Create a complex package diagram with GraphViz

Question

I want to create a package diagram using the dot language, similar to the one below. I know it is possible to nest elements using "clusters" but unsure if it is possible to put labels in the tab area of the outer packages. Let me know if it is possible.

Answer 1

Unfortunately the tab shape (the one with the ear in top left corner) doesn't support specifying a label there.

If you are willing to sacrifice that, you can use a regular rectangle or record shape

digraph diagram {
    compound=true;
    ranksep=1
    node[shape=record]

    subgraph cluster_all {
        label="Multi-Layered Application"
        Users [shape=tab]

        subgraph cluster_presentation {
            label="Presentation Layer"
            "User Interface" [shape=tab]
            "Presentation Logic" [shape=tab]
        }

        Users -> "User Interface" [lhead=cluster_presentation]

        subgraph cluster_business {
            label="Business Layer"
            node[shape=tab]
            "Application Facade"
        }

        "User Interface" -> "Application Facade" [lhead=cluster_business,ltail=cluster_presentation,style=dashed]
    }

}

But as you can see, graphviz isn't exactly well-suited for this as you need to do a lot of low-level fiddling.

Alternatively, if the objective is to describe the diagram with a text, I highly recommend plantuml.com, which has much saner syntax for this kind of task.

@startuml
package "<<model>> Multi-Layered Application <<model>>" as app {
  package Users { }

  package "Presentation Layer" as presentation {
    package "User Interface" { }
    package "Presentation Logic" { }
  }

  Users ..> presentation

  package "Business Layer" {
    package "Application Facade" { }
  }

  presentation ..> "Business Layer"

}
@enduml