participants in a different order.

sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>John: John, how are you?
    John-->>Alice: Great!

The participants can be defined implicitly without specifying them with the `participant` keyword.

sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>John: John, how are you?
    John-->>Alice: Great!

2.2 Aliases

The participant can have a convenient identifier and a descriptive label.

sequenceDiagram
    participant A as Alice
    participant J as John
    A->>J: Hello John, how are you?
    J-->>A: Great!
sequenceDiagram
    participant A as Alice
    participant J as John
    A->>J: Hello John, how are you?
    J-->>A: Great!

2.3 Messages

Messages can be of two displayed either solid or with a dotted line.

[Actor][Arrow][Actor]:Message text

There are six types of arrows currently supported:

Arrow Type
Description

->

Solid line without arrow

-->

Dotted line without arrow

->>

Solid line with arrowhead

-->>

Dotted line with arrowhead

-x

Solid line with a cross at the end (async)

--x

Dotted line with a cross at the end (async)

2.4 Activations

Feature
Diagram

Activate and deactivate an actor.

sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>John: Hello John, how are you?
    activate John
    John-->>Alice: Great!
    deactivate John

Shortcut notation by appending `+/-` suffix to the message arrow.

sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>+John: Hello John, how are you?
    John-->>-Alice: Great!

Activations can be stacked for same actor:

sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>+John: Hello John, how are you?
    Alice->>+John: John, can you hear me?
    John-->>-Alice: Hi Alice, I can hear you!
    John-->>-Alice: I feel great!

2.5 Notes

Add notes to a sequence diagram by the notation Note.

Note [ right of | left of | over ] [Actor]: Text in note content

  1. Right Side

sequenceDiagram
    participant John
    Note right of John: Text in note
sequenceDiagram
    participant John
    Note right of John: Text in note

  1. Left Side

sequenceDiagram
    participant John
    Note left of John: Text in note
sequenceDiagram
    participant John
    Note left of John: Text in note

  1. Over

sequenceDiagram
    participant John
    Note over John: Text in note
sequenceDiagram
    participant John
    Note over John: Text in note

  1. Create notes spanning two participants

sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>John: Hello John, how are you?
    Note over Alice,John: A typical interaction
sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>John: Hello John, how are you?
    Note over Alice,John: A typical interaction

2.6 Loops

Express loops in a sequence diagram by the notation loop.

loop Loop text
... statements ...
end
sequenceDiagram
    Alice->John: Hello John, how are you?
    loop Every minute
        John-->Alice: Great!
    end
sequenceDiagram
    Alice->John: Hello John, how are you?
    loop Every minute
        John-->Alice: Great!
    end

2.7 Alt

Express alternative paths in a sequence diagram by the notation alt.

alt Describing text
... statements ...
else
... statements ...
end

Or, if there is sequence that is optional (if without else).

opt Describing text
... statements ...
end

Example:

sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>John: Hello John, how are you?
    alt is sick
        John->>Alice: Not so good :(
    else is well
        John->>Alice: Feeling fresh like a daisy
    end
    opt Extra response
        John->>Alice: Thanks for asking
    end
sequenceDiagram
    Alice->>John: Hello John, how are you?
    alt is sick
        John->>Alice: Not so good :(
    else is well
        John->>Alice: Feeling fresh like a daisy
    end
    opt Extra response
        John->>Alice: Thanks for asking
    end

4. Demos

graph TB
    sq[Square shape] --> ci((Circle shape))

    subgraph A
        od>Odd shape]-- Two line<br/>edge comment --> ro
        di{Diamond with <br/> line break} -.-> ro(Rounded<br>square<br>shape)
        di==>ro2(Rounded square shape)
    end

    %% Notice that no text in shape are added here instead that is appended further down
    e --> od3>Really long text with linebreak<br>in an Odd shape]

    %% Comments after double percent signs
    e((Inner / circle<br>and some odd <br>special characters)) --> f(,.?!+-\*ز)

    cyr[Cyrillic]-->cyr2((Circle shape Начало));

     classDef green fill:#9f6,stroke:#333,stroke-width:2px
     classDef orange fill:#f96,stroke:#333,stroke-width:4px
     class sq,e green
     class di orange

4.4 Basic Sequence Diagram

sequenceDiagram
    Alice ->> Bob: Hello Bob, how are you?
    Bob-->>John: How about you John?
    Bob--x Alice: I am good thanks!
    Bob-x John: I am good thanks!
    Note right of John: Bob thinks a long<br/>long time, so long<br/>that the text does<br/>not fit on a row.

    Bob-->Alice: Checking with John...
    Alice->John: Yes... John, how are you?
sequenceDiagram
    Alice ->> Bob: Hello Bob, how are you?
    Bob-->>John: How about you John?
    Bob--x Alice: I am good thanks!
    Bob-x John: I am good thanks!
    Note right of John: Bob thinks a long<br/>long time, so long<br/>that the text does<br/>not fit on a row.

    Bob-->Alice: Checking with John...
    Alice->John: Yes... John, how are you?

4.5 Message to Self in Loop

sequenceDiagram
    participant Alice
    participant Bob
    Alice->>John: Hello John, how are you?
    loop Healthcheck
        John->>John: Fight against hypochondria
    end
    Note right of John: Rational thoughts<br/>prevail...
    John-->>Alice: Great!
    John->>Bob: How about you?
    Bob-->>John: Jolly good!
sequenceDiagram
    participant Alice
    participant Bob
    Alice->>John: Hello John, how are you?
    loop Healthcheck
        John->>John: Fight against hypochondria
    end
    Note right of John: Rational thoughts<br/>prevail...
    John-->>Alice: Great!
    John->>Bob: How about you?
    Bob-->>John: Jolly good!

5. References

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