Python Diagram-as-Code Tool Alternatives | Generated by AI
Here are Python-friendly options (beyond Graphviz and NetworkX) that make generating software design/architecture diagrams straightforward. I grouped them by use case and included quick notes and tiny examples.
Diagram-as-code (UML, C4, flowcharts, sequences)
- PlantUML (via python-plantuml or local JAR)
- Great for UML: class, sequence, component, state, activity, deployment.
- Works well in CI and with docs.
- Example: @startuml class User class Order User “1” –> “*” Order @enduml
- Mermaid (use CLI or a Kroki server; Python can call renderer)
- Simple syntax for sequence, class, flowchart, ER, state, etc.
- Renders nicely in many doc tools and wikis.
- Example: flowchart LR API –> DB
- BlockDiag family (blockdiag, seqdiag, actdiag, nwdiag)
- Pure-Python tools to generate block, sequence, activity, and network diagrams from simple text.
- Example (seqdiag): seqdiag { Client -> API [label = “GET /users”]; API -> DB [label = “query”]; }
- Structurizr (C4 model; community Python client)
- Model software architecture (Context, Container, Component) and render via Structurizr/PlantUML.
- Strong for multi-view architecture docs and ADR workflows.
- Kroki (diagram-as-a-service; Python client available)
- Render many DSLs (PlantUML, Mermaid, Graphviz, BPMN, etc.) via a single HTTP API from Python.
Cloud and infrastructure architecture
- Diagrams (by mingrammer)
- Diagram-as-code for cloud/system architecture with official provider icons (AWS, Azure, GCP, K8s, on-prem).
- Very popular for architecture overviews.
- Example: from diagrams import Diagram from diagrams.aws.compute import EC2 from diagrams.aws.database import RDS with Diagram(“Web Service”, show=False): EC2(“api”) » RDS(“db”)
Interactive network/graph visualizations (handy for system maps, dependencies)
- PyVis (vis.js)
- Minimal code to produce interactive HTML graphs.
- Example: from pyvis.network import Network net = Network(); net.add_nodes([“API”,”DB”]); net.add_edge(“API”,”DB”); net.show(“arch.html”)
- Dash Cytoscape / ipycytoscape (Cytoscape.js)
- For interactive, customizable graphs in Dash apps or Jupyter. Good for exploring dependencies and flows.
- Plotly
- Build interactive node-link diagrams with custom styling; easy to embed/share.
- Bokeh / HoloViews
- Interactive plotting with network support; good for Python-centric dashboards.
- python-igraph
- Fast graph library with built-in plotting; suitable when you need layout algorithms plus exportable diagrams.
Documentation integrations (keep diagrams close to your docs)
- Sphinx extensions: sphinxcontrib-plantuml, sphinxcontrib-mermaid, sphinxcontrib-blockdiag
- Write diagrams inline in reStructuredText/Markdown and build them in your docs pipeline.
- MkDocs plugins (for Mermaid/PlantUML)
- Convenient for modern static sites.
Code and architecture reverse-engineering
- pylint’s pyreverse
- Generates UML class and package diagrams from Python code (often renders via Graphviz, but workflow is simple).
- pydeps
- Creates import/dependency graphs of Python packages, handy for architecture maps in large codebases.
Specialized diagrams
- SchemDraw
- Programmatic circuit/logic/flowchart diagrams in Python; clean vector output.
- railroad-diagrams
- Generate syntax/grammar diagrams (useful for protocol/spec documentation).
Tips to choose
- Quick UML/sequence docs: PlantUML or Mermaid.
- Cloud/system architecture posters: Diagrams (mingrammer).
- Interactive exploration and sharing: PyVis or Dash Cytoscape.
- C4 model and living architecture docs: Structurizr (with PlantUML/Mermaid via export).
- Auto-diagrams from code: pyreverse, pydeps.
If you tell me your target diagram types (UML class, sequence, C4, cloud, data flow, package deps) and output format (PNG/SVG/HTML/embedded in docs), I can suggest a minimal setup and a starter template.