before discovering d2, I wrote / vibe coded my own diagram generator: https://azriel.im/disposition

then after discovering it, I was too invested in my own project to switch -- the complexity in positioning nodes, routing edges to not draw over labels, taking into account nesting and rank dir gave me an appreciation for how hard these can be, and I kinda wanted my own version (plus other features)

A graphviz dot substitute in pure rust:

https://azriel.im/disposition/

Things I missed in original graphviz dot:

1. predictable / stable layout

2. dark and light mode css (tailwind)

3. interactive through pure css

4. markdown descriptions

Took ages understanding how to route edges to not overlap labels.