<< All versions

Skill v1.0.0

currentTrusted Publisher100/100
microsoft/amplifier-bundle-dot-graph/dot-authoring
──Details
PublishedOctober 7, 2026 at 03:58 AM
Content Hashsha256:72b1d19bade472b3...
Git SHA
──Files
Files (1 file, 2.5 KB)
SKILL.md2.5 KBactive
SKILL.md · 53 lines · 2.5 KB

version: "1.0.0" name: dot-authoring description: Use when writing, fixing or reviewing a DOT/Graphviz diagram — absorbs dot-syntax, dot-patterns and dot-quality (syntax lookup, templates, the title/legend law, quality gate).

DOT Authoring

One entry point for writing DOT/Graphviz by hand. Three reference files sit beside this one; load only the one the task needs.

Core principle: DOT describes structure (what connects to what). Layout engines handle positioning — you never specify coordinates.

Pick the reference

You needReadAbsorbed from
Syntax lookup — nodes, edges, attributes, clusters, HTML labels, layout engines, gotchas, render commandsreference/syntax.mddot-syntax
A working starting template — DAG/workflow, state machine, layered architecture, fan-out/fan-in, legendreference/patterns.mddot-patterns
Quality enforcement before sharing or committing — checklist, line-count targets, anti-patterns, shape vocabulary, the 7-step gatereference/quality.mddot-quality

Load with read_file(skill_directory + "/reference/<file>.md") — skill_directory is returned by load_skill.

The rules that apply to every diagram

NO DIAGRAM WITHOUT A TITLE, NO COLOR WITHOUT A LEGEND
  • Set label= and labelloc=t on the graph. An untitled diagram cannot be referenced.
  • Any fillcolor/color in use means a cluster_legend subgraph must exist.
  • Set rankdir explicitly. Do not rely on defaults.
  • Shapes carry meaning: box = service/process, cylinder = data store,

diamond = decision, ellipse = start/terminal, parallelogram = external, note = annotation, folder = group. Full table in reference/quality.md.

  • Every node needs at least one edge. A floating node is a forgotten node.
  • Draw the error paths, not just the happy path.
  • Verify it renders: dot -Tsvg diagram.dot > /dev/null.

Workflow

  1. Choose a template from reference/patterns.md rather than starting blank.
  2. Look up anything unfamiliar in reference/syntax.md.
  3. Run the 7-step gate in reference/quality.md before sharing or committing.
  4. For an independent PASS/WARN/FAIL verdict, delegate to dot-graph:diagram-reviewer

— do not let the author review its own output.

Related

  • Structural questions about an existing graph (cycles, reachability, diffs) and

diagram-driven investigation: load_skill(skill_name="dot-analysis").

  • Creation and editing at scale: delegate to dot-graph:dot-author.
All versions