plantuml

What it is and what it does

PlantUML is a Python client that sends UML diagram definitions to a PlantUML server and retrieves rendered images. Instead of installing Java and running PlantUML locally, you write diagram markup in plain text and let a remote server handle the rendering. The package includes a command-line tool to batch-process diagram files and save output images to a directory.

The library depends on httplib2 for HTTP communication and defaults to the public plantuml.com server, though you can point it at any compatible server. It's designed for developers who want diagram-as-code workflows without the overhead of a local Java installation.

Use it for:

• Generate architecture or sequence diagrams from version-controlled text files in CI/CD pipelines.
• Embed UML diagram generation in documentation build systems without requiring Java.
• Batch-convert a folder of PlantUML markup files to PNG or SVG images via command line.
• Create and update UML diagrams programmatically from Python code that models system structure.

Worth the install?

AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying

Generates UML diagrams from text markup by communicating with a PlantUML server, avoiding the need to install Java or spawn shell subprocesses.

Yes, if you need lightweight remote UML diagram generation and accept the dormant maintenance status. The low install friction and lack of Java dependency make it attractive for simple workflows. However, be aware that the package has not been actively maintained since 2019, so compatibility with modern Python versions is unverified and no active support is available. Suitable for stable, non-critical diagram tasks; risky for production systems requiring ongoing maintenance.

Install

plantuml on PyPI

pip install plantuml

uv add plantuml

poetry add plantuml

Installing plantuml

Before you install

Low install friction with a single runtime dependency (httplib2). Maintenance is dormant—last release was 2019-11-01 and the repository has not been updated since 2024-08-19, so expect no active support or bug fixes.

License in practice

BSD license is permissive; you may use, modify, and distribute this package freely with minimal restrictions.

Quickstart

pip install plantuml

import plantuml
diagram = plantuml.PlantUML()
diagram.processes_file('diagram.puml')

Requires network access to a PlantUML server (defaults to plantuml.com); offline use requires running your own server.

Verify before relying

• Whether the package works reliably with modern Python versions (classifiers list only Python 2.6 and 2.7).
• Current state of the public PlantUML server and whether it remains stable for remote clients.
• Whether httplib2 dependency is actively maintained or has known compatibility issues with current Python.

Package facts

Evidence: plantuml-0.3.0-py3-none-any.whl

Keywords: plantuml, uml

Tags

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