smartdiagram - LaTeX package for drawing diagrams from item lists using TikZ

Q: How does animation work in presentations with beamer?

For persistent display, the diagram is created using \\smartdiagram. For overlay-aware animated output, the command \\smartdiagramanimated can be used, with animation behavior differing by diagram type (e.g., sequential appearance with connecting arrows for circular/flow; step-by-step title/description for descriptive diagrams).

Oct 26, 2026

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This package provides a method to create diagrams in documents and presentations from a comma-delimited list of items using TikZ. Diagrams are generated automatically with color and multiple diagram types such as circular, flow (horizontal), descriptive, priority descriptive, bubble, constellation, connected constellation, and sequence. The package supports beamer overlays and optional animations, and it is built from core libraries plus an additions library with dedicated options and keys for customization, including styles, colors, and layout.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryTechnology

FormatPDF

Pages47

Reading Time1 h 58 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction and requirements

Basic Usage

Additions

The options

Setting the options

Available options

General options

Specific options

Options of the additions library

Gallery of examples

Recommendations and known issues

Something about colors

Defining styles

Circular, bubble and constellation diagrams

Descriptive diagrams

Decorations

Priority descriptive diagrams

Acknowledgements

Implementation

Initialization and Package Options

Keys and color declaration

Commands

Library Additions

The smartdiagram package 􀀃 Claudio Fiandrino claudio.ﬁ[andrino@gmail.com](andrino@gmail.com) December 23, 2016 Abstract This package provides a way to easily draw diagrams in documents and presentations from a list of items thanks to TikZ. The idea cames out from this question on TeX.StackExchange. Contents 1 Introduction and requirements 2 2 Basic Usage 3 3 Additions 4 4 The options 7 4.1 Setting the options ........................... 7 4.2 Available options ............................ 7 4.2.1 General options ......................... 7 4.2.2 Speciﬁc options ......................... 8 4.2.3 Options of the additions library ................ 11 5 Gallery of examples 12 6 Recommendations and known issues 21 6.1 Something about colors ........................ 21 6.2 Deﬁning styles ............................. 22 6.3 Circular, bubble and constellation diagrams ............. 22 6.4 Descriptive diagrams .......................... 23 6.5 Decorations ............................... 23 6.6 Priority descriptive diagrams ...................... 24 􀀃 This document corresponds to smartdiagram v0.3b, dated 2016/12/23; it is released under and subject to the LATEX Project Public License (LPPL) . 7 Aknowledgements 25 8 Implementation 25 8.1 Initialization and Package Options .................. 25 8.2 Keys and color declaration ....................... 26 8.3 Commands ............................... 35 8.4 Library Additions ............................ 44 1 Introduction and requirements The aim of the package is to provide a way to draw diagrams starting from a list of items colored automatically. The diagrams created could be used in a simple document or in a presentation: in the latter case, while using the Beamer class, the user could decide if diagrams should be overlay-awared or not. Automatically, the smartdiagram package loads: 􀀏 TikZ; 􀀏 etoolbox; 􀀏 xparse; 􀀏 xstring (from version 0.2) . Moreover, the package loads the following TikZ libraries: 􀀏 backgrounds; 􀀏 calc; 􀀏 fadings; 􀀏 shadows; 􀀏 shapes .arrows ; 􀀏 shapes.symbols (from version 0.2) . and it sets a new layer called smart diagram arrow back. From version 0.3, the package is composed of three core libraries: 􀀏 core.definitions, 􀀏 core .styles, 􀀏 core.commands which actually form the package smartdiagram.sty and of the external library: 􀀏 additions which can be loaded separately by the user. By loading this library:\usesmartdiagramlibrary{additions} forces the TikZ library positioning to be loaded as well. The package could be loaded by means of \usepackage{smartdiagram} . 2 Basic Usage \smartdiagram The basic command is \smartdiagram[htype of diagrami]{hlist of itemsi} . The {hlist of itemsi} should be comma-delimited: to insert, for example, a comma as part of the item label use \smartdiagram[ . .]{elem1,{elem2,text},elem3} . The possible diagrams that could be created are: 􀀏 circular diagram: the items in the list are diplayed around a circle typically in counterclockwise order; 􀀏 circular diagram:clockwise: same as before, but now items are placed in clockwise order (no space between names and :); 􀀏 flow diagram: the items in the list are diplayed as a ﬂow chart; 􀀏 flow diagram:horizontal: the items in the list are diplayed as an horizontal ﬂow chart (no space between names and :); 􀀏 descriptive diagram: a diagram in which are displayed concepts and their description; 􀀏 priority descriptive diagram: a diagram in which the items are deployted based on their relevance; 􀀏 bubble diagram: each item is a bubble deployted around a bubble center, which is the ﬁrst element in the list; 􀀏 constellation diagram: each item is a circle connected to the center, the ﬁrst element in the list again; 􀀏 connected constellation diagram: each item is a circle and, a part from the ﬁrst element in the list, the other ones are connected toghether; 􀀏 sequence diagram:

FAQs

What does the smartdiagram package generate from an item list?

It generates diagrams from a comma-delimited list of items, producing different diagram layouts such as circular, flow, descriptive, priority descriptive, bubble, constellation, connected constellation, and sequence diagrams.

How does animation work in presentations with beamer?

For persistent display, the diagram is created using \smartdiagram. For overlay-aware animated output, the command \smartdiagramanimated can be used, with animation behavior differing by diagram type (e.g., sequential appearance with connecting arrows for circular/flow; step-by-step title/description for descriptive diagrams).

What customization options are supported?

Diagrams can be customized through keys covering background colors, font size, item sizes, border shapes, and—depending on the diagram type—dedicated keys for elements like the bubble center or planet in bubble/constellation variants.

Oct 26, 2026

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