Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

PlantUML VS js-sequence-diagrams

Compare PlantUML VS js-sequence-diagrams and see what are their differences

PlantUML logo PlantUML

PlantUML is an open-source tool that uses simple textual descriptions to draw UML diagrams.

js-sequence-diagrams logo js-sequence-diagrams

js-sequence-diagrams turns text into UML sequence diagrams.
  • PlantUML Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-22
  • js-sequence-diagrams Landing page
    Landing page //
    2019-10-01

PlantUML features and specs

  • Simple Syntax
    PlantUML uses a plain text language that is easy to learn, making it accessible for both technical and non-technical users.
  • Quick Diagram Creation
    Due to its straightforward text-based syntax, diagrams can be created and modified quickly without the need for a graphical interface.
  • Version Control Friendly
    Diagrams are stored as text files, making them easy to manage with version control systems like Git.
  • Integrations
    PlantUML integrates well with many other tools and platforms including IDEs (e.g., IntelliJ, VSCode), documentation generators (e.g., Doxygen, Sphinx), and project management tools.
  • Wide Range of Diagrams
    PlantUML supports a variety of UML and non-UML diagrams, including sequence diagrams, use case diagrams, class diagrams, and more.
  • Open Source
    PlantUML is an open-source tool, which makes it free to use and allows for community contributions and extensions.

Possible disadvantages of PlantUML

  • Learning Curve
    While the syntax is simple, users unfamiliar with text-based diagramming may need time to become proficient.
  • No GUI
    PlantUML lacks a graphical user interface (GUI), which might be a disadvantage for users who prefer drag-and-drop diagram creation.
  • Complex Diagrams
    For very complex diagrams, the text-based syntax can become cumbersome and hard to manage.
  • Rendering Limitations
    The style and formatting options are less flexible compared to some dedicated graphical diagramming tools.
  • Performance
    For large diagrams, the text-to-diagram rendering process can be slow.
  • Security Concerns
    Using PlantUML with remote server options might raise security issues, particularly when dealing with sensitive information.

js-sequence-diagrams features and specs

  • Easy to Use
    JS-Sequence-Diagrams provides a simple and intuitive syntax to create sequence diagrams quickly, making it accessible to users who may not be familiar with complex diagramming software.
  • Web-Based
    Being a JavaScript library, it allows for seamless integration into web-based projects, enabling dynamic generation of sequence diagrams directly in the browser without the need for external software.
  • Text-Based Diagramming
    Diagrams are created using plain text syntax, which makes them easy to edit, version control, and integrate with other tools like Markdown editors.
  • Open Source
    As an open-source project, it is free to use and can be customized or extended according to the specific needs of a project.

Possible disadvantages of js-sequence-diagrams

  • Limited Features
    Compared to more comprehensive diagramming tools, js-sequence-diagrams offers limited functionality and customization options, which might not meet the needs of all users.
  • Rendering Performance
    Rendering large or complex diagrams may lead to performance issues or slower load times, especially in environments with less computing power.
  • Browser Dependency
    Since it is a web-based tool, it depends on browser capabilities and JavaScript for rendering, which can be a drawback if you need to use it in environments with restricted or no browser access.
  • Community and Support
    While being open source is advantageous, the tool might have limited community support and resources compared to more established commercial diagramming software.

PlantUML videos

PlantUML - beautiful quick diagrams to explain your models

More videos:

  • Review - Folge16 - PlantUML und IntelliJ
  • Tutorial - PlantUML Gizmo Tutorial: Google Docs Add-on
  • Review - Mermaid vs PlantUML vs HackerDraw: Which One Is Best For You?
  • Review - Using PlantUML For Diagrams In A GitLab Wiki

js-sequence-diagrams videos

No js-sequence-diagrams videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to PlantUML and js-sequence-diagrams)
Diagrams
93 93%
7% 7
Flowcharts
90 90%
10% 10
Flow Charts And Diagrams
87 87%
13% 13
Wireframing
94 94%
6% 6

User comments

Share your experience with using PlantUML and js-sequence-diagrams. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare PlantUML and js-sequence-diagrams

PlantUML Reviews

Top 7 diagrams as code tools for software architecture
PlantUML is a tool that allows you to write diagrams such as sequence, object, component, usecase, class diagrams and more.
5 great diagramming tools for enterprise and software architects
PlantUML is an open source tool and syntax that allows you to make sequence, use case, class, object, and other diagrams from code. It also supports non-UML diagrams like JSON and YAML. In addition, it enjoys support from ArchiMate, ERD, Business Process Modeling Notation (BPMN), and other common notation styles. Its simple, plain-text definitions make creating, sharing, and...
Source: www.redhat.com
Software Diagrams - Plant UML vs Mermaid
For C4 Models, Mermaid support is still experimental. This shows as you have little control over the way the diagram is rendered, and some parts are unreadable (i.e., arrows over nodes). PlantUML works as you would expect and has support for more advanced setup like sprites. Not even close on this one. Winner: PlantUML
9 Best UML Software For Mac & PC
PlantUML is another free open source sequence diagram software that uses text input to build UML charts. PlantUML requires using a specific PlantUML Language to construct sequence charts but once learned it’s very flexible.
Source: machow2.com
40 Open Source, Free and Top Unified Modeling Language (UML) Tools
PlantUML is a component that allows users to quickly write sequence diagrams, usecase diagrams, class diagrams, activity diagrams, component diagrams, state diagrams, deployment diagrams, object diagrams and wireframe graphical interfaces. Diagrams are defined using a simple and intuitive language. Images can be generated in PNG, SVG or LaTeX format and it is also possible...

js-sequence-diagrams Reviews

8 Best Free and Open-Source Drawing Libraries in JavaScript
The last library on our list might not appeal to the masses, but it does serve a unique purpose that makes its mention worthwhile. Have you ever worked on a project where you had to draw UML sequence diagrams? If you said yes, then the JS Sequence Diagrams library would probably be perfect for you.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, PlantUML should be more popular than js-sequence-diagrams. It has been mentiond 12 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

PlantUML mentions (12)

  • Owning my own data, part 1: Integrating a self-hosted calendar solution
    That particular diagram seems to have been generated by https://plantuml.com according to the image's metadata. - Source: Hacker News / about 1 month ago
  • Common Mistakes in Architecture Diagrams (2020)
    I have to confess I am guilty of this — I used to just draw some unstructured circles and arrows on a whiteboard and call it enough. Lately I've been trying to work my way through lots of different diagram types from https://plantuml.com/, and it does help to wrap my mind around the existing options. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • LLM + Mermaid: How Modern Teams Create UML Diagrams Without Lucidchart
    Today, tools like Mermaid and PlantUML have taken center stage, thanks to their ability to generate diagrams with text-based commands. Even better, AI-powered assistants like Claude, ChatGPT, and GitHub Copilot have made generating diagrams even easier. These tools work directly within a developer's environment, creating diagrams that are version-controlled and integrated seamlessly into workflows. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Blockdiag – simple diagram images generator – blockdiag 1.0 documentation
    While inactive blockdiag was small and nice for automatically annotating documentation. As you can see it hasn't been maintained for a few years. https://github.com/blockdiag/blockdiag With complex diagrams, I find good old PlantUML diagrams more useful if not as initially pretty as mermaid. Plus it will output archimate without having to touch that UI https://plantuml.com/ But really it is horses for courses.... - Source: Hacker News / 9 months ago
  • Introduction to Haskell Diagrams
    Use a high-level language like Plant UML, D2, Graphviz which are good for the purpose they are designed for, but not for generic purpose diagramming. - Source: dev.to / 9 months ago
View more

js-sequence-diagrams mentions (5)

  • How to draw beautiful software architecture diagrams
    - js-sequence-diagrams - https://bramp.github.io/js-sequence-diagrams. - Source: Hacker News / over 1 year ago
  • Swimlanes.io – build sequence diagrams in markdown
    Sequence diagrams are always a good idea, and this is a really nice UI! Like another commenter I'm a habitual PlantUML user because of Gitlab rendering, but this would be awesome for someone non-technical. It's a nicer experience than https://bramp.github.io/js-sequence-diagrams/ which I used to use a lot. Source: about 4 years ago
  • Swimlanes.io – generated editable sequence diagrams
    Reminds me of https://bramp.github.io/js-sequence-diagrams/ The nice thing about that library is that you actually can have a self-contained HTML page with a diagram, like:
        .
    - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago
  • Ask HN: What diagrams do you use in software development?
    We use a lot of sequence diagrams. So much so that thanks to https://bramp.github.io/js-sequence-diagrams/ I've got a Netlify-powered static site for creating them interactively at https://sequence-diagrams.netlify.app/ using their JavaScript library. - Source: Hacker News / about 4 years ago
  • Tools to create visual representation?
    If draw.io is too heavy & especially if you hate the GUI aspect, you could also try something like https://www.websequencediagrams.com/ / https://bramp.github.io/js-sequence-diagrams. Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing PlantUML and js-sequence-diagrams, you can also consider the following products

draw.io - Online diagramming application

Swimlanes.io - Swimlanes.io is a simple free online tool for making sequence diagrams.

yEd - yEd is a free desktop application to quickly create, import, edit, and automatically arrange diagrams. It runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Unix/Linux.

SequenceDiagram.org - Clean and fast online sequence diagram tool using scripting and Drag and Drop

LucidChart - LucidChart is the missing link in online productivity suites. LucidChart allows users to create, collaborate on, and publish attractive flowcharts and other diagrams from a web browser.

Dia - Dia is a GTK+ based diagram creation program for GNU/Linux, MacOS X, Unix, and Windows, and is released under the GPL license.