# Connecting two nodes from the same mother node horizontally

I am trying to create a diagram where one node connects to two nodes horizontally. I have attached the image of the diagram I want. However, I am having trouble moving the d node upward so that the arrow to e can flow through. Also, I can't seem to put e node a bit further to the right. In addition, I can't manually position the start point of the arrow as well. Right now, the two arrows coming out from node c are overlapped with each other.

This is my current minimal working example:

\documentclass[12pt]{standalone}
\usepackage{tikz}
\usetikzlibrary{shapes.geometric}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows, chains, quotes}
\usetikzlibrary{arrows.meta}
\usetikzlibrary{calc, positioning}

\tikzstyle{startstop} = [rectangle, rounded corners, minimum width=2cm, text centered, minimum height=1.5cm, text width=3cm, very thick, draw=black, fill=white]
\tikzstyle{arrow} = [thick,->,>=stealth]
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}
\node (a) [startstop] {\textsf{{\normalsize A}}};
\node (b) [startstop, right=1cm of a] {\textsf{b}};
\node (c) [startstop, right= 1cm of b] {\textsf{c}};
\node (d) [startstop, right = 1cm of c]  {\textsf{d}};
\node (e) [startstop, right = 1cm of d] {\textsf{e}};

\draw [arrow] (a) -- (b);
\draw [arrow] (b) -- (c);
\draw [arrow] (c) -- (d);
\draw [arrow] (c) -- (e);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


This is the diagram I want to draw:

I would greatly appreciate it if anyone can help me on this!!!!

• I think you need above right = 1cm of c for the node d. – Sigur Apr 30 at 0:47

Something like this?

\documentclass[tikz,12pt]{standalone}
\usetikzlibrary{positioning}

\tikzset{startstop/.style={rectangle, rounded corners, minimum width=2cm, text
centered, minimum height=1.5cm, text width=3cm, very thick, draw=black,
fill=white},
arrow/.style={thick,->,>=stealth}}
\begin{document}
\begin{tikzpicture}[font=\sffamily,]
\node (a) [startstop] {A};
\node (b) [startstop, right=1cm of a] {b};
\node (c) [startstop, right= 1cm of b] {c};
\node (d) [startstop, right = 1cm of c,yshift=1.25em]  {d};
\node (e) [startstop, right = 1cm of d,yshift=-2.5em] {e};

\draw [arrow] (a) -- (b);
\draw [arrow] (b) -- (c);
\draw [arrow] (c.east|-d) -- (d);
\draw [arrow] (c.east|-e) -- (e);
\end{tikzpicture}
\end{document}


• to move the nodes vertically, just use yshift;
• \tikzstyle is deprecated, so I replaced it by the corresponding \tikzset command;
• if you want all texts sans serif, it is easier to add font=\sffamily;
• if you add tikz to the options of standalone this will load tikz and make it a standalone environment;
• the syntax |- and -| is nicely explained in this answer and is used to make sure the connections are horizontal;