plantuml-ascii
Generate ASCII art diagrams using PlantUML text mode. Use when user asks to create ASCII diagrams, text-based diagrams, terminal-friendly diagrams, or mentions plantuml ascii, text diagram, ascii art diagram. Supports: Converting PlantUML diagrams to ASCII art, Creating sequence diagrams, class diag
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npx skills add github/awesome-copilot --skill plantuml-ascii
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PlantUML ASCII Art Diagram Generator
Overview
Create text based ASCII art diagrams using PlantUML. Perfect for documentation in terminal environments, README files, emails, or any scenario where graphical diagrams aren't suitable.
What is PlantUML ASCII Art?
PlantUML can generate diagrams as plain text (ASCII art) instead of images. This is useful for:
Terminal based workflows
Git commits/PRs without image support
Documentation that needs to be version controlled
Environments where graphical tools aren't available
Installation
Output Formats
Flag Format Description
txt ASCII Pure ASCII characters
utxt Unicode ASCII Enhanced with box drawing characters
Basic Workflow
1. Create PlantUML Diagram File
2. Generate ASCII Art
3. View Output
Output is saved as diagram.atxt (ASCII) or diagram.utxt (Unicode).
Diagram Types Supported
Sequence Diagram
Class Diagram
Activity Diagram
State Diagram
Component Diagram
Use Case Diagram
Deployment Diagram
Command Line Options
Ant Task Integration
Tips for Better ASCII Diagrams
1. Keep it simple : Complex diagrams don't render well in ASCII
2. Short labels : Long text breaks ASCII alignment
3. Use Unicode ( utxt ) : Better visual quality with box drawing chars
4. Test before sharing : Verify in terminal with fixed width font
5. Consider alternatives : For complex diagrams, use Mermaid.js or graphviz
Example Output Comparison
Standard ASCII ( txt ) :
Unicode ASCII ( utxt ) :
Quick Reference
Troubleshooting
Problem : Garbled Unicode characters
Solution : Ensure terminal supports UTF 8 and has proper font
Problem : Diagram looks misaligned
Solution : Use fixed width font (Courier, Monaco, Consolas)
Problem : Command not found
Solution : Install PlantUML or use Java JAR directly
Problem : Output file not created
Solution : Check file permissions, ensure PlantUML has write access