Are you looking for a diagramming application with good collaboration features and a beginner-friendly interface? Do you want an application that is free?
Draw.io is probably one of the best vector graphics editors for anyone who needs to produce professional diagrams for free. This free diagramming application allows its users to create and share diagrams within a web browser.
This software package enables the user to create and edit a variety of diagrams including flowcharts, org charts, process diagrams, ER diagrams, UML, network diagrams, and a number of other diagrams
The good news is that this platform is a free online app. The Draw.io platform is a free-to-use online diagram app and editor. By using Draw.io you can also create high quality designs such as custom flow charts, complex network diagrams, and Unified Modelling Language (UML) system layouts.
This make Draw.io an excellent way to create visual aids when you are on a tight budget.
Visit https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0qxOIP05tw to watch a short tutorial on Draw.io.
The Pros of Draw.io
- Free for users
- An abundance of ready to use layouts
- Design collaboration through Google Apps
- This package is able to work with tons of image formats
There are various different ways to access the free Draw.io package. If you want sync Draw.io data to your Google Drive cloud storage, you can access the platform through a Google Apps domain or via the main Draw.io website.
There are even unpaid versions of draw.io that can integrate with Dropbox and Google Chrome.
Cons of Draw.io
- No technical support services
- Design interface is not as refined as other software packages
There are some notable absences in draw.io’s layout catalogue. You will find that there are no map layouts or templates for floor plans. You can, however, solve this problem by searching for a third party draw.io template that has been previously posted online and add it to your draw.io project.
Some elements of draw.io design is not very well thought out. An example of this is that when you decide to connect two objects with an arrow everything seems to be pretty clear cut and straightforward. If, however, you later on decide to move one of the boxes, the connecting arrow tends to be unpredictable and can force you to replace it with another possibly messy image.
Draw.io Features
Draw.io offers a beginner-friendly environment when it comes to vector graphics processing, with the added advantage of not losing any quality when you re-open and edit a vector file. Vector graphics can make a big difference, especially considering how hard it is to under normal circumstance re-size a heavily compressed JPG file.
Vector graphics are a great way in which to create all sorts of different professional settings. You will be able to create building blueprints as well as design project workflows that can be shared with your team. This software package includes many different pre-made layout that you are able to pick from when working on a new design and you won’t have to start your projects from scratch.
Basically, as long as you connect to Draw.io through your google account you will have access to the same collaborative tools that can be found to edit any other document in Google Dive. This will give you the ability to share files with colleagues so that you are able to work on the same file simultaneously. When you and another user are working on the same project you will be able to see their edits live.
When using Draw.io, you are able to drag-and-drop image files directly into your projects from your computer.
This software package support file types such as:
You can even export your projects in various other formats including SVG, XML, HTML and PDF.
The Draw.io Interface
This interface is laid out beautifully and has helpful shortcuts to assist you to locate a number of popular shapes, functions, and settings. When you look at the left-hand side of the Draw.io edit screen you will notice a panel of useful shapes that can be utilised.
Another nice feature is its ability to speed up the editing process when you put your cursor over a shape. When you do this, a larger version will appear on your screen giving you the choice to decide if the shape is suitable for your project.
When you look at the right-hand side of the screen you will see a panel with contextual menus. Here you will see generic options such as changing your diagram size or adding a grid. When you select your desired object the content changes allowing you to see font and colour options.
Draw.io Support
Due to the fact that Draw.io is a free software application technical support is somewhat limited. It is a good idea to learn about the features of Draw.io by researching a few directories supports articles. If, however, you need more specific questions to be answered you will have to proceed to the Draw.io user’s forum.
Draw.io Compared to Other Packages
Draw.io does indeed lack a few important features that you can find in other software packages. For example, SmartDraw has a much larger range of pre-made layouts and is able to adapt its shape and tool menu based on the diagram that you are currently working on. The difference, though, is price. Smart Draw charges $297 for a licence whereas Draw.io is free!
Plans and Pricing
The great thing about Draw.io is that it is completely free to use. All you need to do is navigate to the Draw.io website and choose where you would like to store your creations.
If, however, you are already running a Confluence or Jira server in an enterprise context, then you may want to purchase a premium Draw.io integration license. This will give other users access to the software.
Unfortunately, these paid versions of Draw.io do not come with any additional design features. They do, however, allow you to take complete control over your team’s data.
Confluence and Jira Draw.io integrations that are sold for Atlassian hosting products are the same price. These prices can vary depending on the number of users you want support.
- A single server integration package is able to support between 10 and 250 users and costs $10 to $1,800 per year.
- Atlassian data center product integrations are priced between $120 to $1,800 per year and are allow you to work with more than 1,000 users.
To Conclude
Draw.io may not be the best designing tool but it is the most that you are going to get without having to sign up for a paid subscription. This software package is relatively straightforward and even users who have never used it before will be able to find its interface layout easy to navigate through.
Visit https://drawio-app.com/ to sign up with Draw.io.
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