diff --git a/graph-selector/src/getIndentSize.ts b/graph-selector/src/getIndentSize.ts
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..69f858c
--- /dev/null
+++ b/graph-selector/src/getIndentSize.ts
@@ -0,0 +1,4 @@
+export function getIndentSize(line: string) {
+  const match = line.match(/^\s*/);
+  return match ? match[0].length : 0;
+}
diff --git a/graph-selector/src/parse.ts b/graph-selector/src/parse.ts
index 4a293f1..3aea32e 100644
--- a/graph-selector/src/parse.ts
+++ b/graph-selector/src/parse.ts
@@ -7,6 +7,7 @@ import { matchAndRemovePointers } from "./matchAndRemovePointers";
 // @ts-ignore
 import { strip } from "@tone-row/strip-comments";
 import { ParseError } from "./ParseError";
+import { getIndentSize } from "./getIndentSize";
 
 // TODO: these types could probably be improved to match the target types (in ./types.ts) more closely
 
@@ -399,11 +400,6 @@ export function parse(text: string): Graph {
   };
 }
 
-function getIndentSize(line: string) {
-  const match = line.match(/^\s*/);
-  return match ? match[0].length : 0;
-}
-
 function findParent(indentSize: number, ancestors: Ancestors): Ancestor {
   let parent: Ancestor = null;
   let i = indentSize - 1;
diff --git a/graph-selector/src/stringify.test.ts b/graph-selector/src/stringify.test.ts
index 1fe1158..a191d61 100644
--- a/graph-selector/src/stringify.test.ts
+++ b/graph-selector/src/stringify.test.ts
@@ -594,4 +594,183 @@ Step 5 #n9
 Step 7 #n10
   (#n8)`);
   });
+
+  it("can also return a compact version", () => {
+    const result = stringify(
+      {
+        edges: [
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n1",
+            target: "n2",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n2",
+            target: "n3",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "label",
+            },
+            source: "n3",
+            target: "n4",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n3",
+            target: "n6",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n3",
+            target: "n9",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n4",
+            target: "n10",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n6",
+            target: "n7",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n7",
+            target: "n8",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n9",
+            target: "n10",
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "",
+              label: "",
+            },
+            source: "n10",
+            target: "n8",
+          },
+        ],
+        nodes: [
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n1",
+              label: "Start",
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n2",
+              label: "Step 1",
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n3",
+              label: "Step 2",
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n4",
+              label: "Step 3",
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n6",
+              label: "Step 4",
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n7",
+              label: "Step 6",
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n8",
+              label: "Finish",
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n9",
+              label: "Step 5",
+            },
+          },
+          {
+            data: {
+              classes: "",
+              id: "n10",
+              label: "Step 7",
+            },
+          },
+        ],
+      },
+      {
+        compact: true,
+      },
+    );
+
+    expect(result).toBe(`Start #n1
+  Step 1 #n2
+    Step 2 #n3
+      label: Step 3 #n4
+        Step 7 #n10
+          (#n8)
+      Step 4 #n6
+        Step 6 #n7
+          Finish #n8
+      Step 5 #n9
+        (#n10)`);
+  });
 });
diff --git a/graph-selector/src/stringify.ts b/graph-selector/src/stringify.ts
index 2f25346..b010593 100644
--- a/graph-selector/src/stringify.ts
+++ b/graph-selector/src/stringify.ts
@@ -1,3 +1,4 @@
+import { getIndentSize } from "./getIndentSize";
 import { Graph } from "./types";
 
 type StringifyOptions = {
@@ -14,7 +15,7 @@ const defaultOptions: StringifyOptions = {
 /**
  * Convets a graph to graph-selector DSL
  */
-export function stringify(graph: Graph, _options: StringifyOptions = defaultOptions) {
+export function stringify(graph: Graph, options: StringifyOptions = defaultOptions) {
   const lines: string[] = [];
 
   // In compact mode, we will store where edges should be added
@@ -41,9 +42,35 @@ export function stringify(graph: Graph, _options: StringifyOptions = defaultOpti
     // Only include data if there is any
     const data = stringifyData(node);
 
+    // build the line
     const features = [idStr, classesStr, data].filter(Boolean).join("");
     const line = [labelStr, features].filter(Boolean).join(" ");
-    lines.push(line);
+
+    // Store how indented the parent is for use in compact mode
+    let parentIndent = 0;
+    let insertEdgeAt: number | undefined = undefined;
+
+    if (options.compact) {
+      // check if there is an edge to this id alread in the list of lines
+      const targetStr = idStr ? `(${idStr})` : `(${labelStr})`;
+      const existingLineIndex = lines.findIndex((line) => line.includes(targetStr));
+
+      // If this node has not been referenced yet, add it to the list of lines
+      if (existingLineIndex === -1) {
+        lines.push(line);
+      } else {
+        // replace the targetStr with the line
+        lines[existingLineIndex] = lines[existingLineIndex]!.replace(targetStr, line);
+
+        // set the insertEdgeAt to the index of the next line
+        insertEdgeAt = existingLineIndex + 1;
+
+        // set the parentIndent to the indent of the existing line
+        parentIndent = getIndentSize(lines[existingLineIndex]!);
+      }
+    } else {
+      lines.push(line);
+    }
 
     // get all edges whose source is this node
     const edges = graph.edges.filter((edge) => edge.source === node.id);
@@ -84,8 +111,16 @@ export function stringify(graph: Graph, _options: StringifyOptions = defaultOpti
       // wrap link in ()
       const wrappedLink = `(${link})`;
 
-      const line = ["  ", label, wrappedLink].filter(Boolean).join("");
-      lines.push(line);
+      const parentIndentStr = " ".repeat(parentIndent);
+
+      const line = [parentIndentStr, "  ", label, wrappedLink].filter(Boolean).join("");
+
+      if (options.compact && insertEdgeAt !== undefined) {
+        lines.splice(insertEdgeAt, 0, line);
+        insertEdgeAt++;
+      } else {
+        lines.push(line);
+      }
     }
   }