testHelp()

plantuml - generate diagrams from plain text

Usage:
  java -jar plantuml.jar [options] [file|dir]...
  java -jar plantuml.jar [options] --gui

Description:
  Process PlantUML sources from files, directories (optionally recursive), or stdin (-pipe).

Wildcards (for files/dirs):
  *   any characters except '/' and '\'
  ?   exactly one character except '/' and '\'
  **  any characters across directories (recursive)
  Tip: quote patterns to avoid shell expansion (e.g., "**/*.puml").

General:

General:
     --author ..................... Show information about PlantUML authors
     --check-graphviz ............. Check Graphviz installation
     --dark-mode .................. Render diagrams in dark mode
     --duration ................... Print total processing time
     --gui ........................ Launch the graphical user interface
 -h, --help ....................... Show help and usage information
     --help-more .................. Show extended help (advanced options)
     --http-server[:<port>] ....... Start internal HTTP server for rendering (default port : 8080)
     --progress-bar ............... Show a textual progress bar
     --splash-screen .............. Show splash screen with progress bar
 -v, --verbose .................... Enable verbose logging
     --version .................... Show PlantUML and Java version

Input & preprocessing:
     --charset <name> ............. Use a specific input charset
     --config <file> .............. Specify configuration file
 -d, --define <VAR>=<value> ....... Define a preprocessing variable (equivalent to '!define <var> <value>')
     --exclude <pattern> .......... Exclude input files matching the given pattern
 -I, --include <file> ............. Include external file (as with '!include <file>')
 -p, --pipe ....................... Read source from stdin, write result to stdout
 -P, --pragma <key>=<value> ....... Set pragma (equivalent to '!pragma <key> <value>')
     --skinparam <key>=<value> .... Set skin parameter (equivalent to 'skinparam <key> <value>')
     --theme <name> ............... Apply a theme

Execution control:
     --check-before-run ........... Pre-check syntax of all inputs and stop faster on error
     --check-syntax ............... Check diagram syntax without generating images
     --graphviz-timeout <seconds>   Set Graphviz processing timeout (in seconds)
     --ignore-startuml-filename ... Ignore '@startuml <name>' and always derive output filenames from input files
     --no-error-image ............. Do not generate error images for diagrams with syntax errors
     --stop-on-error .............. Stop at the first syntax error
     --threads <n|auto> ........... Use <n> threads for processing  (auto = available processors)

Metadata & assets:
     --decode-url <string> ........ Decode a PlantUML encoded URL back to its source
     --disable-metadata ........... Do not include metadata in generated files
     --dot-path <path-to-dot-exe>   Specify the path to the Graphviz 'dot' executable
     --encode-url ................. Generate an encoded PlantUML URL from a source file
     --extract-source ............. Extract embedded PlantUML source from PNG or SVG metadata
     --ftp-server ................. Start a local FTP server for diagram rendering (rarely used)
     --list-keywords .............. Print the list of PlantUML language keywords
     --skip-fresh ................. Skip PNG/SVG files that are already up-to-date (using metadata)
     --sprite <4|8|16[z]> <file> .. Encode a sprite definition from an image file

Output control:
     --output-dir <dir> ........... Generate output files in the specified directory
     --overwrite .................. Allow overwriting of read-only output files

Output format (choose one):
 -f, --format <name> .............. Set the output format for generated diagrams
                                    (e.g. png, svg, pdf, eps, latex, txt, utxt, obfuscate, preproc...)

Available formats:
     --eps ........................ Generate images in EPS format
     --html ....................... Generate HTML files for class diagrams
     --latex ...................... Generate LaTeX/TikZ output
     --latex-nopreamble ........... Generate LaTeX/TikZ output without preamble
     --obfuscate .................. Replace text in diagrams with obfuscated strings to share diagrams safely
     --pdf ........................ Generate PDF images
     --png ........................ Generate PNG images (default)
     --preproc .................... Generate the preprocessed source after applying !include, !define... (no rendering)
     --scxml ...................... Generate SCXML files for state diagrams
     --svg ........................ Generate SVG images
     --txt ........................ Generate ASCII art diagrams
     --utxt ....................... Generate ASCII art diagrams using Unicode characters
     --vdx ........................ Generate VDX files
     --xmi ........................ Generate XMI files for class diagrams

Statistics:
     --disable-stats .............. Disable statistics collection (default behavior)
     --enable-stats ............... Enable statistics collection
     --export-stats ............... Export collected statistics to a text report and exit
     --export-stats-html .......... Export collected statistics to an HTML report and exit
     --html-stats ................. Output general statistics in HTML format
     --loop-stats ................. Continuously print usage statistics during execution
     --realtime-stats ............. Generate statistics in real time during processing
     --xml-stats .................. Output general statistics in XML format


Examples:
  # Process all .puml recursively
  java -jar plantuml.jar "**/*.puml"

  # Check syntax only (CI)
  java -jar plantuml.jar --check-syntax src/diagrams

  # Read from stdin and write to stdout (SVG)
  cat diagram.puml | java -jar plantuml.jar --svg -pipe > out.svg

  # Encode a sprite from an image
  java -jar plantuml.jar --sprite 16z myicon.png

  # Use a define
  java -jar plantuml.jar -DAUTHOR=John diagram.puml

  # Change output directory
  java -jar plantuml.jar --format svg --output-dir out diagrams/

Exit codes:
  0    Success
  50   No file found
  100  No diagram found in file(s)
  200  Some diagrams have syntax errors

See also:
  java -jar plantuml.jar --help-more
  Documentation: https://plantuml.com