Excalidraw
Open-source virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn style diagrams in your browser.
- Stars
- 135k
- Forks
- 16k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 4 days ago
- Type
- App
What it is
Excalidraw is an open-source whiteboard where you draw diagrams, wireframes and sketches in a deliberately hand-drawn style. The hosted app at excalidraw.com adds real-time collaboration, end-to-end encryption and autosave to the browser. The same editor is also published as an npm package that developers can embed in their own apps.
- Sketch a system architecture diagram and export it as PNG or SVG
- Build a quick wireframe and share a read-only link with others
- Collaborate with a team on a whiteboard in real time at excalidraw.com
- Embed a hand-drawn whiteboard inside your own web app using the npm package
- Draw with labeled, arrow-bound connectors and add images or shape libraries
Great for
- Teams sketching diagrams or wireframes together in a shared canvas
- People who want a casual, informal look for explanatory drawings
- Developers who want to embed a whiteboard editor in their own React app
- Users who care about end-to-end encryption for shared drawings
- Anyone who wants drawings saved in an open .excalidraw JSON format
Not ideal for
- Users who need precise, pixel-perfect vector design; the hand-drawn style is the default look and the README does not describe precision tools
- People wanting to self-host the collaboration service; the README only links to the hosted app for real-time collaboration and does not describe a self-hosting setup
- Non-developers who only want the hosted app and have no need for the code; the npm and development sections are aimed at developers
How to get it
- 1
Use it in the browser (or self-host)
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/excalidraw/excalidraw.git - 2
Run it
- Open https://excalidraw.com in a modern browser to start drawing with no install
- Pick a tool such as rectangle, arrow or free-draw from the toolbar and sketch on the canvas
- Export your drawing as PNG, SVG or .excalidraw file when you are done
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use arrow binding and labeled arrows to keep diagram connections attached to shapes
- Enable real-time collaboration in the hosted app to draw with others
- Export to a read-only shareable link to send a drawing without editing access
- Install the VS Code extension listed in the README to edit Excalidraw files in your editor
- Use the npm package if you want to embed the editor in your own React application
Downloads
Strengths
- Free and open source under the MIT license
- Simple, approachable drawing tools with a distinctive hand-drawn look
- Open .excalidraw JSON format and export to PNG, SVG and clipboard
Trade-offs
- Collaboration and encryption are features of the hosted app; the README does not detail how to run them yourself
- Development setup is covered only by a linked guide, so the README alone gives limited build detail
- No downloadable binaries in the latest release; use the web app or the npm package
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| excalidraw (this) | 135k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | Teams sketching diagrams or wireframes together in a shared canvas |
| drawnix | 15k | App | beginner | 2 months ago | People who want a simple free whiteboard for brainstorming and diagrams |
| signature_pad | 12.1k | Library | intermediate | 8 days ago | Web developers adding a signature field to a form or app |
| dashy | 26.9k | App | beginner | 5 days ago | People running a homelab or home server who want one page for all their services |
| nylas-mail | 24.7k | App | advanced | 4 months ago | Developers curious about how an extensible Electron and React desktop app is structured |
| super-productivity | 23.4k | App | beginner | 4 days ago | People who want a personal task list with built-in time tracking |
Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.