Agent skill · creative production · github
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 diagrams, flowcharts in ASCII format, Generating Unicode-enhanced ASCII art with -utxt flag
Why this skill is useful
Adds specific commands and workflows for generating ASCII art diagrams using PlantUML that the AI wouldn't reliably generate on its own.
What it needs
Requires plantuml installed locally. About 3k tokens when loaded. Last updated 2026-08-07. 37,534 stars on the source repository.
What this skill does
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
How to use it
Reference it in AdaL, Claude Code, Cursor or any coding agent — nothing to install:
@skills github/plantuml-ascii