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State Diagram

State diagrams are used to give an abstract description of the behavior of a system. This behavior is represented as a series of events that can occur in one or more possible states.

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

Change state rendering

You can use hide empty description to render state as simple box.

@startuml
hide empty description
[*] --> 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.

Internal sub-state

@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

Sub-state to sub-state

@startuml
state A {
  state X {
  }
  state Y {
  }
}

state B {
  state Z {
  }
}

X --> Z
Z --> Y
@enduml

[Ref. QA-3300]

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

History [[H], [H\*]]

You can use [H] for the history and [H*] for the deep history of a substate.

@startuml
[*] -> State1
State1 --> State2 : Succeeded
State1 --> [*] : Aborted
State2 --> State3 : Succeeded
State2 --> [*] : Aborted
state State3 {
  state "Accumulate Enough Data" as long1
  long1 : Just a test
  [*] --> long1
  long1 --> long1 : New Data
  long1 --> ProcessData : Enough Data
  State2 --> [H]: Resume
}
State3 --> State2 : Pause
State2 --> State3[H*]: DeepResume
State3 --> State3 : Failed
State3 --> [*] : Succeeded / Save Result
State3 --> [*] : Aborted
@enduml

Fork [fork, join]

You can also fork and join using the <<fork>> and <<join>> stereotypes.

@startuml

state fork_state <>
[*] --> fork_state
fork_state --> State2
fork_state --> State3

state join_state <>
State2 --> join_state
State3 --> join_state
join_state --> State4
State4 --> [*]

@enduml

Concurrent state [--, \|\|]

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

Horizontal 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

Vertical 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

Conditional [choice]

The stereotype <<choice>> can be used to use conditional state.

@startuml
state "Req(Id)" as ReqId <>
state "Minor(Id)" as MinorId
state "Major(Id)" as MajorId

state c <>

Idle --> ReqId
ReqId --> c
c --> MinorId : [Id <= 10]
c --> MajorId : [Id > 10]
@enduml

Stereotypes full example [start, choice, fork, join, end]

@startuml
state start1  <>
state choice1 <>
state fork1   <>
state join2   <>
state end3    <>

[*]     --> choice1 : from start\nto choice
start1  --> choice1 : from start stereo\nto choice

choice1 --> fork1   : from choice\nto fork
choice1 --> join2   : from choice\nto join
choice1 --> end3    : from choice\nto end stereo

fork1   ---> State1 : from fork\nto state
fork1   --> State2  : from fork\nto state

State2  --> join2   : from state\nto join
State1  --> [*]     : from state\nto end

join2   --> [*]     : from join\nto end
@enduml

[Ref. QA-404, QA-1159 and GH-887]

Point [entryPoint, exitPoint]

You can added point with <<entryPoint>> and <<exitPoint>> stereotypes:

@startuml
state Somp {
  state entry1 <>
  state entry2 <>
  state sin
  entry1 --> sin
  entry2 -> sin
  sin -> sin2
  sin2 --> exitA <>
}

[*] --> entry1
exitA --> Foo
Foo1 -> entry2
@enduml

Pin [inputPin, outputPin]

You can added pin with <<inputPin>> and <<outputPin>> stereotypes:

@startuml
state Somp {
  state entry1 <>
  state entry2 <>
  state sin
  entry1 --> sin
  entry2 -> sin
  sin -> sin2
  sin2 --> exitA <>
}

[*] --> entry1
exitA --> Foo
Foo1 -> entry2
@enduml

[Ref. QA-4309]

Expansion [expansionInput, expansionOutput]

You can added expansion with <<expansionInput>> and <<expansionOutput>> stereotypes:

@startuml
state Somp {
  state entry1 <>
  state entry2 <>
  state sin
  entry1 --> sin
  entry2 -> sin
  sin -> sin2
  sin2 --> exitA <>
}

[*] --> entry1
exitA --> Foo
Foo1 -> entry2
@enduml

[Ref. QA-4309]

Arrow direction

You can use -> for horizontal arrows. It is possible to force arrow’s direction using the following syntax: * -down-> or --> * -right-> or -> (default arrow) * -left-> * -up->

@startuml

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

@enduml

You can shorten the arrow definition 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.

Change line color and style

You can change line link::color[color] and/or line style.

@startuml
State S1
State S2
S1 -[#DD00AA]-> S2
S1 -left[#yellow]-> S3
S1 -up[#red,dashed]-> S4
S1 -right[dotted,#blue]-> S5

X1 -[dashed]-> X2
Z1 -[dotted]-> Z2
Y1 -[#blue,bold]-> Y2
@enduml

[Ref. Incubation: Change line color in state diagrams]

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

Note on link

You can put notes on state-transition or link, with note on link keyword.

@startuml
[*] -> State1
State1 --> State2
note on link
  this is a state-transition note
end note
@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

Inline color

@startuml
state CurrentSite #pink {
    state HardwareSetup #lightblue {
       state Site #brown
        Site -[hidden]-> Controller
        Controller -[hidden]-> Devices
    }
    state PresentationSetup{
        Groups -[hidden]-> PlansAndGraphics
    }
    state Trends #FFFF77
    state Schedule #magenta
    state AlarmSupression
}
@enduml

[Ref. QA-1812]

Skinparam

You can use the link::skinparam[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 link::preprocessing[included file], * In a configuration file, provided in the link::command-line[command line] or the link::ant-task[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<> Olive
  BorderColor Gray
  FontName Impact
}

[*] --> NotShooting

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

NotShooting --> [*]
@enduml

Test of all specific skinparam to State Diagrams

@startuml
skinparam State {
  AttributeFontColor blue
  AttributeFontName serif
  AttributeFontSize  9
  AttributeFontStyle italic
  BackgroundColor palegreen
  BorderColor violet
  EndColor gold
  FontColor red
  FontName Sanserif
  FontSize 15
  FontStyle bold
  StartColor silver
}

state A : a a a\na
state B : b b b\nb

[*] -> A  : start
A -> B : a2b
B -> [*] : end
@enduml

Changing style

You can change link::style-evolution[style].

@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
}

NotShooting --> [*]
@enduml

@startuml

state state1
state state2
state choice1 <>
state end3    <>

state1  --> choice1 : 1
choice1 --> state2  : 2
choice1 --> end3    : 3
@enduml

[Ref. GH-880]

Change state color and style (inline style)

You can change the link::color[color] or style of individual state using the following notation:

#color ##[style]color

With background color first (#color), then line style and line color (##[style]color ).

@startuml
state FooGradient #red-green ##00FFFF
state FooDashed #red|green ##[dashed]blue {
}
state FooDotted ##[dotted]blue {
}
state FooBold ##[bold] {
}
state Foo1 ##[dotted]green {
state inner1 ##[dotted]yellow
}

state out ##[dotted]gold

state Foo2 ##[bold]green {
state inner2 ##[dotted]yellow
}
inner1 -> inner2
out -> inner2
@enduml

[Ref. QA-1487]

#color;line:color;line.[bold|dashed|dotted];text:color

[[#FFD700#FIXME]] 🚩 text:color seems not to be taken into account [[#FFD700#FIXME]]

@startuml
@startuml
state FooGradient #red-green;line:00FFFF
state FooDashed #red|green;line.dashed;line:blue {
}
state FooDotted #line.dotted;line:blue {
}
state FooBold #line.bold {
}
state Foo1 #line.dotted;line:green {
state inner1 #line.dotted;line:yellow
}

state out #line.dotted;line:gold

state Foo2 #line.bold;line:green {
state inner2 #line.dotted;line:yellow
}
inner1 -> inner2
out -> inner2
@enduml
@enduml

@startuml
state s1 : s1 description
state s2 #pink;line:red;line.bold;text:red : s2 description
state s3 #palegreen;line:green;line.dashed;text:green : s3 description
state s4 #aliceblue;line:blue;line.dotted;text:blue   : s4 description
@enduml

[Adapted from QA-3770]

Alias

With State you can use alias, like:

@startuml
state alias1
state "alias2"
state "long name" as alias3
state alias4 as "long name"

alias1 : ""state alias1""
alias2 : ""state "alias2"""
alias3 : ""state "long name" as alias3""
alias4 : ""state alias4 as "long name"""

alias1 -> alias2
alias2 -> alias3
alias3 -> alias4
@enduml

or:

@startuml
state alias1 : ""state alias1""
state "alias2" : ""state "alias2"""
state "long name" as alias3 : ""state "long name" as alias3""
state alias4 as "long name" : ""state alias4 as "long name"""

alias1 -> alias2
alias2 -> alias3
alias3 -> alias4
@enduml

Display JSON Data on State diagram

Simple example

@startuml
state "A" as stateA
state "C" as stateC {
 state B
}

json jsonJ {
   "fruit":"Apple",
   "size":"Large",
   "color": ["Red", "Green"]
}
@enduml

[Ref. QA-17275]

For another example, see on link::json#wqimfur1rox7ld5sjljq[JSON page].