UML diagrams that are actually pretty?

Question

I'm looking for a diagramming software that would produce good looking output. It doesn't need to support everything (or even much) from UML, is doesn't need to have code engineering functions or anything, it just needs to produce visually interesting output.

Here is a couple of samples of products that I consider ugly / not good enough: Visio with default UML stencils (didn't find better looking ones), Enterprise Architect, Dia, ArgoUML and many other "professional" UML tools.

A couple of visually compelling tools that I considered (but found issues with):

• Visual Studio class diagrams - just for .NET classes but the output is miles better than what UML tools typically produce
• NClass - similar to VS's class diagrams but I could not find the "pretty", blue skin anywhere
• yuml.me - very nice but lacking some advanced layout options. I have to say that I find their style almost ideal for high-level diagrams - they look sketchy which is good.
• Balsamiq - I think Joel used this for hginit.com and I liked it. However, it's not suited for creating software diagrams so I can imagine it would be quite a lot of work
• MS Word has actually quite a good graphics engine but I'd rather leave this as a choice of the last resort

I'd be grateful for any good tips.

Instinct

This area is lacking for sure. Visio can make really good-looking diagrams, but it takes a lot of work (don't use the default stencils). Visual Studio class diagrams are the nicest looking for the least amount of effort. – Autotype

To achieve good looking output in Visio, do you manually style all the visual components or do you use some better stencils? – Instinct

Hi mate, Are you looking for models or a top model ? – Tearing

Class diagrams will be the primary use case although I would appreciate more generic capabilities too. – Instinct

FTR, we can't find "Joel" on the vast internet. But we can probably find Joel Spolsky. – Haslet

Answer 1

Visio seems to be the closest match for what I'm looking, something between vector editor and a software diagramming tool with decent formatting and layout options. Not optimal on many levels but the most flexible tool I tried so far.

Instinct

Answer 2

yEd is a powerful desktop application that can be used to quickly and effectively generate high-quality diagrams

Degradable

Answer 3

Take a look at this, a web app for creating UML diagrams!

Synovia

Do you have nothing else to say about the product? Have you tried it, does it work, is it easy to use? – Febrifuge

yUML is great for simple diagrams, however, the lack of design surface makes it hard to use for anything bigger. But the output looks great, that's true. – Instinct

Answer 4

Architexa allows you to create easily manageable UML style class, sequence, and layered diagrams from within the Eclipse IDE. It also helps speed up the process by allowing you to add items straight from your codebase.

Vizcacha

Answer 5

Visio 2013 has quite some nice designs, even sketch-like layouts that are my favorites. Here's an example:

Vanderpool

Answer 6

I make (and teach people to make - I have a training module for that) very pretty Diagrams with Sparx Enterprise Architect. However I always teach people to make effective, succinct Diagrams fist, and then improve their presentation - trying to modify a diagram that has been "beautified" is unproductive.

Waterway

Answer 7

This is definitely a hard question:) There are many tools, however the most beautiful UML diagrams are saw were made using vector graphics editor... It also depends on what do you expect from a tool producing nice diagrams... Pretty stencils? Good layouting algorithm? Tools which I find more or less usable are MagicDraw for the grid, BOUML for simplicity and either Papyrus or Moskitt, whichever had some layouting heuristing trying not to put classes which were made to be close too much aside.

Sharla

Primarily pretty stencils, good layout algorithm is a bonus although not required. – Instinct

Answer 8

Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate includes the following UML diagrams: class, sequence, component, use case, and activity. You can also generate sequence diagrams and dependency graphs from code.

For examples of how these diagrams look, see their descriptions under Developing Models for Software Design. If you can get the Visualization and Modeling Feature Pack, you can create UML class diagrams from code.

You can download the trial version of Visual Studio 2010 Ultimate here. If you have an MSDN subscription, you can get the feature pack here.

Sausauce

Is there any difference between the ultimate and nonultimate versions ? I'm asking because I don't find the nonultimate version particularly smart or pretty : the lines can only go vertically and horizontally (no pretty bezier curves there or even straight lines), and the tool is amazingly unsmart at routing them so you spend your time doing fragile routing manually, that will get lost the next time you move anything on the diagram. – Haslet

Answer 9

Visual Studio 2010 (Ultimate) is good for UML in .NET, but it is only available to MSDN subscribers. If you are looking for another better one, I would recommend you to try Visual Paradigm.

Joelynn

Is there any difference between the ultimate and nonultimate versions ? I'm asking because I don't find the nonultimate version particularly smart or pretty : the lines can only go vertically and horizontally (no pretty bezier curves there or even straight lines), and the tool is amazingly unsmart at routing them so you spend your time doing fragile routing manually, that will get lost the next time you move anything on the diagram. – Haslet

Answer 10

draw.io is good, they also have a desktop application (Electron)

Krummhorn