State Diagram

Simple State

You can use [*] for the starting point and ending point of the state diagram.

Use --> for arrows.

@startuml

[*] --> State1
State1 --> [*]
State1 : this is a string
State1 : this is another string

State1 -> State2
State2 --> [*]

@enduml

Composite state

A state can also be composite. You have to define it using the state keywords and brackets.

@startuml
scale 350 width
[*] --> NotShooting

state NotShooting {
  [*] --> Idle
  Idle --> Configuring : EvConfig
  Configuring --> Idle : EvConfig
}

state Configuring {
  [*] --> NewValueSelection
  NewValueSelection --> NewValuePreview : EvNewValue
  NewValuePreview --> NewValueSelection : EvNewValueRejected
  NewValuePreview --> NewValueSelection : EvNewValueSaved
  
  state NewValuePreview {
     State1 -> State2
  }
  
}
@enduml

Long name

You can also use the state keyword to use long description for states.

@startuml
scale 600 width

[*] -> State1
State1 --> State2 : Succeeded
State1 --> [*] : Aborted
State2 --> State3 : Succeeded
State2 --> [*] : Aborted
state State3 {
  state "Accumulate Enough Data\nLong State Name" as long1
  long1 : Just a test
  [*] --> long1
  long1 --> long1 : New Data
  long1 --> ProcessData : Enough Data
}
State3 --> State3 : Failed
State3 --> [*] : Succeeded / Save Result
State3 --> [*] : Aborted
 
@enduml

Concurrent state

You can define concurrent state into a composite state using either -- or || symbol as separator.

@startuml
[*] --> Active

state Active {
  [*] -> NumLockOff
  NumLockOff --> NumLockOn : EvNumLockPressed
  NumLockOn --> NumLockOff : EvNumLockPressed
  --
  [*] -> CapsLockOff
  CapsLockOff --> CapsLockOn : EvCapsLockPressed
  CapsLockOn --> CapsLockOff : EvCapsLockPressed
  --
  [*] -> ScrollLockOff
  ScrollLockOff --> ScrollLockOn : EvCapsLockPressed
  ScrollLockOn --> ScrollLockOff : EvCapsLockPressed
}

@enduml

Arrow direction

You can use -> for horizontal arrows. It is possible to force arrow's direction using the following syntax:

-down-> (default arrow)
-right-> or ->
-left->
-up->

@startuml

[*] -up-> First
First -right-> Second
Second --> Third
Third -left-> Last

@enduml

setting arrow direction in UML state diagram

You can shorten the arrow by using only the first character of the direction (for example, -d- instead of -down-) or the two first characters (-do-).

Please note that you should not abuse this functionality : Graphviz gives usually good results without tweaking.

Note

You can also define notes using note left of, note right of, note top of, note bottom of keywords.

You can also define notes on several lines.

@startuml

[*] --> Active
Active --> Inactive

note left of Active : this is a short\nnote

note right of Inactive
  A note can also
  be defined on
  several lines
end note

@enduml

You can also have floating notes.

@startuml

state foo
note "This is a floating note" as N1

@enduml

More in notes

You can put notes on composite states.

@startuml

[*] --> NotShooting

state "Not Shooting State" as NotShooting {
  state "Idle mode" as Idle
  state "Configuring mode" as Configuring
  [*] --> Idle
  Idle --> Configuring : EvConfig
  Configuring --> Idle : EvConfig
}

note right of NotShooting : This is a note on a composite state

@enduml

Skinparam

You can use the skinparam command to change colors and fonts for the drawing.

You can use this command :

In the diagram definition, like any other commands,
In an included file,
In a configuration file, provided in the command line or the ANT task.

You can define specific color and fonts for stereotyped states.

@startuml
skinparam backgroundColor LightYellow
skinparam state {
  StartColor MediumBlue
  EndColor Red
  BackgroundColor Peru
  BackgroundColor<<Warning>> Olive
  BorderColor Gray
  FontName Impact
}

[*] --> NotShooting

state "Not Shooting State" as NotShooting {
  state "Idle mode" as Idle <<Warning>>
  state "Configuring mode" as Configuring
  [*] --> Idle
  Idle --> Configuring : EvConfig
  Configuring --> Idle : EvConfig
}

NotShooting --> [*]
@enduml

changing fonts and colors of UML state diagram