compare
Mermaid vs PlantUML
The same facts for both, read from GitHub every night, and the relation a person reviewed.
| Fact | Mermaid | PlantUML |
|---|---|---|
| Language | TypeScript | Java |
| Licence | MIT | LGPL-3.0 |
| Stars | 91k | 13k |
| Latest | @mermaid-js/tiny@12.1.0 | v1.2026.8 |
| Last push | 2026-10-06 | 2026-10-05 |
| Release cadence | about 1 day between releases | about 12 days between releases |
| Active contributors | 20+ commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days | 16 commit authors on the default branch in the last 90 days |
| Flags | none | none |
How they relate
Both replace Lucidchart. Alternatives to Lucidchart →
PartialMermaidFlowcharts, sequence, Gantt and other diagrams from Markdown-like text, rendered by GitHub and many docs tools.
PartialPlantUMLUML, sequence, architecture and other diagrams generated from text, not drawn by hand.
Mermaid
- @mermaid-js/tiny@12.1.02026-10-02behaviour, and descending mirrors every row so it reads from that row's highest bit down to its
- @mermaid-js/parser@2.0.12026-10-02
- @mermaid-js/layout-elk@1.0.12026-10-02Updated dependencies \[50c9e55, 4c90f5c, c7fa1a5, d67331d, 99a050b, 9140716, 3101c7d, aa29345, 967bbde, 147f343, 40ef7b…
- mermaid@12.1.02026-10-02behaviour, and descending mirrors every row so it reads from that row's highest bit down to its
- @mermaid-js/layout-tidy-tree@1.0.12026-09-18
PlantUML
- snapshot2026-10-05snapshot - JAR/JS/EXE (~v1.2026.9beta4)pre-release
- v1.2026.82026-09-05⬆️ Bump actions/setup-java from 5 to 6 by @dependabot[bot] in
- v1.2026.72026-08-25🐛 Fix #2277 NPE when using ELK
- v1.2026.62026-06-08✨ enable TeaVM JS build for the MIT license flavor
- v1.2026.52026-05-27🐛 fix HorizontalAlignment Right being ignored with MinimumWidth
Mermaid
unsigned The latest release, @mermaid-js/tiny@12.1.0, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
Loading the security report
PlantUML
unsigned The latest release, v1.2026.8, carries no signature GitHub could verify.
Loading the security report