# PlantUML

> Generates UML, Gantt, mind map and other diagrams from plain text.

- Category: [Diagrams as code](https://awesomedataviz.com/categories/diagrams-as-code/)
- Website: https://plantuml.com
- Repository: https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml
- License: LGPL-3.0
- Language: Java
- Status: Active (commits in the last 90 days)
- GitHub stars: 13,352
- Commits in the last 12 months: 846
- Contributors: 131
- Last commit: Oct 3, 2026
- Latest release: v1.2026.8 (Sep 5, 2026)
- Install (Maven Central): `implementation("net.sourceforge.plantuml:plantuml:1.2025.4")`
- Topics: Diagrams & diagrams as code

## Overview

PlantUML is an open-source diagram-as-code tool released under the LGPL-3.0 license. Its GitHub repository has 13,352 stars, 1,235 forks, and 131 contributors. It is actively developed with 846 commits in the last 12 months. The latest release, v1.2026.8, was published on Sep 5, 2026.

## Alternatives

- [Mermaid](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/mermaid/): Generate diagrams and flowcharts from markdown-like text definitions, with a live editor. (90.5K stars)
- [Diagrams](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/diagrams/): Diagram as code in Python for prototyping cloud system architectures. (42.7K stars)
- [D2](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/d2/): Declarative diagram scripting language that turns text into diagrams. (25.6K stars)
- [Markmap](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/markmap/): Builds interactive mind maps from Markdown. (13.1K stars)
- [flowchart.js](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/flowchart-js/): Draws SVG flowcharts from a textual description. (8.7K stars)
- [Penrose](https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/penrose/): Creates diagrams from mathematical notation in plain text, from Carnegie Mellon University. (8K stars)

## Comparisons

- [Mermaid vs PlantUML](https://awesomedataviz.com/compare/mermaid-vs-plantuml/)
- [Diagrams vs PlantUML](https://awesomedataviz.com/compare/diagrams-vs-plantuml/)
- [D2 vs PlantUML](https://awesomedataviz.com/compare/d2-vs-plantuml/)
- [Markmap vs PlantUML](https://awesomedataviz.com/compare/markmap-vs-plantuml/)

Source: https://awesomedataviz.com/tools/plantuml/ · Data updated 2026-10-04 · Content: CC BY 4.0, Awesome Dataviz (https://awesomedataviz.com).