protocolbuffers/protobuf

UML Class Diagrams

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#6,043 opened on Apr 16, 2019

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 (4 comments) (4 reactions) (0 assignees)C++ (16,128 forks)batch import
help wantedproto3

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Description

What language does this apply to? If it's a proto syntax change, is it for proto2 or proto3? proto3 If it's about generated code change, what programming language? any

Describe the problem you are trying to solve.

It would be very useful to generate class diagrams based on protobuf message definitions, including the members/fields of each class, as well as the class relationships.

Describe the solution you'd like

A script or command-line utility to output images (e.g. png) or something like GraphViz files with the generated UML diagrams.

Describe alternatives you've considered

I've looked into protoc-gen-uml and protobuf2uml but both tools lack useful documentation and neither are actively maintained.

Contributor guide

Research direction
Investigate existing protoc plugins like protoc gen uml and protobuf2uml to understand their approaches. Then explore protobuf's descriptor.proto and the plugin interface in the protobuf repository (e.g., src/google/protobuf/compiler/plugin.proto). Consider generating GraphViz DOT files for class diagram representation. Evaluate whether a new protoc plugin or a standalone script would be more appropriate. Check the issue comments for any additional context from the community.
Tech stack
None
Domain
documentationdeveloper experience
Issue type
Feature
DifficultyEstimated implementation difficulty for a new contributor, from 1 for very small changes to 5 for expert-level work.
4
Estimated timeA rough time range for an experienced contributor to investigate, implement, test, and prepare a pull request.
Over 1 week
Activity statusHow available the issue appears right now: fresh, active, stale, blocked, or waiting on maintainer input.
Stale
ClarityHow clearly the issue explains the expected change, acceptance criteria, and next step.
Clear
Prerequisites
Protobuf basicsGraphVizUML fundamentalsProtoc plugin API
Newbie friendlinessA 1-100 score estimating how approachable this issue is for first-time contributors.
25