The Ultimate PlantUML Cheat Sheet: A Comprehensive Guide

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Introduction

PlantUML is a powerful tool that allows you to create diagrams quickly using a simple textual description. Whether you’re a developer, architect, or just someone who loves visualizing ideas, PlantUML can be a game-changer. This cheat sheet will guide you through the essentials, from basic syntax to advanced libraries, ensuring you can create professional-grade diagrams with ease.

What is PlantUML?

PlantUML is an open-source tool that uses a simple language to generate UML diagrams. It supports a wide range of diagram types, including sequence, class, activity, and more. The beauty of PlantUML lies in its simplicity; you don’t need to be a graphic designer to create complex diagrams.

Basic Syntax

The basic syntax of PlantUML is straightforward. Here’s a quick example of a sequence diagram:

@startuml
Alice -> Bob: Authentication Request
Bob --> Alice: Authentication Response

Alice -> Bob: Another authentication request
Alice <-- Bob: Another authentication response
@enduml

This code will generate a sequence diagram showing the interaction between Alice and Bob. The @startuml and @enduml tags indicate the beginning and end of the diagram, respectively.

Common Elements

PlantUML supports various elements that you can use to build your diagrams. Here are some common ones:

Actors: Represented by actor keyword.
Participants: Represented by participant keyword.
Messages: Represented by arrows (->, -->, <--, etc.).

Advanced Features

PlantUML also offers advanced features like skin parameters, notes, and more. For instance, you can add notes to your diagrams to provide additional context:

@startuml
actor User
User -> Application: Request Data
note right: User initiates a request
Application --> User: Data Response
@enduml

PlantUML Cheat Sheet

Libraries and Standard Includes

PlantUML supports a variety of libraries that can be included in your diagrams. These libraries provide pre-defined sprites and macros, making it easier to create complex diagrams.

C4 Library

The C4 library is a popular choice for creating architecture diagrams. It follows the C4 model, which organizes the architecture into Context, Containers, Components, and Code.

@startuml
!include <C4/C4_Container>
Person(personAlias, "Label", "Optional Description")
Container(containerAlias, "Label", "Technology", "Optional Description")
System(systemAlias, "Label", "Optional Description")
System_Ext(extSystemAlias, "Label", "Optional Description")
Rel(personAlias, containerAlias, "Label", "Optional Technology")
Rel_U(systemAlias, extSystemAlias, "Label", "Optional Technology")
@enduml

Cloud Insight Library

The Cloud Insight library provides sprites for various technologies, making it easy to represent them in your diagrams.

@startuml
!include <cloudinsight/tomcat>
!include <cloudinsight/kafka>
!include <cloudinsight/java>
!include <cloudinsight/cassandra>
title Cloudinsight sprites example
skinparam monochrome true
rectangle "<$tomcat>\nwebapp" as webapp
@enduml

Links and URLs

You can include links in your PlantUML diagrams using square brackets. This is useful for referencing external resources or documentation.

@startuml
[http://plantuml.com]
[http://plantuml.com This label is printed]
[http://plantuml.com{Optional tooltip} This label is printed]
@enduml

Code Blocks

PlantUML allows you to include code blocks within your diagrams. This is particularly useful for illustrating algorithms or snippets of code.

@startuml
Alice -> Bob : hello
note right
<code>
main() {
printf("Hello world");
}
</code>
end note
@enduml

Elastic Library

The Elastic library provides icons for Elasticsearch, Logstash, and Kibana. It’s similar to the AWS and Azure libraries and uses the same tool to create them.

@startuml
!include <elastic/common>
!include <elastic/elasticsearch/elasticsearch>
!include <elastic/logstash/logstash>
!include <elastic/kibana/kibana>
ELASTICSEARCH(ElasticSearch, "Search and Analyze",database)
LOGSTASH(Logstash, "Parse and Transform",node)
KIBANA(Kibana, "Visualize",agent)
Logstash -right-> ElasticSearch: Transformed Data
@enduml

Amazon Labs AWS Library

The Amazon Labs AWS library provides PlantUML sprites and macros for AWS services. It’s a great way to visualize your AWS architecture.

@startuml
!include <awslib/AWSCommon>
!include <awslib/InternetOfThings/IoTRule>
!include <awslib/Analytics/KinesisDataStreams>
!include <awslib/ApplicationIntegration/SimpleQueueService>
left to right direction
agent "Published Event" as event #fff
IoTRule(iotRule, "Action Error Rule", "error if Kinesis fails")
KinesisDataStreams(eventStream, "IoT Events", "2 shards")
SimpleQueueService(errorQueue, "Rule Error Queue", "failed Rule actions")
event --> iotRule : JSON message
iotRule --> eventStream : messages
iotRule --> errorQueue : Failed action message
@enduml

Frequently Asked Questions

What is PlantUML used for?

PlantUML is used for creating various types of UML diagrams, including sequence, class, activity, and more. It’s particularly useful for developers and architects who need to visualize complex systems.

How do I include libraries in my PlantUML diagrams?

You can include libraries using the !include directive. For example, to include the C4 library, you would use !include <C4/C4_Container>.

Can I add links to my PlantUML diagrams?

Yes, you can add links using square brackets. For example, [http://plantuml.com].

How do I add code blocks to my diagrams?

You can add code blocks using the <code> tag. For example:

note right
<code>
main() {
printf("Hello world");
}
</code>
end note

What is the Elastic library in PlantUML?