PlantUML Language specification Style

       

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Style (or CSS like style)

• For old PlantUML versions, you have to use skinparam useBetaStyle true.
• For new PlantUML versions, style is enabled by default.

Skinparam is being phased out (see comments in issue#1464) and users should migrate to style. Nevertheless, all existing legacy diagrams should still work with future versions of PlantUML.

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Problem to solve

• skinparams allow global changes for a whole diagram
• you can use <<stereotype>> to define specific settings for groups of elements with the same stereotype
• you can use creole syntax to individually change some setting

• every kind of diagram (sequence, class, activity) has its own skinparams
• there is an explosion of possible skinparams (see plantuml-skinparam for an attempt to grok them)
• some elements cannot be stereotyped (for example, messages in sequence diagrams)

• The possibility to use individual change everywhere (so probably with creole engine which will be kept).
• The possibility to change a setting (for example default font size, color, name...) for all diagrams without separate settings for Sequence, Class, Activity, etc.
• At the same time, the possibility to change a setting for a specific diagram type (only Sequence for example).
• Having a syntax close to CSS
• No more hardcoded values (size, color...) in the core PlantUML library. Those values are stored in one single plantuml.skin file that people can read and modify.
• Keep it simple: since nobody is reading the documentation (which is often out-of-date anyway), people should understand the style system just by reading examples.
• Avoid combinatorial explosion in style naming.

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Properties that can be styled

• FontName
• FontColor
• FontSize
• FontStyle
• BackGroundColor
• HyperLinkColor
• LineColor (old BorderColor) : seems more generic
• LineThickness
• LineStyle (old BorderStyle): on real number or two real numbers separated with -
• Padding
• Margin
• RoundCorner
• DiagonalCorner
• ExportedName : used for some format (SVG), not implemented
• Image : not implemented
• ImagePosition : not implemented
• MinimumWidth : not implemented
• WordWrap (to be renamed as MaximumWidth) (add carriage return if needed)
• HorizontalAlignment : left, right or center
• ...

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Current Working Model

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Basic styling for elements

Basic example of a Sequence Diagram style

@startuml ' style enclosure declaration <style> ' scope to sequenceDiagram elements sequenceDiagram { ' scope to actor element types actor { FontColor Blue } } } </style> ' printed in blue actor Bob ' also printed in blue actor Sally @enduml

Basic example of a Work Breakdown Structure style

@startwbs <style> ' this time, scoping to wbsDiagram wbsDiagram { ' Here we introduce a global style, i.e. not targeted to any element ' thus all lines (meaning connector and borders, ' there are no other lines in WBS) are black by default Linecolor black ' But we can also target a diagram specific element, like arrow arrow { ' note that Connectors are actually "Arrows"; this may change in the future ' so this means all Connectors and Arrows are now going to be green LineColor green } } </style> * World ** America *** Canada ** Europe *** England *** Germany *** Spain @endwbs

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Adding user defined style targets (stereotype)

Using user defined styles in a Sequence Diagram

With shown stereotype

@startuml ' style enclosure declaration <style> ' scope to sequenceDiagram elements sequenceDiagram { ' scope to actor element types actor { FontColor Blue } ' define a new style, using CSS class syntax .myStyle { FontColor Red } } </style> ' printed in blue actor Bob ' this will now be printed in Red actor Sally <<myStyle>> @enduml

With not shown stereotype

@startuml hide stereotype ' style enclosure declaration <style> ' scope to sequenceDiagram elements sequenceDiagram { ' scope to actor element types actor { FontColor Blue } ' define a new style, using CSS class syntax .myStyle { FontColor Red } } </style> ' printed in blue actor Bob ' this will now be printed in Red actor Sally <<myStyle>> @enduml

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Using Dynamic Selectors

NOTE: This section is still very experimental and may change!

Using the depth selector in a WBS

@startwbs <style> wbsDiagram { ' all lines (meaning connector and borders, there are no other lines in WBS) are black by default Linecolor Black arrow { ' Note that connector are actually "arrows" even if they don't look like arrows ' This is to be consistent with other UML diagrams. Not 100% sure that it's a good idea ' So now connectors are green at this level LineColor Green } :depth(0) { ' will target the "root" (first level) node, ' AND root level elements like Arrows (styled by Line styles) ' Note how it will override the BackgroundColor White RoundCorner 10 LineColor red } arrow { :depth(2) { ' Targetting only connector between Mexico-Chihuahua and USA-Texas LineColor blue LineStyle 4 LineThickness .5 } } node { :depth(2) { ' Targetting the Lines at a depth of 2 LineStyle 2 LineThickness 2.5 } } } </style> * World ** America *** Canada *** Mexico **** Chihuahua *** USA **** Texas ***< New York ** Europe *** England *** Germany *** Spain @endwbs

Using the "descendant" pseudo selector

@startwbs <style> wbsDiagram { Linecolor black arrow { LineColor green } :depth(1) { BackgroundColor White RoundCorner 10 LineColor red } .mexicoStyle * { BackgroundColor Red FontColor White RoundCorner 10 } } </style> * World ** America *** Canada *** Mexico <<mexicoStyle>> **** Chihuahua *** USA **** Texas ***< New York ** Europe *** England *** Germany *** Spain @endwbs

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Using an external style file

NOTE: This is still a work in progress, and may not work as expected.

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Getting debug output

NOTE: This is still a work in progress, and may not show every element in every diagram.

(0.378 - 256 Mo) 238 Mo - Using style node.depth(0).root.wbsdiagram.rootnode.element
(0.546 - 256 Mo) 237 Mo - Using style depth(2).node.root.wbsdiagram.leafnode.element
(0.547 - 256 Mo) 237 Mo - Using style depth(2).node.root.*.wbsdiagram.element
(0.560 - 256 Mo) 236 Mo - Using style node.root.depth(3).wbsdiagram.leafnode.element
(0.561 - 256 Mo) 236 Mo - Using style node.root.depth(3).*.wbsdiagram.mexicostyle.element
(0.562 - 256 Mo) 236 Mo - Using style node.root.depth(3).*.wbsdiagram.element
(0.565 - 256 Mo) 236 Mo - Using style depth(2).node.root.wbsdiagram.mexicostyle.element
(0.569 - 256 Mo) 235 Mo - Using style depth(2).node.root.wbsdiagram.element
(0.571 - 256 Mo) 235 Mo - Using style node.depth(1).root.wbsdiagram.element
(0.572 - 256 Mo) 235 Mo - Using style node.depth(1).root.*.wbsdiagram.element
(1.963 - 256 Mo) 250 Mo - Using style depth(0).arrow.root.wbsdiagram.element
(1.964 - 256 Mo) 250 Mo - Using style depth(1).arrow.root.wbsdiagram.element
(1.965 - 256 Mo) 250 Mo - Using style depth(2).arrow.root.wbsdiagram.element