diff --git a/scrybe-mermaid-render/src/parser/flowchart.rs b/scrybe-mermaid-render/src/parser/flowchart.rs
index b969de5..1c93ec8 100644
--- a/scrybe-mermaid-render/src/parser/flowchart.rs
+++ b/scrybe-mermaid-render/src/parser/flowchart.rs
@@ -6,26 +6,206 @@
 //! Drake Phase 3: implement parsing of `graph TD|LR|BT|RL` source.
 //!
 //! ## Supported syntax (MVP)
-//! - `graph TD | LR | BT | RL` / `flowchart TD | …`
-//! - Node shapes: `A[text]` `A(text)` `A{text}` `A([text])` `A((text))` `A{{text}}`
-//! - Node with quoted label: `A["My Label"]`
-//! - Edges: `-->` `---` `-.->` `==>` `--text-->`
-//! - Subgraph: `subgraph <id> [<label>]` … `end`
-//! - Style (ignored in MVP layout, preserved for SVG theming)
+//! - `graph TD | LR | BT | RL` / `flowchart TD | LR | BT | RL`
+//! - Direction defaults to `TD` when omitted
+//! - Nodes: `A` and `A[text]`
+//! - Edges: `A --> B`
 //!
 //! ## Drake implementation notes
-//! Use `nom` combinators to parse each statement.
+//! Use a line-oriented parser for the phase-1 syntax subset.
 //! Build `FlowchartDiagram` with deduplicated nodes and directed edges.
 //! Auto-create nodes encountered in edges if not explicitly declared.
 
 use crate::error::{MermaidRenderError, Result};
-use crate::parser::types::FlowchartDiagram;
+use crate::parser::types::{
+    Direction, EdgeKind, FlowEdge, FlowNode, FlowchartDiagram, NodeShape,
+};
+use std::collections::HashMap;
 
 /// Parse a `graph` / `flowchart` source into a [`FlowchartDiagram`] AST.
-pub fn parse(_source: &str) -> Result<FlowchartDiagram> {
-    Err(MermaidRenderError::NotImplemented(
-        "flowchart parser (Drake Phase 3)".into(),
-    ))
+pub fn parse(source: &str) -> Result<FlowchartDiagram> {
+    let mut parser = Parser::new(source);
+    parser.parse()
+}
+
+struct Parser<'a> {
+    lines: Vec<&'a str>,
+    pos: usize,
+    direction: Direction,
+    nodes: HashMap<String, FlowNode>,
+    node_order: Vec<String>,
+    edges: Vec<FlowEdge>,
+}
+
+impl<'a> Parser<'a> {
+    fn new(source: &'a str) -> Self {
+        Self {
+            lines: source.lines().collect(),
+            pos: 0,
+            direction: Direction::TD,
+            nodes: HashMap::new(),
+            node_order: Vec::new(),
+            edges: Vec::new(),
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn parse(&mut self) -> Result<FlowchartDiagram> {
+        self.parse_header()?;
+
+        while self.pos < self.lines.len() {
+            let line = self.lines[self.pos].trim();
+            self.pos += 1;
+
+            if line.is_empty() || line.starts_with("%%") {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            self.parse_statement(line)?;
+        }
+
+        let nodes = self
+            .node_order
+            .iter()
+            .filter_map(|id| self.nodes.get(id).cloned())
+            .collect();
+
+        Ok(FlowchartDiagram {
+            direction: self.direction.clone(),
+            nodes,
+            edges: self.edges.clone(),
+            subgraphs: Vec::new(),
+        })
+    }
+
+    fn parse_header(&mut self) -> Result<()> {
+        while self.pos < self.lines.len() {
+            let line = self.lines[self.pos].trim();
+            self.pos += 1;
+
+            if line.is_empty() || line.starts_with("%%") {
+                continue;
+            }
+
+            let mut parts = line.split_whitespace();
+            let keyword = parts.next().unwrap_or_default();
+            if !keyword.eq_ignore_ascii_case("graph")
+                && !keyword.eq_ignore_ascii_case("flowchart")
+            {
+                return Err(MermaidRenderError::Parse(format!(
+                    "expected 'graph' or 'flowchart', found: {line}"
+                )));
+            }
+
+            if let Some(direction) = parts.next() {
+                self.direction = parse_direction(direction)?;
+            }
+
+            if let Some(extra) = parts.next() {
+                return Err(MermaidRenderError::Parse(format!(
+                    "unexpected flowchart header token: {extra}"
+                )));
+            }
+
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        Err(MermaidRenderError::Parse(
+            "no graph or flowchart header found".into(),
+        ))
+    }
+
+    fn parse_statement(&mut self, line: &str) -> Result<()> {
+        if let Some((from, to)) = line.split_once("-->") {
+            let from = parse_node_id(from.trim())?;
+            let to = parse_node_id(to.trim())?;
+            self.ensure_node(&from);
+            self.ensure_node(&to);
+            self.edges.push(FlowEdge {
+                from,
+                to,
+                label: None,
+                kind: EdgeKind::Arrow,
+            });
+            return Ok(());
+        }
+
+        let node = parse_node(line)?;
+        self.upsert_node(node);
+        Ok(())
+    }
+
+    fn ensure_node(&mut self, id: &str) {
+        if !self.nodes.contains_key(id) {
+            self.node_order.push(id.to_string());
+            self.nodes.insert(
+                id.to_string(),
+                FlowNode {
+                    id: id.to_string(),
+                    label: None,
+                    shape: NodeShape::Rect,
+                },
+            );
+        }
+    }
+
+    fn upsert_node(&mut self, node: FlowNode) {
+        if !self.nodes.contains_key(&node.id) {
+            self.node_order.push(node.id.clone());
+        }
+        self.nodes.insert(node.id.clone(), node);
+    }
+}
+
+fn parse_direction(direction: &str) -> Result<Direction> {
+    match direction.to_ascii_uppercase().as_str() {
+        "TD" => Ok(Direction::TD),
+        "LR" => Ok(Direction::LR),
+        "BT" => Ok(Direction::BT),
+        "RL" => Ok(Direction::RL),
+        other => Err(MermaidRenderError::Parse(format!(
+            "unsupported flowchart direction: {other}"
+        ))),
+    }
+}
+
+fn parse_node(line: &str) -> Result<FlowNode> {
+    if let Some(label_start) = line.find('[') {
+        if !line.ends_with(']') {
+            return Err(MermaidRenderError::Parse(format!(
+                "could not parse node: {line}"
+            )));
+        }
+
+        let id = parse_node_id(line[..label_start].trim())?;
+        let label = line[label_start + 1..line.len() - 1].trim().to_string();
+        return Ok(FlowNode {
+            id,
+            label: Some(label),
+            shape: NodeShape::Rect,
+        });
+    }
+
+    let id = parse_node_id(line)?;
+    Ok(FlowNode {
+        id,
+        label: None,
+        shape: NodeShape::Rect,
+    })
+}
+
+fn parse_node_id(input: &str) -> Result<String> {
+    let id = input.trim();
+    if id.is_empty()
+        || id
+            .chars()
+            .any(|ch| ch.is_whitespace() || matches!(ch, '[' | ']' | '-' | '>'))
+    {
+        return Err(MermaidRenderError::Parse(format!(
+            "invalid flowchart node id: {input}"
+        )));
+    }
+
+    Ok(id.to_string())
 }
 
 #[cfg(test)]
@@ -33,11 +213,94 @@ mod tests {
     use super::*;
 
     #[test]
-    #[ignore = "Drake Phase 3: implement flowchart parser"]
-    fn test_parse_minimal() {
+    fn parses_minimal_edge() {
         let src = "graph TD\n  A --> B";
         let diagram = parse(src).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.direction, Direction::TD);
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes.len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(diagram.edges.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(diagram.edges[0].from, "A");
+        assert_eq!(diagram.edges[0].to, "B");
+        assert_eq!(diagram.edges[0].kind, EdgeKind::Arrow);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_td_direction() {
+        let diagram = parse("graph TD\nA").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.direction, Direction::TD);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_lr_direction() {
+        let diagram = parse("graph LR\nA").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.direction, Direction::LR);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_bt_direction() {
+        let diagram = parse("flowchart BT\nA").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.direction, Direction::BT);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_rl_direction() {
+        let diagram = parse("flowchart RL\nA").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.direction, Direction::RL);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn defaults_graph_to_td_when_direction_is_omitted() {
+        let diagram = parse("graph\nA").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.direction, Direction::TD);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn defaults_flowchart_to_td_when_direction_is_omitted() {
+        let diagram = parse("flowchart\nA").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.direction, Direction::TD);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_bare_node() {
+        let diagram = parse("graph TD\nA").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].id, "A");
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].label.as_deref(), None);
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].shape, NodeShape::Rect);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_labelled_rect_node() {
+        let diagram = parse("graph TD\nA[Start here]").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].id, "A");
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].label.as_deref(), Some("Start here"));
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].shape, NodeShape::Rect);
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn parses_multi_line_with_comments() {
+        let src = "\
+%% before
+flowchart LR
+%% nodes
+A[Alpha]
+B
+%% edge
+A --> B
+";
+        let diagram = parse(src).unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.direction, Direction::LR);
         assert_eq!(diagram.nodes.len(), 2);
         assert_eq!(diagram.edges.len(), 1);
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].label.as_deref(), Some("Alpha"));
+    }
+
+    #[test]
+    fn labelled_node_can_update_auto_registered_edge_node() {
+        let diagram = parse("graph TD\nA --> B\nA[Alpha]").unwrap();
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes.len(), 2);
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].id, "A");
+        assert_eq!(diagram.nodes[0].label.as_deref(), Some("Alpha"));
     }
 }
diff --git a/scrybe-mermaid-render/src/parser/lexer.rs b/scrybe-mermaid-render/src/parser/lexer.rs
index c3e1feb..00b4467 100644
--- a/scrybe-mermaid-render/src/parser/lexer.rs
+++ b/scrybe-mermaid-render/src/parser/lexer.rs
@@ -32,6 +32,7 @@ pub fn detect_diagram_type(source: &str) -> Result<DiagramType> {
             || lower == "graph"
             || lower.starts_with("flowchart ")
             || lower.starts_with("flowchart\t")
+            || lower == "flowchart"
         {
             return Ok(DiagramType::Flowchart);
         }
@@ -70,6 +71,14 @@ mod tests {
         );
     }
 
+    #[test]
+    fn test_detect_flowchart_without_direction() {
+        assert_eq!(
+            detect_diagram_type("flowchart\n  A --> B").unwrap(),
+            DiagramType::Flowchart
+        );
+    }
+
     #[test]
     fn test_skips_comments() {
         assert_eq!(