pavilio-memo-explain

Creates dated markdown memos with mermaid diagrams explaining technical concepts and design decisions.

Updated Apr 19, 2026
One-click install
npx skills add https://github.com/gmotyl/pavilio --skill pavilio-memo-explain-gmotyl
Or copy as Structured Prompt for Agent▼
Please help me install this Agent Skill.
Skill: pavilio-memo-explain
Source: https://github.com/gmotyl/pavilio/tree/main/skills/pavilio-memo-explain
Command: npx skills add https://github.com/gmotyl/pavilio --skill pavilio-memo-explain-gmotyl

SYSTEM DOCUMENTATION & REQUIREMENTS

What problem does it solve? Explaining a technical concept, flow, or design decision in plain text often leaves readers hunting for structure. This Skill captures explanations as dated markdown memos with embedded mermaid diagrams, stored per-project for later reference. ## Core Features & Use Cases - Diagram selection by angle: Maps each dimension of a topic (process, actors, states, data model, architecture, timeline) to the best mermaid type — flowchart, sequence, state, ERD, class, C4, git graph, gantt, or pie — instead of defaulting to one flowchart. - Structured memo output: Writes to projects/<project>/memo/YYYY-MM-DD_HHmm_slug.md with a consistent template including framing text, diagram sections, optional code references, and a summary. - Rendering conventions: Applies panel-compatible mermaid rules for colours, arrow styles, subgraph nesting, and node limits so diagrams render correctly in the dashboard. - Use Case: After a brainstorming session on a new sidebar design, ask for a visual recap and receive a memo with a flowchart of the layout, a sequence diagram of the data flow, and a state diagram of the component lifecycle. ## Quick Start Ask the agent to explain how the pavilio sidebar works graphically as a memo with mermaid diagrams.

Frequently Asked Questions about pavilio-memo-explain

High-intent search queries and answers about installing and using this skill.

FAQPage Schema
How do I create a technical explanation with mermaid diagrams?▼

Invoke the skill with a topic and project name, and it writes a markdown memo containing 2-4 complementary mermaid diagrams. Each diagram covers a different angle of the topic, such as structure, sequence, or state lifecycle.

Which mermaid diagram type should I use for a technical concept?▼

Match the diagram to the topic's dimension: flowcharts for branching processes, sequence diagrams for actor interactions, state diagrams for lifecycles, ERDs for data models, and C4 for system architecture. The skill enumerates these angles and picks the smallest covering set.

When should I not use a diagram-based memo?▼

Skip it for quick unstructured thought capture, which suits a plain memo, and for explaining a specific PR or commit range built from a diff. Project-wide permanent architecture overviews belong in PROJECT.md or an ADR, not a dated memo.

Where are the generated memo files saved?▼

Memos are written to projects/<project>/memo/ with filenames in the format YYYY-MM-DD_HHmm_slug.md, where the slug is up to four snake_case words. The file is not committed and no index files are modified.

Why do mermaid diagrams fail to render with colours in some viewers?▼

Colour rotation conventions apply only to flowcharts and sequence diagrams; other mermaid types render in a single dark palette. If coloured grouping is essential, restructure the content as a flowchart with subgraph clusters.