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In code we split the code into files. Then within the files we arrange the code with lines and indentation. That's all for humans. The computer eagerly throws those away.
ADDENDUM
> meaning that algorithm concepts are best represented in text? Again, I doubt that very much.
One of the (most?) important things that algorithms encode is time. Because an algorithm is a description of a process. The only good representation would have been to snapshot the evolution of state.
But that's wasteful. So instead we have statements and expressions that we assume are atomic. Then we have identifiers for referencing and finally we have procedures and functions to cluster those statements and the associated call/return pattern or the single jump/goto to economize on writing.
So code is at least 2D as operations are described in a line and the lines are arranged by time. But the lines are not linear, instead they are grouped into labelled units and the proper evolution are functions call and jump instructions.
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Much like HN is full of textual description and links to images - this entire forum demonstrates the limitations of a textual visual representation.
Yes it works but it's far more verbose than an image would be. Hence an image is worth a 1000 words. And hence HN is more verbose than it needs to be. So is coding more verbose than it needs to be. That's why DSLs (Domain Specific Language) get invented: to reduce the verbosity.
And so it is with a 2D representation: it reduces the verbosity required to transport ideas and concepts. UML is another invention to reduce the verbosity and increase the understanding of the representation of complex systems. Yes UML can be represented as text (see Mermaid[1]) but the UML image is probably a lot more understandable than the Mermaid representation.
The word "sun" is less verbose than your drawing, but more clear(I would not have recognized it as a sun) and has all the information implied.
So yes in certain context, a diagram may be more useful to get a point across. But once that shared understanding has taken place, Text are more economical.
A lot of foundational aspects of computing are too abstract in nature to be able to do a good 2D or 3D representation. So what we do is transforming them into streams of symbols and do symbolic manipulations on them. And with symbolic manipulation, you get abstraction.
The main issue is that a lot of people are not good at symbolic representation and manipulation. Because it's abstract and it's entirely a product of the mind.
The power of computers is that they can do the tedious part of symbolic manipulations, repeatedly and without failing. And with peripherals interfacing, they can translate symbols from/to reality.
Exactly what I am implying: using the computer to provide a better abstraction is what is needed.
I agree that text has a certain universality however as you also say, a lot folks don't work with symbols, they work with images (for example) or colours (synesthesia) or shapes perhaps.
Besides move up in dimensions is a continuation of a natural progression in computing: cogs, switchs, punch cards, keyboards, mouse, touch .... VR, AR etc. Currently we're (coders) are somewhere between keyboard and mouse while others (most folks that use smart phones) are at touch. Smart phones users are also programmers who code their device using largely visual concepts (at least I've not seen anyone set their alarm using a terminal on a smart phone!).
Now "Oh but it's not possible to represent those concepts that we work with visually, only text will do" argument doesn't really hold water since it just demonstrates a lack of imagination to find a way to use other representations for those concepts that are essential to programming. Strangely that was possible when moving from switches to keyboards, why shouldn't it be possible even further.
Recently I had the thought that in fact, textual programming (as a paradigm) is now the sole domain of AIs. I've heard so many coders say they have not coded a line of code in months/years, AI is doing all the coding for them. Hence, I think, we humans (those of us here who are humans) should step up to the next domain for coding: 2D and then 3D and explore improved abstractions for the concepts we try to represent in a textual manner (even these concepts are abstractions of the real world).