What characters are used in ASCII diagrams?

Unicode box-drawing characters (┌─┐│└─┘┬┴├┤┼) for clean boxes, arrows (← → ↑ ↓) for flow, and standard ASCII characters (+, -, |, /) for simpler compatibility. The editor outputs Unicode by default for the cleanest look.

Will ASCII diagrams render in GitHub README files?

Yes. Wrap them in a code block (triple backticks) in Markdown. GitHub renders code blocks in a monospaced font, which preserves the alignment. Without a code block, proportional fonts will misalign the characters.

What is the maximum width for ASCII diagrams?

Most terminals and code review tools display 80-120 characters per line. For maximum compatibility, keep diagrams under 80 characters wide. The ASCII Diagram Editor grid is 60 characters wide by default.

How to Create ASCII Diagrams for Code Documentation (2026)

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