Create diagrams with PlantUML
SkillMediaThis skill should be used when the user invokes "/plantuml" to create a diagram from the current context using PlantUML and output the resulting image path.
Available today. Use it from your connected AI after setup.
No other account needed.
Connect ahel once, and every AI you use reads what you have installed.
Then ask your AI: use the Create diagrams with PlantUML skill
What this skill tells your AI
The instructions your AI receives, as published by xenodium/emacs-skills in skills/plantuml/SKILL.md and read by ahel’s review.
Create a diagram from the most recent interaction context using PlantUML. Generate a PNG image with a transparent background and output it as a markdown image so it renders inline.
How to create a diagram
- Extract or derive diagrammable data from the current context.
- If the Emacs foreground color is not already known from a previous diagram in this session, query it:
This returns a hex color likeemacsclient --eval ' (face-foreground (quote default))'"#eeffff". Reuse it for all subsequent diagrams. - Write a PlantUML file to a temporary file using that color.
- Run PlantUML on the file.
- Output the result as a markdown image on its own line:

plantuml -tpng /tmp/agent-diagram-XXXX.puml
PlantUML template
@startuml
skinparam backgroundColor transparent
skinparam shadowing true
skinparam roundcorner 10
skinparam defaultFontName "Helvetica"
skinparam defaultFontColor #eeffff
' Set foreground color on all element types
skinparam titleFontColor #eeffff
skinparam sequenceLifeLineBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam sequenceArrowColor #eeffff
skinparam sequenceGroupHeaderFontColor #eeffff
skinparam sequenceGroupBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam sequenceDividerFontColor #eeffff
skinparam sequenceDividerBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam actorBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam actorFontColor #eeffff
skinparam participantFontColor #eeffff
skinparam participantBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam collectionsFontColor #eeffff
skinparam collectionsBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam noteFontColor #eeffff
skinparam noteBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam arrowFontColor #eeffff
skinparam classFontColor #eeffff
skinparam classBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam classAttributeFontColor #eeffff
skinparam packageFontColor #eeffff
skinparam packageBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam componentFontColor #eeffff
skinparam componentBorderColor #eeffff
skinparam interfaceFontColor #eeffff
skinparam interfaceBorderColor #eeffff
' ... diagram content ...
@enduml
Rules
- Query the Emacs foreground color once per session and reuse it for all subsequent diagrams. Only query again if the color is not already known.
- Always use
skinparam backgroundColor transparentfor transparent background. - Always use a timestamp in the filename (e.g.,
/tmp/agent-diagram-$(date +%s).png). Never use descriptive names. - Set the queried foreground color on
defaultFontColorand all relevantskinparamentries for borders, arrows, and text so the diagram is readable on the user's Emacs background. - After PlantUML runs successfully, output a markdown image (
) on its own line. - Choose an appropriate diagram type for the data (sequence, class, component, activity, state, etc.).
- Include a title when it adds clarity.
- If no diagrammable data exists in the recent context, inform the user.
Signals
- GitHub stars
- 135
- Forks
- 17
- Last commit
- Jul 2026
Advanced
- Catalog kind
- skill
- Gateway key
plantuml- Source
- github.com/xenodium/emacs-skills