From bc297e5e496d9f48ef77581b7fb41fdf328a62cf Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: kj_sh604
Date: Sun, 15 Mar 2026 16:19:35 -0400
Subject: refactor: dev-docs/

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+# Creating Elements programmatically
+
+We support a simplified API to make it easier to generate Excalidraw elements programmatically. This API is in beta and subject to change before stable. You can check the [PR](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/pull/6546) for more details.
+
+For this purpose we introduced a new type [`ExcalidrawElementSkeleton`](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/blob/master/packages/excalidraw/data/transform.ts#L133). This is the simplified version of [`ExcalidrawElement`](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/blob/master/packages/excalidraw/element/types.ts#L134) type with the minimum possible attributes so that creating elements programmatically is much easier (especially for cases like binding arrows or creating text containers).
+
+The [`ExcalidrawElementSkeleton`](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/blob/master/packages/excalidraw/data/transform.ts#L133) can be converted to fully qualified Excalidraw elements by using [`convertToExcalidrawElements`](/docs/@excalidraw/excalidraw/api/excalidraw-element-skeleton#converttoexcalidrawelements).
+
+## convertToExcalidrawElements
+
+**_Signature_**
+
+```ts
+convertToExcalidrawElements(
+  elements: ExcalidrawElementSkeleton,
+  opts?: { regenerateIds: boolean }
+): ExcalidrawElement[]
+```
+
+| Name | Type | Default | Description |
+| --- | --- | --- | --- |
+| `elements` | [ExcalidrawElementSkeleton](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/blob/master/packages/excalidraw/data/transform.ts#L137) |  | The Excalidraw element Skeleton which needs to be converted to Excalidraw elements. |
+| `opts` | `{ regenerateIds: boolean }` | ` {regenerateIds: true}` | By default `id` will be regenerated for all the elements irrespective of whether you pass the `id` so if you don't want the ids to regenerated, you can set this attribute to `false`. |
+
+**_How to use_**
+
+```js
+import { convertToExcalidrawElements } from "@excalidraw/excalidraw";
+```
+
+This function converts the Excalidraw Element Skeleton to excalidraw elements which could be then rendered on the canvas. Hence calling this function is necessary before passing it to APIs like [`initialData`](https://docs.excalidraw.com/docs/@excalidraw/excalidraw/api/props/initialdata), [`updateScene`](https://docs.excalidraw.com/docs/@excalidraw/excalidraw/api/props/excalidraw-api#updatescene) if you are using the Skeleton API
+
+## Supported Features
+
+### Rectangle, Ellipse, and Diamond
+
+To create these shapes you need to pass its `type` and `x` and `y` coordinates for position. The rest of the attributes are optional\_.
+
+For the Skeleton API to work, `convertToExcalidrawElements` needs to be called before passing it to Excalidraw Component via initialData, updateScene or any such API.
+
+```jsx live
+function App() {
+  const elements = convertToExcalidrawElements([
+    {
+      type: "rectangle",
+      x: 100,
+      y: 250,
+    },
+    {
+      type: "ellipse",
+      x: 250,
+      y: 250,
+    },
+    {
+      type: "diamond",
+      x: 380,
+      y: 250,
+    },
+  ]);
+  return (
+    <div style={{ height: "500px" }}>
+      <Excalidraw
+        initialData={{
+          elements,
+          appState: { zenModeEnabled: true, viewBackgroundColor: "#a5d8ff" },
+          scrollToContent: true,
+        }}
+      />
+    </div>
+  );
+}
+```
+
+You can pass additional [`properties`](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/blob/master/packages/excalidraw/element/types.ts#L27) as well to decorate the shapes.
+
+:::info
+
+You can copy the below test examples and replace the elements in the live editor above to test it out.
+
+:::
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "rectangle",
+    x: 50,
+    y: 250,
+    width: 200,
+    height: 100,
+    backgroundColor: "#c0eb75",
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+  },
+  {
+    type: "ellipse",
+    x: 300,
+    y: 250,
+    width: 200,
+    height: 100,
+    backgroundColor: "#ffc9c9",
+    strokeStyle: "dotted",
+    fillStyle: "solid",
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+  },
+  {
+    type: "diamond",
+    x: 550,
+    y: 250,
+    width: 200,
+    height: 100,
+    backgroundColor: "#a5d8ff",
+    strokeColor: "#1971c2",
+    strokeStyle: "dashed",
+    fillStyle: "cross-hatch",
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/70ca7063-88fb-434c-838a-cd466e1bc3c2)
+
+### Text Element
+
+The `type`, `x`, `y` and `text` properties are required to create a text element, rest of the attributes are optional
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "text",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 100,
+    text: "HELLO WORLD!",
+  },
+  {
+    type: "text",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 150,
+    text: "STYLED HELLO WORLD!",
+    fontSize: 20,
+    strokeColor: "#5f3dc4",
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/085c7ac3-7952-4f22-b9c3-6beb51438526)
+
+### Lines and Arrows
+
+The `type`, `x`, and `y` properties are required, rest of the attributes are optional
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 20,
+  },
+  {
+    type: "line",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 60,
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/0c22a06b-b568-4ab5-9848-a5f0160f66a6)
+
+#### With Addtional properties
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 450,
+    y: 20,
+    startArrowhead: "dot",
+    endArrowhead: "triangle",
+    strokeColor: "#1971c2",
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+  },
+  {
+    type: "line",
+    x: 450,
+    y: 60,
+    strokeColor: "#2f9e44",
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+    strokeStyle: "dotted",
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/14f1bf3f-ad81-4096-8c1c-f35235084ec5)
+
+### Text Containers
+
+In addition to `type`, `x` and `y` properties, [`label`](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/blob/master/packages/excalidraw/data/transform.ts#L124C7-L130C59) property is required for text containers. The `text` property in `label` is required, rest of the attributes are optional.
+
+If you don't provide the dimensions of container, we calculate it based of the label dimensions.
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "rectangle",
+    x: 300,
+    y: 290,
+    label: {
+      text: "RECTANGLE TEXT CONTAINER",
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    type: "ellipse",
+    x: 500,
+    y: 100,
+    label: {
+      text: "ELLIPSE\n TEXT CONTAINER",
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    type: "diamond",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 100,
+    label: {
+      text: "DIAMOND\nTEXT CONTAINER",
+    },
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/1e2c7b5d-fcb4-4f86-946d-0bfb0e97d532)
+
+#### With Additional properties
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "diamond",
+    x: -120,
+    y: 100,
+    width: 270,
+    backgroundColor: "#fff3bf",
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+    label: {
+      text: "STYLED DIAMOND TEXT CONTAINER",
+      strokeColor: "#099268",
+      fontSize: 20,
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    type: "rectangle",
+    x: 180,
+    y: 150,
+    width: 200,
+    strokeColor: "#c2255c",
+    label: {
+      text: "TOP LEFT ALIGNED RECTANGLE TEXT CONTAINER",
+      textAlign: "left",
+      verticalAlign: "top",
+      fontSize: 20,
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    type: "ellipse",
+    x: 400,
+    y: 130,
+    strokeColor: "#f08c00",
+    backgroundColor: "#ffec99",
+    width: 200,
+    label: {
+      text: "STYLED ELLIPSE TEXT CONTAINER",
+      strokeColor: "#c2255c",
+    },
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/f8123cd1-c9aa-452d-b96b-05c846c5030d)
+
+### Labelled Arrows
+
+Similar to Text Containers, you can create labelled arrows as well.
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 100,
+    label: {
+      text: "LABELED ARROW",
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 200,
+    label: {
+      text: "STYLED LABELED ARROW",
+      strokeColor: "#099268",
+      fontSize: 20,
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 300,
+    strokeColor: "#1098ad",
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+    label: {
+      text: "ANOTHER STYLED LABELLED ARROW",
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 400,
+    strokeColor: "#1098ad",
+    strokeWidth: 2,
+    label: {
+      text: "ANOTHER STYLED LABELLED ARROW",
+      strokeColor: "#099268",
+    },
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/70635e9b-f1c8-4839-89e1-73b813abeb93)
+
+### Arrow bindings
+
+To bind arrow to a shape you need to specify its [`start`](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/blob/master/packages/excalidraw/data/transform.ts#L86) and [`end`](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/blob/master/packages/excalidraw/data/transform.ts#L54) properties. You need to pass either `type` or `id` property in `start` and `end` properties, rest of the attributes are optional
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 255,
+    y: 239,
+    label: {
+      text: "HELLO WORLD!!",
+    },
+    start: {
+      type: "rectangle",
+    },
+    end: {
+      type: "ellipse",
+    },
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+When position for `start` and `end ` properties are not specified, we compute it according to arrow position.
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/5aff09fd-b7e8-4c63-98be-da40b0698704)
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 255,
+    y: 239,
+    label: {
+      text: "HELLO WORLD!!",
+    },
+    start: {
+      type: "text",
+      text: "HEYYYYY",
+    },
+    end: {
+      type: "text",
+      text: "WHATS UP ?",
+    },
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/2a9f03ac-e45c-4fbd-9be0-5d9f8c8e0343)
+
+#### When passing `id`
+
+Useful when you want to bind multiple arrows to one diagram / use some existing diagram
+
+```js
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    type: "ellipse",
+    id: "ellipse-1",
+    strokeColor: "#66a80f",
+    x: 390,
+    y: 356,
+    width: 150,
+    height: 150,
+    backgroundColor: "#d8f5a2",
+  },
+  {
+    type: "diamond",
+    id: "diamond-1",
+    strokeColor: "#9c36b5",
+    width: 100,
+    x: -30,
+    y: 380,
+  },
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 100,
+    y: 440,
+    width: 295,
+    height: 35,
+    strokeColor: "#1864ab",
+    start: {
+      type: "rectangle",
+      width: 150,
+      height: 150,
+    },
+    end: {
+      id: "ellipse-1",
+    },
+  },
+  {
+    type: "arrow",
+    x: 60,
+    y: 420,
+    width: 330,
+    strokeColor: "#e67700",
+    start: {
+      id: "diamond-1",
+    },
+    end: {
+      id: "ellipse-1",
+    },
+  },
+]);
+```
+
+![image](https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw/assets/11256141/a8b047c8-2eed-4aea-82a2-e1e6bbddb8d4)
+
+### Frames
+
+To create a frame, you need to pass `type`, `children` (list of Excalidraw element ids). The rest of the attributes are optional.
+
+```ts
+{
+  type: "frame";
+  children: readonly ExcalidrawElement["id"][];
+  name?: string;
+ } & Partial<ExcalidrawFrameElement>);
+```
+
+```ts
+convertToExcalidrawElements([
+  {
+    "type": "rectangle",
+    "x": 10,
+    "y": 10,
+    "strokeWidth": 2,
+    "id": "1"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "diamond",
+    "x": 120,
+    "y": 20,
+    "backgroundColor": "#fff3bf",
+    "strokeWidth": 2,
+    "label": {
+      "text": "HELLO EXCALIDRAW",
+      "strokeColor": "#099268",
+      "fontSize": 30
+    },
+    "id": "2"
+  },
+  {
+    "type": "frame",
+    "children": ["1", "2"],
+    "name": "My frame"
+  }]
+}
+```
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