Reladraw is a text-based diagram language that aims to occupy a middle ground between fully manual drawing tools and automatic layout algorithms. Unlike Mermaid, Graphviz, or D2—which auto-generate positions from entity and connection declarations—or tools like draw.io and Excalidraw that require absolute pixel coordinates, Reladraw uses relative positioning statements to define where elements go.
According to the project documentation, the core innovation is that every position in a Reladraw file is stated relative to something else, with no coordinates anywhere. For example, a user might write node store "Database" right of app level with app to place a database node to the right of an application node at the same vertical level. All distances are then worked out from these relative statements during rendering.
The creator argues this approach has practical advantages for both human authors and AI agents. When editing a complex diagram, changing a relative statement (“move the auth service left”) is simpler than recalculating pixel coordinates. For AI systems, reading the source code reveals intent—the database is positioned under the API—without requiring rendering to verify changes.
Reladraw uses a resolver that treats placement as a constraint-satisfaction problem. Rather than walking through a chain of dependencies, it finds the tightest arrangement satisfying all stated minimum distances using longest-path algorithms. The system derives non-overlapping node placement automatically from the stated arrangement without explicit declarations.
The current release (version 0.5.0) includes a parser, resolver, and SVG renderer written in TypeScript with no runtime dependencies. It can be installed via npm as a command-line tool or integrated as an agent skill for Claude Code, Copilot, Cursor, and other AI assistants. Users can edit diagrams in a browser or generate SVGs from text files.
The project acknowledges several planned features not yet implemented, including a diagnostics report to identify layout problems, edge routing around nodes, and expanded icon and shape libraries. The language syntax remains unstable and is expected to change. A skill package is available to help AI agents learn the syntax before writing Reladraw code.
Key facts
- Reladraw uses relative positioning statements instead of coordinates or full automation
- The tool finds the tightest node arrangement using constraint solving, not iterative search
- No manual nudging or coordinate calculations required when editing diagrams
- Available as command-line tool and integrable agent skill for multiple AI assistants
- Parser, resolver, and SVG renderer implemented; diagnostics and edge routing still in development