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Reladraw’s creator has introduced a text language for diagrams that lets authors specify where elements sit relative to one another. Version 0.13.0 includes a command-line SVG renderer and a browser element; the project is early-stage and its syntax may change.
The creator of Reladraw has introduced a text-based language for making diagrams in which authors specify the relative positions of elements, addressing a gap between automatic layout tools and manual drawing applications. The project’s GitHub page describes version 0.13.0 as early-stage and offers a command-line tool that exports SVGs, as well as a browser element that renders diagrams in a page.
Reladraw’s source language names nodes and places them using relationships such as “below” and “right of”. The example on its GitHub page defines a web app, interface, API and database, then places the interface below the app and the database to the right. An edge connects the API to the database with a “queries” label. The positions are relative, so the author does not have to specify exact coordinates.
The project provides a CLI that converts a .reladraw file to SVG, and a web component that turns diagram text inside a page into SVG. Its documentation says syntax errors appear in place of the diagram, with a line number counted from the first line of the diagram. The parser, layout engine and SVG renderer are written in TypeScript, and the project says it has no runtime dependencies.
The GitHub page lists the license as Apache-2.0 for the code, while clarifying that the license does not grant rights to the Reladraw name, logo or other project marks. The creator invites issues, particularly examples of diagrams that the language cannot represent, and says that while the language is changing quickly, an issue is more helpful than a pull request.
Reladraw targets a practical compromise for people who want diagrams to remain editable as text but also want control over their layout. The project’s creator says tools such as Mermaid, Graphviz and D2 arrange declared nodes and connections automatically, which can be limiting when an author has a particular composition in mind. At the other end, applications such as draw.io and Excalidraw allow manual placement, but the creator argues that this takes more effort and can be cumbersome to edit through coordinates or verbose source formats.
Relative placement could make a diagram easier to adjust than one built from fixed coordinates while leaving authors more say over composition than fully automatic layout. That may be useful for documentation, technical explanations and workflows where diagrams are maintained alongside code. Those are potential uses implied by the design; the supplied material does not report adoption figures, user evaluations or comparisons measuring time saved.
From Automatic Layout to Relative Placement
The project frames its approach around two existing styles of diagram creation. In a declarative language, the author describes objects and connections and lets the tool choose where they go. In a visual editor, the author can move objects directly, but has to manage their positions. Reladraw’s stated aim is to keep a text-based workflow while adding instructions that guide placement.
The repository includes syntax documentation and example diagrams, alongside installation instructions for npm and a browser-based option. It also describes an agent skill that can teach supported coding agents to use Reladraw. That skill is installed separately, and the repository says users must rerun its installation command to obtain a newer copy after updates.
““reladraw is a text language for diagrams where you say where things go.””
— Reladraw’s creator, in the project’s GitHub description
Syntax and Adoption Remain Open
The project does not provide independent evaluations, usage data or a comparison showing how Reladraw performs against existing diagram tools. It is also not clear how much of its intended layout control works across complex diagrams, or how the project will handle compatibility if syntax changes affect existing files. The repository explicitly says the language is not stable, so authors should expect changes.
The available source material does not establish how many people use Reladraw, whether it will remain actively maintained, or which features may be added. Those questions will depend on future releases and the project’s development.
Issues Will Shape the Language
The creator says contributors can help by filing issues, especially with examples of diagrams Reladraw cannot currently represent. Because the syntax is changing quickly, the project says those reports are more useful than pull requests at this stage. Users can try the documented npm CLI, build from a clone or render diagrams in a web page.
The next concrete signals will be changes to the syntax and tooling in later releases, along with how the project responds to diagrams users report as difficult to express. The repository does not announce a release date or a roadmap in the supplied material.
Key Questions
What is Reladraw?
Reladraw is a text language for diagrams that lets authors define nodes, connections and relative placement rules, then render the result as an SVG.
How does it differ from Mermaid or draw.io?
Its creator describes Reladraw as a middle ground: unlike tools that choose positions automatically, it lets authors guide placement; unlike visual editors, it uses text and relative relationships instead of manual dragging and fixed coordinates.
Can Reladraw be used in a browser?
Yes. The project documents a browser element that reads diagram text inside a <reladraw-diagram> tag and replaces it with an SVG.
Is the Reladraw language stable?
No. The project describes itself as early-stage and says the syntax may change, so existing diagrams could require updates as the language develops.
What license does Reladraw use?
The repository lists Apache-2.0 for the code. It says that license does not cover the Reladraw name, logo or other project marks.
Source: hn
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