Shape libraries in draw.io

use cases templates shape libraries

Migrate diagrams from PlantUML to Mermaid and draw.io

Diagrams from text are oft faster for programmers to draw than to spend time manually styling and aligning the diagram elements. PlantUML support in draw.io is being phased out at the end of 2025, so here are some ways you can migrate your PlantUML diagrams to draw.io or rewrite them in Mermaid syntax.
Comparing a PlantUML state diagram with a Mermaid diagram of the same state

05 Jun 2025

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Home lab and smart home diagrams

Over on the home lab, home networking and smart home subreddits, it has been fantastic to see diagrams of increasingly complex home computing and network setups being shared. Diagrams help home you understand the physical and logical connections between networked devices, and are useful for setting up security zones, upgrading hardware and debugging connection problems.
A home network example with many smart home components

06 May 2025

use cases shape libraries

New networking shape library with customisable shadows

The new Network 2025 shape library in draw.io has extra styling options built in. When you enable the background colour, the shapes will have a bold long shadow. You can colour each part of these shapes individually - shape outline, shape fill colour (and neutral colour for internal details), background colour and gradient.
The new Network shape library includes a long shadow with additional colour styling options

15 Apr 2025

use cases templates shape libraries

How to draw UML profile diagrams

Profile diagrams are one of the newer UML diagram types, providing a broad overview of a system showing how the system can be implemented in different domains. Stereotypes and constraints indicate which sub-systems and components, languages and processes are modified in different use cases.
Open this example in draw.io

28 Mar 2025

use cases templates shape libraries

Draw communication diagrams to simplify UML sequences

Communication diagrams (formerly collaboration diagrams) show the messages that are passed in a system as an action is taken or an event occurs, and in what order they are sent. As a simplified sequence diagram, these show the information sharing relationships more clearly between different elements of a system.
An example communication diagram of the sequence diagram

07 Mar 2025

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Timing diagrams for UML and embedded systems

Timing diagrams are important for activities that need to be completed within a specific time frame. Such as the ringing of a doorbell after pressing a button, or a ticket gate opening after a ticket has been validated.
An example timing diagram where the waypoint shapes have been made invisible to look neater

28 Feb 2025

use cases templates shape libraries

UML interaction overview diagrams

Interaction overview diagrams show a high-level overview of how components of the system interact with each other. General flowchart shapes show the interaction flow between activities, and sometimes entire sequence diagrams or activity diagrams are embedded for detailed documentation. An example interaction overview diagram with an embedded sequence diagram for using a library in various ways

17 Feb 2025

use cases templates shape libraries

UML overview - where and why each UML diagram is used

UML notation is one of the most popular technical diagramming standards defining a wide range of diagrams useful in many different industries and professions, not just software engineering. That many different technical diagrams can be daunting, so here is an overview of each of the different types of UML diagrams, who draws or reads them, and why they are useful.

30 Jan 2025

use cases shape libraries

More updated networking and cloud shape libraries

In addition to updating the main AWS and Azure shape libraries in draw.io, several new networking and cloud shape libraries have been added, including shapes for Alibaba Cloud, Dynamics365 and OpenStack.
Several new cloud infrastructure libraries have been added, and the Azure and AWS shape libraries have been updated in draw.io

05 Dec 2024

use cases shape libraries

New IBM Cloud shape library for technical diagrams

The new IBM Cloud shape library in draw.io (right) reflects IBM’s updated design language, and extends the existing IBM shape library (left) with a wide range of additional groups, connectors and infrastructure components.
Enable the new IBM and IBM shape libraries to draw IBM infrastructure diagrams

15 Nov 2024

use cases shape libraries

Updated Citrix shape library for clean infrastructure diagrams

The new Citrix shape library helps you to draw Citrix diagrams of complex infrastructures that are easier to read. The older 3D shapes are still available in the Citrix (legacy) shape library.
Enable the new Citrix shape library to draw Citrix infrastructure and network diagrams

29 Oct 2024

use cases templates shape libraries

What makes a good UML diagram tool?

There are a wide range of UML diagramming tools available, as standalone applications, as online-only cloud software, and embedded in various content platforms. Some take text input to generate diagrams, and others are specialised to draw just one type of UML diagram.

18 Oct 2024

use cases shape libraries

New built-in SAP shape library for BTP solution diagrams

BTP solution diagrams document your SAP Business Technology Platform architecture to show its services, environments, systems and interdependencies. Using the standard SAP icon set in your BTP solution diagram ensures that teams from various departments can understand your diagram immediately - from IT service managers and CTOs to SAP consultants and solution architects.
Use the new SAP shape library to draw BTP solution diagrams

19 Jul 2024

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Create and share custom template libraries with draw.io

You can use custom shape libraries to store and share custom template diagrams, in addition to your favourite shapes, freehand sketches, and custom shapes. As you can also store icons, watermarks, images, parts of a diagram, and entire finished diagrams in custom shape libraries, they are an excellent way of sharing your custom templates with people outside your organisation.
An imported custom library will appear in the shapes panel on the left in draw.io

22 Jan 2024

use cases templates shape libraries

Use a waypoint shape to connect an association class in UML class diagrams

Association classes in UML class diagrams ‘hang’ off the relationship between two other classes. Instead of leaving an unconnected end on your connector, add a waypoint shape between them and connect all three class shapes to the waypoint shape.
Connect an association class in a UML class diagram in draw.io with a waypoint shape

13 Sep 2023

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UML component diagrams show the structure of a system

UML component diagrams are used to model the high-level software components and subsystems in service-oriented architectures and component-based development projects, and more importantly, define the interfaces between those components. As component diagrams provide a clear visual overview of a system, they are drawn early in a project as they are useful both to seek approval from stakeholders and to develop an implementation roadmap.

30 Aug 2023

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Draw UML activity diagrams

UML activity diagrams show the sequence of actions and the flow of control in a system or a process. You can model the behaviour of physical and digital systems, as well as business process flows with activity diagrams.
UML activity diagrams are used to model the flow of control and sequence of actions in a process or system
UML activity diagram template in draw.io

23 Nov 2022

use cases templates shape libraries

Draw a UML use case diagram

UML use case diagrams show all of the ways an end-user interacts with your systems, with all of its pre- and post-conditions, exceptions and alternate paths. These diagrams are used to establish your system requirements, whether that be a software system or an interaction with another person or team.

26 Sep 2022

use cases templates shape libraries

Draw a UML state machine diagram

The concept of state diagrams or state machine graphs has been around since the mid 1900s, long before David Harel modified them into the form used today as part of the UML standard.

05 Aug 2022

use cases templates shape libraries

Diagrams for marketing analysts - 5C, SWOT & PEST

Marketing teams commonly use 5C situational analyses, simpler SWOT analyses, PEST and PESTLE analyses to examine and improve their products and services. By presenting the information visually, you won’t get bogged down in unnecessary details.
draw.io has many Venn diagram templates with various numbers of sets

13 Jul 2022

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Venn diagrams and templates

Venn diagrams are widely used in business, education and research to visualise commonalities and differences. Although, you have probably most often seen theme used in memes.

Open this Venn diagram in our diagram viewer

23 May 2022

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Create a sequence diagram

Sequence diagrams show the order of messages that are passed between elements of a system to complete a particular task or use case. The events that cross system boundaries are used by objects and people (actors) to complete their processes.
draw.io contains several examples of UML sequence diagrams in its template library

16 May 2022

use cases shape libraries

Draw structural formulas in draw.io

Represent the three-dimensional molecular shape of a chemical by drawing a structural or skeletal formula in draw.io with the two new connector shapes in the Arrows shape library - the solid wedge and the dashed wedge.

28 Mar 2022

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Create UML class diagrams

UML class diagrams are used to illustrate the structure of a computer program. They detail the types of data or attributes stored within each ‘class’, the methods (operations or functions) that each class provides, and the relationships between the classes.

22 Mar 2022

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