# Markdown Mind Maps for Confluence — User Guide

## Introduction[​](#introduction "Direct link to Introduction")

Markdown Mind Maps turns a plain Markdown outline into an **interactive mind map** directly on a Confluence page. You don't draw anything — you type headings and bullets, and the structure becomes branches and leaves you can expand, collapse, and click through.

It's the fastest way to go from notes to a diagram: **no canvas, no drag-and-drop, no learning curve**. Titles become the central topic, `##` headings become branches, and bullets become leaves. Because the Markdown is always the source of truth, your plan stays editable, diffable, and git-friendly.

Everything runs natively in Confluence Cloud (built 100% on Atlassian Forge) with the open-source markmap engine. The map follows Confluence light/dark mode automatically.

## Quick start[​](#quick-start "Direct link to Quick start")

1. Install from the Atlassian Marketplace (try it free on your own site).
2. Edit a Confluence page, type **/mind map**, and select **Markdown Mind Maps for Confluence**.
3. Paste or type a Markdown outline. The live preview renders the map as you type.
4. Click **Save** — the interactive mind map appears on the page where the macro sits.

## The editor[​](#the-editor "Direct link to The editor")

The configuration dialog splits into a Markdown editor on the left and a **live preview** on the right. The preview updates as you type, so a `## Help` heading immediately grows a branch.

A minimal outline:

```
# Project Kickoff



## Vision

- Launch fast

- Measure everything



## Goals

### Q1

- Ship MVP
```

Renders as a map whose center is *Project Kickoff*, with *Vision* and *Goals* as branches, *Q1* as a sub-branch, and the bullets as leaves.

## Options[​](#options "Direct link to Options")

The options bar across the top of the editor controls how the map is built:

* **Template** — insert one of ten ready-made outlines instead of starting from a blank page. The current outline is replaced when you pick one.
  <!-- -->
  * Project Kickoff, Backlog, Brainstorm, API Design, Meeting Notes, Org Chart, Roadmap, Product Launch, Error Handling, Sprint Planning
* **Theme** — `Auto` (match Confluence light/dark mode), `Light`, or `Dark`. Auto follows each reader's theme.
* **Initial expand** — how much of the map to expand when the page loads: **Expand all**, or Level 1 through Level 5. Levels control how much complexity readers see first.
* **Alignment** — `Center` (classic radial mind map) or `Left` (left-aligned, reads more like a document outline).
* **Height** — `Auto`, or a fixed `400 / 600 / 800 / 1000 px`. Auto lets the map size itself to its content; a fixed height gives the macro a stable box on the page.

The preview always auto-sizes to show the whole map — the **Height** option only affects the saved macro on the page.

## On the page[​](#on-the-page "Direct link to On the page")

The saved macro is the same interactive mind map, rendered inline where you placed it:

* **Click any node** to expand or collapse its branch.
* The map **follows the reader's theme** — light or dark mode — without any extra configuration.
* It renders at full width beside your page content and updates the moment you save changes.

## Templates[​](#templates "Direct link to Templates")

Ten built-in outlines cover common planning motions — start from one and trim it to your own content:

* **Project Kickoff** — vision, goals, scope, risks, team, timeline.
* **Backlog** — now/next/later buckets, bugs, tech debt.
* **Brainstorm** — multiple idea branches with problem, ideas, owner.
* **API Design** — design goals, resources, auth scopes, errors, open questions.
* **Meeting Notes** — attendees, updates, decisions, action items.
* **Org Chart** — leadership, product engineering, platform, teams.
* **Roadmap** — now/next/later with quarters attached to each.
* **Product Launch** — focus areas, product, audience, channels, timeline, metrics.
* **Error Handling** — error categories, handling by layer (UI/API/data), monitoring.
* **Sprint Planning** — goal, capacity, stories by priority, risks, definition of done.

## FAQ[​](#faq "Direct link to FAQ")

**Do I need to draw anything?** No. You write Markdown (headings + bullets) and get an interactive mind map. There is no canvas, no shape palette, and no drag-to-connect workflow.

**Can I edit the map after saving?** Yes. Double-click the macro to reopen the editor — your Markdown source is preserved, so you continue exactly where you left off, then Save to update the page.

**Does it work in dark mode?** Yes. With the default **Auto** theme, the map matches each reader's Confluence light/dark mode. You can also pin a map to Light or Dark regardless of the reader's theme.

**How do I control how much of a big map is shown first?** Use **Initial expand**. Set it to a low level (1–3) so readers see the high-level shape first, then click into branches. Set **Expand all** when you want the full tree visible immediately.

**Can I use lists as well as headings?** Yes — bullets become leaves in the map. Any level of `#` headings becomes a branch, so `###` level nesting works too.

## Limitations & notes[​](#limitations--notes "Direct link to Limitations & notes")

* Markdown is compressed and stored inside the macro. Very large outlines (tens of thousands of compressed characters) hit Confluence's macro size limit — the editor warns before saving; shorten labels, reduce bullet levels, or split the content into two macros.
* The page (non-edit) view is intentionally read-focused: zoom and pan are disabled, so the map fills its container cleanly. Interaction on the page is click-to-expand/collapse.
* The mind map renders inline on the page; it does not create a separate Confluence attachment or external diagram file.

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