This is only a proposal and subject to change. You are very welcome to create a new discussion on this future syntax. Your feedbacks, ideas and suggestions help us to find the right solution. The Gantt is described in natural language, using very simple sentences (subject-verb-complement).
Declaring tasks
Tasks defined using square bracket.
Duration
Their durations are defined using the last verb:
@startgantt
[Prototype design] lasts 15 days
[Test prototype] lasts 10 days
@endgantt
Start
Their beginning are defined using the start verb:
@startuml
[Design du prototype] lasts 15 days
[Test du prototype] lasts 10 days
Project starts 2020-07-01
[Design du prototype] starts 2020-07-01
[Test du prototype] starts 2020-07-16
@enduml
End
Their ending are defined using the end verb:
@startuml
[Design du prototype] lasts 15 days
[Test du prototype] lasts 10 days
Project starts 2020-07-01
[Design du prototype] ends 2020-07-15
[Test du prototype] ends 2020-07-25
@enduml
Start/End
It is possible to define both absolutely, by specifying dates:
@startuml
Project starts 2020-07-01
[Design du prototype] starts 2020-07-01
[Test du prototype] starts 2020-07-16
[Design du prototype] ends 2020-07-15
[Test du prototype] ends 2020-07-25
@enduml
One-line declaration (with the and conjunction)
It is possible to combine declaration on one line with the and conjunction.
@startuml
Project starts 2020-07-01
[Design du prototype] starts 2020-07-01 and ends 2020-07-15
[Test du prototype] starts 2020-07-16 and lasts 10 days
@enduml
Adding constraints
It is possible to add constraints between tasks.
@startgantt
[Prototype design] lasts 15 days
[Test prototype] lasts 10 days
[Test prototype] starts at [Prototype design]'s end
@endgantt
@startgantt
[Prototype design] lasts 10 days
[Code prototype] lasts 10 days
[Write tests] lasts 5 days
[Code prototype] starts at [Prototype design]'s end
[Write tests] starts at [Code prototype]'s start
@endgantt
Short names
It is possible to define short name for tasks with the as keyword.
@startgantt
[Prototype design] as [D] lasts 15 days
[Test prototype] as [T] lasts 10 days
[T] starts at [D]'s end
@endgantt
Customize colors
It is also possible to customize colors with is colored in.
@startgantt
[Prototype design] lasts 13 days
[Test prototype] lasts 4 days
[Test prototype] starts at [Prototype design]'s end
[Prototype design] is colored in Fuchsia/FireBrick
[Test prototype] is colored in GreenYellow/Green
@endgantt
Completion status
You can set the completion status of a task.
@startgantt
[foo] lasts 21 days
[foo] is 40% completed
[bar] lasts 30 days and is 10% complete
@endgantt
Milestone
You can define Milestones using the happens verb.
@startuml
[Themenfindung] lasts 10 days
[Themenfindung] is colored in CornflowerBlue
[Anforderungsanalyse] lasts 10 days
[Beginn Projektplanung] lasts 10 days
[Beginn Projektplanung] starts at [Anforderungsanalyse]'s end
[Aufgaben verteilen] happens at [Beginn Projektplanung]'s end
[Setup assembly line] lasts 12 days
[Setup assembly line] starts at [Beginn Projektplanung]'s end
@enduml
Hyperlinks
You can add hyperlinks to tasks.
@startgantt
[task1] lasts 10 days
[task1] links to [[http://plantuml.com]]
@endgantt
Calendar
You can specify a starting date for the whole project. By default, the first task starts at this date.
@startgantt
Project starts the 20th of september 2017
[Prototype design] as [TASK1] lasts 13 days
[TASK1] is colored in Lavender/LightBlue
@endgantt
@startgantt
Project starts the 2020/09/01
2020/09/07 is colored in salmon
2020/09/13 to 2020/09/16 are colored in lightblue
[Prototype design] as [TASK1] lasts 22 days
[TASK1] is colored in Lavender/LightBlue
[Prototype completed] happens at [TASK1]'s end
@endgantt
Changing scale
You can change scale for very long project, with one of those parameters:
@startgantt
printscale weekly
Project starts the 20th of september 2020
[Prototype design] as [TASK1] lasts 130 days
[TASK1] is colored in Lavender/LightBlue
[Testing] lasts 20 days
[TASK1]->[Testing]
@endgantt
@startgantt
projectscale monthly
Project starts the 20th of september 2020
[Prototype design] as [TASK1] lasts 130 days
[TASK1] is colored in Lavender/LightBlue
[Testing] lasts 20 days
[TASK1]->[Testing]
@endgantt
Close day
It is possible to close some day.
@startgantt
project starts the 2018/04/09
saturday are closed
sunday are closed
2018/05/01 is closed
2018/04/17 to 2018/04/19 is closed
[Prototype design] lasts 14 days
[Test prototype] lasts 4 days
[Test prototype] starts at [Prototype design]'s end
[Prototype design] is colored in Fuchsia/FireBrick
[Test prototype] is colored in GreenYellow/Green
@endgantt
Then it is possible to open some closed day.
@startgantt
2020-07-07 to 2020-07-17 is closed
2020-07-13 is open
Project starts the 2020-07-01
[Prototype design] lasts 10 days
Then [Test prototype] lasts 10 days
@endgantt
Simplified task succession
It's possible to use the then keyword to denote consecutive tasks.
@startgantt
[Prototype design] lasts 14 days
then [Test prototype] lasts 4 days
then [Deploy prototype] lasts 6 days
@endgantt
You can also use arrow ->
@startgantt
[Prototype design] lasts 14 days
[Build prototype] lasts 4 days
[Prepare test] lasts 6 days
[Prototype design] -> [Build prototype]
[Prototype design] -> [Prepare test]
@endgantt
Separator
You can use -- to separate sets of tasks.
@startgantt
[Task1] lasts 10 days
then [Task2] lasts 4 days
-- Phase Two --
then [Task3] lasts 5 days
then [Task4] lasts 6 days
@endgantt
Working with resources
You can affect tasks on resources using the on keyword and brackets for resource name.
@startgantt
[Task1] on {Alice} lasts 10 days
[Task2] on {Bob:50%} lasts 2 days
then [Task3] on {Alice:25%} lasts 1 days
@endgantt
Multiple resources can be assigned to a task:
@startgantt
[Task1] on {Alice} {Bob} lasts 20 days
@endgantt
Resources can be marked as off on specific days:
@startgantt
project starts on 2020-06-19
[Task1] on {Alice} lasts 10 days
{Alice} is off on 2020-06-24 to 2020-06-26
@endgantt
Complex example
It also possible to use the and conjunction. You can also add delays in constraints.
@startgantt
[Prototype design] lasts 13 days and is colored in Lavender/LightBlue
[Test prototype] lasts 9 days and is colored in Coral/Green and starts 3 days after [Prototype design]'s end
[Write tests] lasts 5 days and ends at [Prototype design]'s end
[Hire tests writers] lasts 6 days and ends at [Write tests]'s start
[Init and write tests report] is colored in Coral/Green
[Init and write tests report] starts 1 day before [Test prototype]'s start and ends at [Test prototype]'s end
@endgantt
Hitchhiker's Guide
