draw.io
Powerful open-source diagramming tool for flowcharts, UML, ER, and network diagrams
Overview
draw.io (also known as diagrams.net) is a full-featured, browser-based diagramming application that supports flowcharts, UML, BPMN, ER diagrams, network topology, org charts, and more. Diagrams are stored as XML and can be embedded in Confluence, Jira, Google Workspace, or saved locally. It can be self-hosted as a simple static web app served from any HTTP server. The codebase is actively maintained by JGraph and offers a desktop Electron app as well.
Where it falls short of Confluence
- No real-time multi-cursor collaboration in the self-hosted version (available only on draw.io cloud)
- Version history and branching are not built-in; rely on external storage integration
- Limited commenting and review workflow compared to Lucidchart or Miro
- No presentation mode or interactive slideshow features
We list the gaps honestly so you can decide if the trade-off is worth owning your data.
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