network

Overview of network skill

What the network skill does

The network skill helps you create network topology diagrams in PlantUML with device-specific mxGraph icons, so you can model LAN, WAN, enterprise, data center, and vendor-branded diagrams without guessing syntax. It is the right fit when you need a network skill for infrastructure diagrams that look operational, not abstract.

Who should use it

Use this skill if you are documenting routers, switches, firewalls, servers, wireless access, DMZs, branch sites, or hybrid links and you want a diagram that communicates real topology. It is especially useful for teams comparing designs, reviewing changes, or generating diagrams for architecture docs.

What makes it different

The main value of network is icon fidelity plus topology-aware conventions: mxGraph stencil names, zone grouping, link types, and auto-layout guidance. That makes the output more specific than a generic prompt and helps avoid the usual failure modes of messy diagrams, wrong icon families, or software-style UML charts.

How to Use network skill

Install and inspect the right files

Install with npx skills add markdown-viewer/skills --skill network. Then read SKILL.md first, followed by the example files in examples/ such as lan-topology.md, enterprise-network.md, datacenter-network.md, and hybrid-cloud.md. These examples show the practical network usage patterns faster than scanning the whole repo.

Turn a rough idea into a usable prompt

Good inputs name the topology, zones, devices, and link types. For example: “Create a branch office network with Internet, firewall, core switch, two access switches, 12 workstations, Wi‑Fi APs, and a site-to-site VPN to HQ. Use Cisco icons and show the DMZ separately.” This is better than “draw my network” because the skill needs scope and structure to choose the right stencil families.

Follow the diagram rules that matter

The network guide expects PlantUML with @startuml and @enduml, plus the correct fence: use plantuml or puml, never plain text. Use -- for physical links, .. for wireless or backup paths, and group areas with rectangle or package. If you need cloud or Internet shapes, model them explicitly instead of leaving them implicit.

Read examples in the order that matches your job

If you are unsure which stencil set fits, start with examples/lan-topology.md for general networks, examples/cisco-network.md for Cisco-heavy environments, examples/enterprise-network.md for tiered corporate layouts, and examples/security-architecture.md for defense-in-depth patterns. That path usually gives enough information to write a better first prompt for the network skill than a repo skim.

network skill FAQ

Is the network skill only for Cisco diagrams?

No. Cisco is well supported, but the network skill also targets generic LAN/WAN layouts, Citrix, data center, wireless, and security-centric network diagrams. Choose the stencil family that matches your environment instead of forcing everything into one vendor style.

When should I not use network?

Do not use it for general software architecture, class diagrams, or cloud service diagrams where the topology is mostly logical rather than device-based. If your goal is application flow, use a UML-oriented skill; if your goal is cloud service architecture, use a cloud-focused skill instead.

Is this better than prompting PlantUML directly?

Usually yes, because the skill narrows down the stencil vocabulary, connection semantics, and grouping patterns that are easy to get wrong in a one-off prompt. A plain prompt can work for simple cases, but the network skill is more reliable when you need consistent device icons and a topology that reads like an infrastructure diagram.

What should I prepare before using it?

Have the network zones, device types, site count, preferred vendor style, and link behavior ready. If you can name specifics like “DMZ,” “core,” “access,” “VPN,” or “wireless,” the output is usually more accurate and faster to refine.

How to Improve network skill

Give topology facts, not just a theme

The best network install outcome comes from concrete topology details: number of sites, major subnets or zones, device roles, and which links are physical versus logical. “Retail WAN with HQ, 4 branches, firewall at each branch, and VPN backhaul” produces better output than “enterprise network diagram.”

State the icon family and the intent

If you want Cisco 19, Cisco SAFE, Citrix, or generic network icons, say so up front. Also say whether the diagram is for operations, documentation, or architecture review, because that changes how much detail the network skill should preserve versus simplify.

Watch for two common failure modes

The first is overloading one diagram with too many endpoints; fix that by asking for tiered grouping or separate subdiagrams. The second is unclear link semantics; fix that by saying which connections are Ethernet, wireless, VPN, management, or traffic flow so the skill can choose --, .., or --> correctly.

Iterate from the first draft

After the first output, improve the diagram by asking for missing zones, clearer labels, or fewer device types per cluster. If the result feels generic, add constraints like “show DMZ and internal VLANs separately,” “use vendor-specific icons,” or “emphasize WAN failover paths,” and the network skill will usually produce a more decision-useful revision.