from Hacker News

Create diagrams in the browser

by gpsarakis on 9/29/13, 8:05 AM with 42 comments

  • by davidjgraph on 9/29/13, 12:40 PM

    While we're getting free publicity, I'd just like to point out the Dropbox integrated version we launched this month https://db.draw.io. The www site can either be launched stand-alone or link up with your Google Drive. The db sub-domain is the same idea with Dropbox.

    Currently in progress are improved PDF export using PhantomJS to do SVG->PDF, first beta of the Visio importer and a Chrome Packaged App of it.

    Feature requests always welcome, but here [1] please.

    [1] https://jgraph.freshdesk.com/categories/27298/forums/107935

  • by scottfr on 9/29/13, 8:53 AM

    I use the underlying product [1] for a graphical online simulation and modeling program [2].

    It really is a top notch diagramming library for JavaScript. It is very customizable and they support it back all they way to IE 6. When I was looking for something in this space a few years ago to build Insight Maker, it was the only thing that was flexible enough for my needs.

    [1] MxGraph - http://www.jgraph.com/mxgraph.html [2] Insight Maker - http://InsightMaker.com

  • by CamperBob2 on 9/29/13, 9:13 AM

    Very nice, lots of symbols. I was going to ask if it could do electronic schematics and block diagrams, but then I noticed the "More shapes" menu.

    Looks like a much more powerful tool than the equivalent (free) version of Lucid Charts that others are evangelizing.

  • by gren on 9/29/13, 9:10 AM

    This is cool. Unfortunately I think it miss something important: the way to change the rendering style (see for instance http://www.websequencediagrams.com/ ).

    Such aesthetic feature is significant IMO,.. I tend to always make my schema myself with Inkscape because most software missed that "post-processing" touch.

  • by txutxu on 9/29/13, 9:17 AM

    Feature request: do not place selected items in the top-left corner as soon as they are selected.

    Select the shape, and then place it with a click (is like most diagram software works, and as people is used too).

  • by nadaviv on 9/29/13, 9:03 AM

    For simple UML diagrams, I really like http://yuml.me/. It has a simple textual notation, very easy and quick to use and the diagrams looks pretty neat.
  • by gpsarakis on 9/29/13, 9:13 AM

    Just to clarify: I am not the creator of this app, just came across it while searching how to create simple diagrams and thought it might be helpful sharing it.
  • by Navarr on 9/29/13, 6:58 PM

    Is it weird that the first thing I thought when I opened this up was

    "Woah.. this looks like Google"

  • by LogicX on 9/29/13, 2:03 PM

    We just came across this a few days ago and evaluated its use for a new project. Instead for our needs we're moving forward with http://www.mindmup.com Certainly they're not directly comparable, as mindmup is a mindmapping tool, but depending what you're attempting to diagram and what your needs are, mindmup so far seems pretty awesome - all the front-end and back-end code is MIT licensed in github which was a huge plus.
  • by zenocon on 9/29/13, 8:55 AM

    Awesome -- finally an online (supposedly free) alternative to Gliffy!
  • by rtpg on 9/29/13, 5:56 PM

    I use visio a lot , and this actually seems to hit a lot of the points I like about visio (namely not being way too frustrating to use like dia is).

    Absolutely need keyboard shortcuts though

  • by iconfinder on 9/29/13, 7:33 PM

    Nice to see Draw.io using our API for images :-)
  • by truncate on 9/29/13, 11:24 AM

    What is the UI library (for menu, toolbar, accordion..) being used here? I tried to look into source, couldn't figure out.
  • by michaelbuddy on 9/30/13, 12:48 AM

    Based on a couple of your templates, you've really blown me away with the number of objects this thing can handle on the page at once. I think it's performance is probably as good or better than a couple other programs I won't name right now.
  • by ananth99 on 9/29/13, 8:27 AM

    Thank you for the info! Was searching for an online tool draw mockups and schema diagrams.
  • by winter_blue on 9/30/13, 1:08 AM

    Does anyone know of a good tool for drawing UML diagrams?

    I run Linux on my desktop/laptop; so any Linux app, or browser (chrome/firefox) app would be good. Not requiring constant connectivity would be a plus.

  • by frozenport on 9/29/13, 8:41 AM

    Feature Request: textural search for shapes
  • by Technomaniacz on 9/29/13, 10:12 AM

    sumo.fm used to be my go to solution for drawing online. This is simpler! Sometimes simple works!
  • by NemesorZandrak on 9/30/13, 7:22 AM

    This is pretty cool. I like t ad use it since July. I would like to say kudos to author.
  • by aboodman on 9/29/13, 7:47 PM

    draw.io is by far the best web-based diagramming app IMO. I use it frequently.
  • by lessnonymous on 9/29/13, 8:58 AM

    This is a great idea, but Lucid Charts is available as a Google App in Chrome and is MUCH more polished than this.

    You can only get 60 elements on a page in the free edition, but after months of using it I finally had a diagram hit that limit.