PlantUML can be built using either [Gradle](#building-plantuml-with-gradle) or [Ant](#building-plantuml-with-ant-alternative-method). It's recommended to use Gradle as the primary build tool for this project. You will find instructions for both methods, starting with Gradle.
After successfully building the project, you are ready to start contributing to PlantUML! If you have any changes to contribute, please submit a pull request through the [PlantUML GitHub repository](https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml).
If you encounter any issues while building the project, feel free to ask for help on the [PlantUML Community Forum](https://forum.plantuml.net/) or open an issue on the [GitHub repository](https://github.com/plantuml/plantuml/issues).
Navigate to the directory containing the `build.xml`:
```sh
cd plantuml
```
### Building the Project
To build the project using Ant, run the following command:
```sh
ant
```
If you have Ant set up correctly and the prerequisites are met, the build process should start, and the project will be built based on the instructions in the `build.xml`.