Simple mind map
A free open-source mind map library for the web, plus a separately licensed desktop app.wanglin2/mind-map
- Stars
- 12.9k
- Forks
- 1.7k
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- JavaScript
- Last update
- 3 months ago
- Type
- Library
What it is
This project has two parts. The open-source part is a JavaScript library for drawing mind maps in a web page, with no framework required, and a web mind map app built on it that can also be self-hosted. The desktop client and plugins are closed source and are downloadable separately; the README says the client works offline and stores data locally.
- Embed an interactive mind map editor in a web application using the JavaScript library
- Run the bundled web mind map app locally or on your own server and open local files
- Export a mind map to formats such as PNG, SVG, PDF, or Markdown using the desktop client
- Use the Obsidian or uTools plugins listed in the README for mind mapping inside those tools
Great for
- Developers who want to add mind map editing to their own web product
- People who want a mind map app that runs in the browser or can be self-hosted
- Users who want to import and export common mind map formats such as XMind and Markdown, as listed for the desktop client
Not ideal for
- People who need only the open-source code and expect every feature of the desktop client, since the README says the client and plugin code are not open source
- Teams that need active maintenance, because the README says the open-source library is in a low-maintenance state
- Users who need an offline, fully open-source tool, since the offline client is closed source
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
Install the library from npm (package name taken from the README badge)
npm install simple-mind-map - 2
Run it
- Read the developer documentation at https://wanglin2.github.io/mind-map-docs/
- Install the simple-mind-map package with npm in your project
- Follow the documentation to create a mind map instance in a web page
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the documentation site for API details and examples
- Check the README for the list of supported structure types, such as logical structure and timeline, if you use the desktop client
- Review the README's list of export formats if you need interoperability with other tools
Downloads
Strengths
- Framework-independent JavaScript library, per the README
- Desktop client supports many formats for import and export, according to the README
- Documentation site is linked from the README
Trade-offs
- The open-source library is described by the README as being in low-maintenance mode
- Desktop client and plugins are closed source, so their code cannot be inspected or modified
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| mind-map (this) | 12.9k | Library | intermediate | 3 months ago | Developers who want to add mind map editing to their own web product |
| markmap | 13.2k | Library | beginner | 2 months ago | People who already take notes or outline in Markdown and want a visual map of them |
| mermaid | 91k | Dev tool | beginner | 4 days ago | Developers who want diagrams stored as text alongside their code and docs |
| charts | 15.1k | Library | beginner | 18 days ago | Developers adding basic or medium-complexity charts to a web app |
| drawnix | 15k | App | beginner | 2 months ago | People who want a simple free whiteboard for brainstorming and diagrams |
| three.js | 117k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | Web developers adding interactive 3D graphics to a website |
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.