PlantUML
PlantUML generates UML and other diagrams from textual descriptions and exports results in formats including PNG, SVG, and PDF.
About PlantUML
PlantUML generates UML and other diagrams from textual descriptions. It supports UML types including sequence, use case, class, object, activity, component, deployment, state, and timing diagrams, as well as non-UML types such as JSON, YAML, Gantt, MindMap, entity relationship, and network diagrams.
It provides a browser editor that updates the diagram as code is edited, and a browser extension that renders diagrams inside GitHub. Output options include PNG, SVG, LaTeX, EPS, and ASCII art for sequence diagrams. The default Graphviz layout relies on an external program, with alternatives including Smetana, VizJs, and ELK.
Key features
- Generate UML diagrams from simple textual descriptions
- Create non-UML diagrams including Gantt, MindMap and ER
- Export diagrams to PNG, SVG, LaTeX and EPS
- Edit code in browser with instant diagram preview
- Render PlantUML diagrams inside GitHub via browser extension
- Add hyperlinks, tooltips and icons to diagrams
Best for: People who document software and systems with text-defined UML and technical diagrams.
Good for
- Covers many UML types plus non-UML diagrams such as Gantt and MindMap
- Exports to PNG, SVG, LaTeX and EPS formats
- Browser editor shows diagram changes as code is edited
Watch out for
- Default Graphviz layout engine relies on an external program
- ELK layout supports only orthogonal layout and not all features
- ASCII art output is available only for sequence diagrams
PlantUML at a glance
- Website
- plantuml.com
- Category
- Design & Creative › Charts & Data Visualization
- Type
- Online tool
- Pricing
- Not confirmed. Check the site
- Platforms
- Browser extension, Web
- Open source
- Not stated
- Language
- English
- Last checked
- Oct 5, 2026 · Online when checked
- Listed
- Oct 5, 2026
Guides for Charts & Data Visualization
PlantUML alternatives
Tools and sites you could use instead, ranked by how closely they match.
Kroki provides one API for generating diagrams from textual descriptions using libraries such as Mermaid, PlantUML, Graphviz, and D2.
PlantText provides an online editor for PlantUML code and generates class, sequence, activity, and state diagrams.
SankeyMATIC builds flow diagrams for comparing quantities across stages, with examples covering budgets, results, and processes.
DiagramGPT generates diagrams from text prompts, with the project page describing diagram workflows for teams.
Tree generates ASCII diagrams of folder structures as a browser utility written in TypeScript and React.
Mermaid generates diagrams such as flowcharts and sequence diagrams from text using syntax similar to Markdown.
Open source
24 alternativesPopular in Charts & Data Visualization
Well-known listings from the same topic.
Data GIF Makerdatagifmaker.withgoogle.comDatawrapperdatawrapper.deDataVizCataloguedatavizcatalogue.comLineGraphMakerlinegraphmaker.coaltairaltair-viz.github.ioCharts Buildercharts.hohli.com
Is something wrong or out of date?
Tell us and an editor will check it.
Own this website?
Claim this listing
Claim the listing and suggest updates yourself. An editor checks every claim first.