Catalyst

Overview

Catalyst is a software tool designed to facilitate the conversion of PlantUML C4 diagrams into draw.io C4 diagrams. This project aims to provide a seamless transition between two popular diagramming standards, enabling users to leverage the strengths of both.

Requirements

The following dependencies needs to be available on the system:

• Java
• Graphviz
• NodeJS

Try it out

• Checkout this repo
• Run npm install to install dependencies
• Run npm run dev to start typescript compiler
• Run npm run exec to test catalyst with the provided demo file diagram.puml

The output is written to output.drawio.

You may try to make changes to diagram.puml to see how catalyst behaves or you may call catalyst directly like this: node ./dist/catalyst.mjs -i input.puml -o output.drawio

Purpose

Bridging Standards

PlantUML and draw.io are widely used diagramming tools, each with its unique strengths. While PlantUML excels in creating diagrams using textual descriptions, draw.io offers a more visual and intuitive diagramming experience. This project seeks to bridge the gap between these two standards, allowing users to harness the power of both tools.

Supporting C4 Modelling

The primary goal of this project is to support the C4 modelling standard. C4 (Context, Containers, Components, and Code) is a popular architectural modeling approach for visualizing and documenting software architecture. By enabling the conversion of PlantUML diagrams to draw.io, this tool facilitates the adoption of C4 modelling by providing a smooth transition from PlantUML's text-based approach to draw.io's graphical capabilities.

Key Features

• PlantUML Compatibility: The converter is designed to recognize and convert C4 PlantUML diagrams.

• draw.io Integration: The resulting draw.io diagrams are seamlessly integrated with draw.io's native features, allowing users to further enhance and refine their diagrams.

Getting Started

1. Installation: Clone the repository and follow the installation instructions in the README file.

2. Usage: Refer to the documentation for detailed instructions on how to use the converter. Examples and usage scenarios are provided to assist you.

3. Contribute: We welcome contributions from the community. Feel free to submit bug reports, feature requests, or pull requests on our GitHub repository.

Why Convert?

Flexibility and Collaboration

• Textual vs. Visual: PlantUML allows you to describe diagrams using text, which can be convenient for version control and collaboration. However, draw.io offers a more visual and interactive approach, making it easier to create complex diagrams.

• Team Collaboration: Converting PlantUML diagrams to draw.io format can enhance team collaboration. Team members can work on diagrams using the user-friendly draw.io interface, even if they are not familiar with PlantUML.

C4 Modelling Adoption

• C4 Modelling: C4 is a widely adopted standard for software architecture modeling. By supporting C4 modelling in draw.io, this converter facilitates the adoption of this powerful approach.

• Better Visualization: draw.io's graphical capabilities enable the creation of more visually appealing and informative C4 diagrams, enhancing the communication of architectural concepts.

License

This project is released under the MIT License. You are free to use, modify, and distribute the software as per the terms of the license.

Feedback and Support

If you have any questions, feedback, or encounter issues with the converter, please open an issue.