1. Use Images in Diagrams¶

Tip

Given we want diagrams that communicate quickly and clearly, using images (rather than just shapes) is very effective.

The following table lists the options to add an image to a PlantUML diagram.

Options to add images to PlantUML diagrams¶
Option	Builtin	Details
Deployment Diagram Elements	Yes	These are ~20 shapes
Creole openIconic	Yes	e.g. <&person>, e.g. <&cloud>
Standard Library sprites	Yes	These are part of PlantUML - but submitted by the community
Create our own sprites	No	You can convert and use any image. You can also submit to PlantUML for inclusion in Standard Library
Images	No	jpg, png, etc… using <img>tag to add images you specify via file or URL

Let’s look at all of these in detail.

Note

For clarity, sprites will be referred to as icons. Image formats, like png, jpg will be referred to as image files.

1.1. Deployment Diagram Elements¶

1.1.1. Review The Deployment Diagram Elements¶

PlantUML supports sprites small graphic elements that can be used in diagrams.

Deployment diagrams define several sprites.

@startuml
actor actor
agent agent
artifact artifact
boundary boundary
card card
cloud cloud
component component
control control
database database
entity entity
file file
folder folder
frame frame
interface interface
node node
package package
queue queue
stack stack
rectangle rectangle
storage storage
usecase usecase
@enduml

@startuml
actor actor
agent agent
artifact artifact
boundary boundary
card card
cloud cloud
component component
control control
database database
entity entity
file file
folder folder
frame frame
interface  interface
node node
package package
queue queue
stack stack
rectangle rectangle
storage storage
usecase usecase
@enduml

1.1.2. Use The Deployment Diagram Elements In A Sequence Diagram¶

Below is an example using some of these - in a sequence diagram.

Using database, control, boundary Deployment Diagram Elements¶

@startuml


autonumber
box "UnTrustedDomain" #Red
	database UnTrustedKeyStore as UKS
	control UnTrustedKeyManager as UKM
    boundary KeyLoader as KL
end box

box "TrustedDomain" #Green
	database PersistentStorage as KS
    control KeyManager as KM

end box


group In the Beginning...
    
    group RootKBPK    
        note over KM: A Unique random key is born
        KS --> KS: Root KBPK exists
    end
   
    group Storage in UnTrustedDomain 
        KM --> KM: Create Class N KPBK
        KS --> KM: RootKBPK 
        note over KM: Shorthand for create a KeyBlock with ClassKBPK N as key payload, and RootKBPK as KBPK
        UKM --> UKS: KeyBlock[ClassKBPK N]RootKBPK        
        note over UKS: Process is repeated for ClassKBPK 1,2,3...N 
    end
end 

@enduml

In this diagram, we’re using some PlantUML keywords:

autonumber: to automatically number the sequence steps.
box: to highlight domains: trusted in green, untrusted in red.
group: to group sequence flows. And these can be grouped within other groups.
note: to add a note to the diagram.

1.2. Standard Library Sprites¶

PlantUML includes a Standard Library. Contents of the library come from third party contributors.

See http://plantuml.com/stdlib for what is supported in official release of PlantUML
“-stdlib” option lists the builtin icon libraries

aws
Version 18.02.22
Delivered by https://github.com/milo-minderbinder/AWS-PlantUML

awslib
Version 3.0.0
Delivered by https://github.com/awslabs/aws-icons-for-plantuml

azure
Version 2.1.0
Delivered by https://github.com/RicardoNiepel/Azure-PlantUML

c4
Version 1.0.0
Delivered by https://github.com/RicardoNiepel/C4-PlantUML

cloudinsight
Version 0.0.1
Delivered by https://github.com/rabelenda/cicon-plantuml-sprites/

cloudogu
Version 0.0.1
Delivered by https://github.com/cloudogu/plantuml-cloudogu-sprites

material
Version 0.0.1
Delivered by https://github.com/Templarian/MaterialDesign

office
Version 0.0.1
Delivered by https://github.com/Roemer/plantuml-office

osa
Version 0.0.1
Delivered by https://github.com/Crashedmind/PlantUML-opensecurityarchitecture-icons

tupadr3
Version 2.0.0
Delivered by https://github.com/tupadr3/plantuml-icon-font-sprites

1.2.1. Example Builtin Sprites AWS¶

Plantuml for AWS uses the icon set from AWS and converts these to sprites for use with PlantUML.

https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml-stdlib/tree/master/aws

Note

AWS-labs has since updated the AWS icons, and submitted a new icon set to PlantUML.

https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml-stdlib/tree/master/awslib

1.2.2. Simple Example¶

@startuml

!include <aws/common>
!include <aws/Storage/AmazonS3/AmazonS3>
!include <aws/Storage/AmazonS3/bucket/bucket>

AMAZONS3(s3) {
BUCKET(site,www.insecurity.co)
BUCKET(logs,logs.insecurity.co)
}

site .r.> logs : events

@enduml

@startuml

!include <aws/common>
!include <aws/Storage/AmazonS3/AmazonS3>
!include <aws/Storage/AmazonS3/bucket/bucket>

AMAZONS3(s3) {
    BUCKET(site,www.insecurity.co)
    BUCKET(logs,logs.insecurity.co)
}

site .r.> logs : events

@enduml

1.2.3. More Complex Example¶

$@startuml !includeurl <aws/common.puml> !includeurl <aws/ApplicationServices/AmazonAPIGateway/AmazonAPIGateway.puml> !includeurl <aws/Compute/AWSLambda/AWSLambda.puml> !includeurl <aws/Compute/AWSLambda/LambdaFunction/LambdaFunction.puml> !includeurl <aws/Database/AmazonDynamoDB/AmazonDynamoDB.puml> !includeurl <aws/Database/AmazonDynamoDB/table/table.puml> !includeurl <aws/General/AWScloud/AWScloud.puml> !includeurl <aws/General/client/client.puml> !includeurl <aws/General/user/user.puml> !includeurl <aws/SDKs/JavaScript/JavaScript.puml> !includeurl <aws/Storage/AmazonS3/AmazonS3.puml> !includeurl <aws/Storage/AmazonS3/bucket/bucket.puml> skinparam componentArrowColor Black skinparam componentBackgroundColor White skinparam nodeBackgroundColor White skinparam agentBackgroundColor White skinparam artifactBackgroundColor White USER(user) CLIENT(browser) JAVASCRIPT(js,SDK) AWSCLOUD(aws) { AMAZONS3(s3) { BUCKET(site,www.insecurity.co) BUCKET(logs,logs.insecurity.co) } AMAZONAPIGATEWAY(api) AWSLAMBDA(lambda) { LAMBDAFUNCTION(addComments,addComments) } AMAZONDYNAMODB(dynamo) { TABLE(comments,Comments) } } user - browser browser -d-> site :**1a**) get\nstatic\ncontent site ~> logs :1a site .u.> browser :**1b** browser - js js -r-> comments :**2a**) get\ncomments comments ..> js :**2b** js -r-> api :**3**) add\ncomment api -d-> addComments :**4** addComments -> comments :**5** comments ..> js :**6**) new\ncomments @enduml$

@startuml


!includeurl <aws/common.puml>
!includeurl <aws/ApplicationServices/AmazonAPIGateway/AmazonAPIGateway.puml>
!includeurl <aws/Compute/AWSLambda/AWSLambda.puml>
!includeurl <aws/Compute/AWSLambda/LambdaFunction/LambdaFunction.puml>
!includeurl <aws/Database/AmazonDynamoDB/AmazonDynamoDB.puml>
!includeurl <aws/Database/AmazonDynamoDB/table/table.puml>
!includeurl <aws/General/AWScloud/AWScloud.puml>
!includeurl <aws/General/client/client.puml>
!includeurl <aws/General/user/user.puml>
!includeurl <aws/SDKs/JavaScript/JavaScript.puml>
!includeurl <aws/Storage/AmazonS3/AmazonS3.puml>
!includeurl <aws/Storage/AmazonS3/bucket/bucket.puml>

skinparam componentArrowColor Black
skinparam componentBackgroundColor White
skinparam nodeBackgroundColor White
skinparam agentBackgroundColor White
skinparam artifactBackgroundColor White


USER(user)
CLIENT(browser)
JAVASCRIPT(js,SDK)

AWSCLOUD(aws) {

    AMAZONS3(s3) {
        BUCKET(site,www.insecurity.co)
        BUCKET(logs,logs.insecurity.co)
    }

    AMAZONAPIGATEWAY(api)

    AWSLAMBDA(lambda) {
        LAMBDAFUNCTION(addComments,addComments)
    }

    AMAZONDYNAMODB(dynamo) {
        TABLE(comments,Comments)
    }
}

user - browser

browser -d-> site :**1a**) get\nstatic\ncontent
site ~> logs :1a
site .u.> browser :**1b**
browser - js
js -r-> comments :**2a**) get\ncomments
comments ..> js :**2b**

js -r-> api :**3**) add\ncomment

api -d-> addComments :**4**

addComments -> comments :**5**

comments ..> js :**6**) new\ncomments
@enduml

1.3. Create A Sprite¶

It’s easy to create your own sprites from existing icons.

1.3.1. Start With a Png Image¶

Here we use a 100x100 person icon

1.3.2. Convert To Sprite Of Different Resolutions As Follows¶

You can use the PlantUML GUI as described in sprites, or use the command line:

java -jar plantuml.jar -encodesprite 4 C4person100.png > C4person4.sprite
java -jar plantuml.jar -encodesprite 16 C4person100.png > C4person16.sprite
java -jar plantuml.jar -encodesprite 8 C4person100.png > C4person8.sprite

C4person4.sprite file:

sprite $C4person100 [100x100/4] {
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000115555LLLLLLLL5555110000000000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000000000115LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL51000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000015LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL1000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000015LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL50000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000005LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL100000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000005LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL10000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL0000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL0000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL0000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000KLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLG0000000000000000000000000000
00000000000000000000000000000KLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLG00000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000KLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLK0000000000000000000000000000000
000000000000000000000000000000000KLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLKG000000000000000000000000000000000
00000000001115555555555555555555555LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL55555555555555555555511110000000000
00000115LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL51000000
0001LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL51000
01LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL00
0LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL0
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL5
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
LLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL
KLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLG
0KLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLK0
00KLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLG00
0000GKLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLKG0000
0000000GGKKLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLKKGG0000000
000000000000000GGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGGG000000000000000
}

Note

You may have noticed there are more than 4 different values in C4person4.sprite This is to make sprite definition as compact as possible. For sprite with 4 colors, each pixel can have 4 values. If you group pixels by 3, it means that you have 4*4*4 = 64 possible values by pixel’s group. If you use characters 0-9, A-Z, a-z and _ and -, you have exactly 64 values. So each character encodes actually 3 pixels at once.

1.3.3. Create Diagram With Our Sprites¶

@startuml
sprite $C4person100Small [16x16/16] {
0000004774000000
0000067777600000
0000377777720000
0000477777740000
0000377777730000
0000077777600000
0244467777644420
3777777777777773
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7777777777777777
7777777777777777
7777777777777777
7777777777777777
5777777777777774
0477777777777640
}

sprite $C4person100Big [100x100/16] {
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000000013456666543100000000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000000000014677777777777764100000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000000002577777777777777777751000000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000000157777777777777777777777400000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000003777777777777777777777777772000000000000000000000000000000000000
0000000000000000000000000000000000047777777777777777777777777777300000000000000000000000000000000000
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0000000036777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777777776200000000
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}


Bob : <$C4person100Small> Small
Alice : <$C4person100Big> Big

Alice -> Bob 
@enduml

Note

In this example, we created a big (100x100) icon, and a small (16 x 16) icon.

The optimal way to change an icon size is to use one icon of sufficient resolution - not too big or small, (e.g. 48x48) and then use the scale option to increase or decrease its size.

See Scaling Sprites for details.

1.4. Images¶

1.4.1. Add Images To A Diagram¶

This uses the image tag which is part of PlantUML creole Legacy HTML support per PlantUML specification:

Some HTML tags are also working:

    <b> for bold text
    <u> or <u:#AAAAAA> or <u:[[color|colorName]]> for underline
    <i> for italic
    <s> or <s:#AAAAAA> or <s:[[color|colorName]]> for strike text
    <w> or <w:#AAAAAA> or <w:[[color|colorName]]> for wave underline text
    <color:#AAAAAA> or <color:[[color|colorName]]>
    <back:#AAAAAA> or <back:[[color|colorName]]> for background color
    <size:nn> to change font size
    <img:file> : the file must be accessible by the filesystem
    <img:http://plantuml.com/logo3.png> : the URL must be available from the Internet

'diagram from https://plantuml.com/creole
@startuml
:* You can change <color:red>text color</color>
* You can change <back:cadetblue>background color</back>
* You can change <size:18>size</size>
* You use <u>legacy</u> <b>HTML <i>tag</i></b>
* You use <u:red>color</u> <s:green>in HTML</s> <w:#0000FF>tag</w>
----
* image x0.5 : <img:http://plantuml.com/logo3.png{scale=0.5}>
----
* image x1.5 : <img:http://plantuml.com/logo3.png{scale=1.5}>
;
@enduml

Tip

You can scale an image. In the diagram above, we made the image 0.5, and 1.5 times bigger using the `scale` keyword.

1.4.2. So Why Do I Need Sprites?¶

Sprites are monochrome (16 shades/levels max), versus image files which can be infinite color at high resolution.

But we can easily change a sprite’s characteristics via PlantUML e.g. color.
Many large companies are moving towards simple monochrome icons e.g. the AWS went from https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml-stdlib/tree/master/aws to https://github.com/awslabs/aws-icons-for-plantuml. Similarly, kubernetes, GCP, Azure architecture icons are simple.
They are also smaller in size.