Excalidraw editor
Excalidraw draws in a hand-sketched style, and that is a feature rather than a limitation. A polished diagram signals a decision; a sketch invites argument.
#When to reach for it
Good for | Not good for |
|---|---|
Workshop output and whiteboard photos you want to redraw | Anything going in front of a customer |
An RFC where the design is still being argued about | Reference documentation people rely on |
Explaining an idea quickly in a comment | Diagrams with strict notation requirements |
Using a graphics tablet/iPad | You can draw with the Apple Pencil, or with a stylus. This is really handy for conferences where you are taking notes. |
#Libraries
Excalidraw has its own library format, separate from draw.io's. See Excalidraw shape libraries.
#A few things that catch people out
The sketch style is not configurable per shape. If you need it to look formal, you picked the wrong editor.
Excalidraw source is JSON and can get large with many freehand strokes.
Fonts render from a bundled set, so a diagram looks the same for everyone regardless of their machine.
#Related
Rough on purpose, so people still argue with it.
