---
{
  "id": "platform.mindmap.outline-workflows",
  "topic": "mindmap",
  "title": "Mindmap outline batch workflows",
  "locale": "en",
  "version": "2026-08-09",
  "summary": "Markdown heading or indented outlines efficiently create or expand forests, while full replacement is confirmed, destructive, and lossy.",
  "content": "Mindmap outlines accept two explicit dialects, and each top-level item becomes a separate root. ATX headings use `#` for roots, `##` for branches, and up to `######` for deeper nodes. Indented outlines make each level exactly two spaces deeper; a line may begin with `- ` or `* `, and an unbulleted nonempty line is also accepted. Do not mix dialects in one outline. Blank lines are ignored. Invalid headings, odd indentation, jumping more than one level, or reaching depth 64 fails before creation, and the error identifies the offending line number. Labels and the 2,000-node limit still apply.\n\nUse `create_mindmap_from_outline` to turn a conversation, meeting record, or brainstorm into a complete map in one atomic operation. `create_mindmap` also accepts an `outline` for compatibility, but hierarchy must never be placed in `description`; a multi-node outline-shaped description is rejected before skeleton creation. Use `add_subtree` to attach one or more top-level outline items beneath an existing `parentId`, such as expanding a branch. These batch actions are preferred to repeated `add_node` calls.\n\n`replace_outline` accepts a forest with multiple top-level roots. It deletes every existing node, then creates new nodes and IDs. This destructive rebuild requires user confirmation. The service records checkpoints immediately before and after replacement, so product version history can restore document content later, but the old node IDs do not return.\n\nThe top-level `outline` string from `get_mindmap_as_outline` is a lossy labels-and-hierarchy projection. The same response also includes a complete `mindmap.nodes` array with node IDs and full node fields, so use those nodes for live readback or a local edit that must preserve rich content. Feeding only the outline string into `replace_outline` still creates new IDs and erases color, icon, styles, images, linked notes, collapsed state, layout side, and manual offsets.\n",
  "aliases": [
    "markdown outline",
    "batch tree creation",
    "attach subtree",
    "replace full tree",
    "lossy outline"
  ],
  "tags": [
    "mindmap",
    "outline",
    "batch"
  ],
  "relatedActions": [
    "arinova.mindmap.create_mindmap_from_outline",
    "arinova.mindmap.get_mindmap_as_outline",
    "arinova.mindmap.add_subtree",
    "arinova.mindmap.replace_outline"
  ],
  "relatedActionPrefixes": [],
  "url": "https://docs.arinova.ai/en/kb/mindmap/outline-workflows/"
}
---

Mindmap outlines accept two explicit dialects, and each top-level item becomes a separate root. ATX headings use `#` for roots, `##` for branches, and up to `######` for deeper nodes. Indented outlines make each level exactly two spaces deeper; a line may begin with `- ` or `* `, and an unbulleted nonempty line is also accepted. Do not mix dialects in one outline. Blank lines are ignored. Invalid headings, odd indentation, jumping more than one level, or reaching depth 64 fails before creation, and the error identifies the offending line number. Labels and the 2,000-node limit still apply.

Use `create_mindmap_from_outline` to turn a conversation, meeting record, or brainstorm into a complete map in one atomic operation. `create_mindmap` also accepts an `outline` for compatibility, but hierarchy must never be placed in `description`; a multi-node outline-shaped description is rejected before skeleton creation. Use `add_subtree` to attach one or more top-level outline items beneath an existing `parentId`, such as expanding a branch. These batch actions are preferred to repeated `add_node` calls.

`replace_outline` accepts a forest with multiple top-level roots. It deletes every existing node, then creates new nodes and IDs. This destructive rebuild requires user confirmation. The service records checkpoints immediately before and after replacement, so product version history can restore document content later, but the old node IDs do not return.

The top-level `outline` string from `get_mindmap_as_outline` is a lossy labels-and-hierarchy projection. The same response also includes a complete `mindmap.nodes` array with node IDs and full node fields, so use those nodes for live readback or a local edit that must preserve rich content. Feeding only the outline string into `replace_outline` still creates new IDs and erases color, icon, styles, images, linked notes, collapsed state, layout side, and manual offsets.