Flowcharts show a sequence of steps and decisions for a process, generally linked by  lines or arrows. The aim of a flowchart is to show a process from beginning to end:

Structure of a flowchart

Different types of steps in the process may have a particular shape. Straight paths or arrows are used for direct connections or labelling, and elliptical lines or arrows are used for cycles. Diamonds represent decision points, and dotted lines indicate optional paths:

Rather than drawing these shapes manually, flowcharts are typically created using chart or diagramming software.

There are many forms of flowcharts, including decision trees, workflow diagrams, process maps, swimlane diagrams and dataflow diagrams.