Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

UMLGraph VS Graphviz

Compare UMLGraph VS Graphviz and see what are their differences

UMLGraph logo UMLGraph

UMLGraph is a professional automated drawing tool that allows the designers the declarative specification and drawing of UML class and sequence diagram.

Graphviz logo Graphviz

Graphviz is open source graph visualization software. It has several main graph layout programs.
  • UMLGraph Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-25
  • Graphviz Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-01-18

UMLGraph features and specs

  • Automated Diagrams
    UMLGraph allows for the automatic generation of UML diagrams directly from Java source code, which can save a significant amount of time and reduce the likelihood of errors introduced by manual diagram creation.
  • Integration with Javadoc
    UMLGraph integrates seamlessly with Javadoc, enabling the generation of both class documentation and UML diagrams in a unified process.
  • Text-Based Configuration
    Diagrams are configured using textual annotations in the source code, which makes version control easier and allows developers to maintain diagrams alongside the source code.
  • Extensible and Customizable
    The tool is highly customizable, allowing users to define the appearance and layout of UML diagrams to meet specific project needs.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source tool, UMLGraph is freely available for use and modification, promoting community involvement and continual improvement.

Possible disadvantages of UMLGraph

  • Learning Curve
    There is a learning curve associated with mastering the use of UMLGraph and its annotations, which may create an initial barrier to entry for new users.
  • Java-Centric
    UMLGraph is designed specifically for Java, which limits its utility for projects that are developed in other programming languages.
  • Limited Dynamic Diagram Support
    The tool primarily focuses on static diagrams and may have limited functionality for generating dynamic diagrams such as sequence or activity diagrams.
  • Dependence on Graphviz
    UMLGraph relies on Graphviz for rendering diagrams, which introduces an additional dependency that must be installed and maintained.
  • Manual Configuration for Complex Diagrams
    For complex diagrams, significant manual configuration may be required, which can negate some of the time-saving benefits.

Graphviz features and specs

  • Automated Layout
    Graphviz uses sophisticated algorithms to automatically produce visually appealing layouts for graphs, reducing the need for manual adjustments and saving time.
  • Customization
    Offers a range of customization options, allowing users to tweak the appearance of nodes, edges, labels, and overall graph style.
  • Versatility
    Supports multiple output formats including SVG, PNG, PDF, and PostScript, making it easy to integrate graphs into various types of documents and applications.
  • Integrations
    Graphviz can be integrated with multiple programming languages and platforms, such as Python, Perl, and web applications, increasing its usability across different environments.
  • Open Source
    Being open-source software, Graphviz is free to use, modify, and distribute, which makes it accessible for both personal and commercial projects.

Possible disadvantages of Graphviz

  • Steep Learning Curve
    New users may find the learning curve steep due to the detailed syntax and numerous configuration options available.
  • Performance Issues with Large Graphs
    Rendering very large and complex graphs can be slow, which may hinder real-time or interactive applications.
  • Limited Interactivity
    Graphviz-generated diagrams are static, lacking features like node dragging or dynamic updates, which are available in some modern visualization tools.
  • Error Handling
    Error messages and debugging can be less insightful, making it difficult for users to identify and fix issues in complex graphs.
  • Aesthetic Limitation
    While offering some aesthetic customization, it can be challenging to achieve more intricate or modern visual styles compared to dedicated graphic design tools.

UMLGraph videos

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Graphviz videos

Graphviz - Make Diagrams - Ubuntu 10.10

More videos:

  • Review - Use Soot and Graphviz to Generate and Visualize Java Call Graphs

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to UMLGraph and Graphviz)
Diagrams
36 36%
64% 64
Flowcharts
33 33%
67% 67
Development
100 100%
0% 0
Flow Charts And Diagrams
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare UMLGraph and Graphviz

UMLGraph Reviews

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Graphviz Reviews

Top 7 diagrams as code tools for software architecture
Graphviz is a graph visualization software for representing structural information as diagrams.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Graphviz seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 86 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.

UMLGraph mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of UMLGraph yet. Tracking of UMLGraph recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Graphviz mentions (86)

  • Ask HN: What do you use to create diagrams?
    Depends on the diagram. But a lot of times it's OpenOffice Draw[1]. I might also use Archi[2] or GraphViz[3] depending on what I'm trying to do. [1]: https://www.openoffice.org/product/draw.html [2]: https://www.archimatetool.com/ [3]: https://graphviz.org. - Source: Hacker News / about 2 months ago
  • Fixing Left and Mutual Recursions in Grammars
    Isn't Graphviz [1] the standard tool for this? [1] https://graphviz.org/. - Source: Hacker News / 3 months ago
  • ClickHouse: The Key to Faster Insights
    EXPLAIN AST: With this clause, we can explore the Abstract Syntax Tree, we can also visualize this via Graphviz. - Source: dev.to / 5 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
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What are some alternatives?

When comparing UMLGraph and Graphviz, you can also consider the following products

draw.io - Online diagramming application

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

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

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.

OmniGraffle - OmniGraffle is for creating precise graphics like website wireframes, an electrical system designs, or mapping out software class.