{
  "id": 10045368,
  "title": "Show HN: Reladraw – A diagram language where you decide where to place things",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/show-hn-reladraw-a-diagram-language-where-you-decide-where-to-place",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-09-26T17:10:40.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Hacker News",
    "slug": "hacker-news",
    "url": "https://github.com/reladraw/reladraw"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Reladraw is a diagram language that allows users to specify the relative placement of diagram elements. Unlike other diagramming tools that automatically layout elements, Reladraw leaves the positioning up to the user, who defines how elements relate to each other using statements like \"above-left of\" or \"between.\" This approach offers a balance between automatic layout languages like Mermaid, Graphviz, and D2, which place elements without user input, and absolute-positioning tools like draw.io, Excalidraw, and Figma, which require manual adjustments.\n\nIn Reladraw, every position is described relative to another element, eliminating the need for explicit coordinates or nested structures. The syntax is written in plain Markdown, making it easy to read and modify. The language focuses on minimum distances between elements, allowing for automatic adjustments and avoiding stale numbers when text content changes. The solver works by finding the tightest arrangement that satisfies all specified distances, ensuring a clean layout without manual intervention.\n\nDiagnostics are built into Reladraw, providing feedback on issues like overlapping nodes or nodes sticking together. The language is still in development, and its syntax may change, but it offers a practical solution for creating precise, user-defined diagrams without the limitations of fully automatic layout tools.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Reladraw allows users to define relative placement of diagram elements.",
    "Uses plain Markdown syntax for easy reading and modification.",
    "Offers diagnostics for overlapping nodes and nodes sticking together."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Hacker News Best",
        "title": "Show HN: Reladraw – A diagram language where you decide where to place things",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/26/show-hn-reladraw-a-diagram-language-where-you-decide-where-to-place-10108655",
        "published": "2026-09-26T17:10:40.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}