Excalidraw vs Miro for team collaboration

Excalidraw is open-source with end-to-end encryption and a hand-drawn aesthetic, ideal for lightweight, secure sketching. Miro offers more templates, integrations, and advanced features but is proprietary and less customizable.

How to embed Excalidraw in a Next.js app

Install the @excalidraw/excalidraw npm package, import the Excalidraw component in a React file, and render it. Ensure you handle state for drawings and consider SSR limitations since it's a client-side canvas.

Can Excalidraw be used offline without internet

Yes, as a PWA, it works offline with autosave to browser storage. However, real-time collaboration requires an internet connection for syncing.

Excalidraw export options for presentations

Export drawings to PNG for images, SVG for vector graphics, or copy to clipboard. The JSON format allows re-editing, but lacks direct export to PDF or PowerPoint.

Customizing Excalidraw hand-drawn style

You can adjust colors, stroke widths, and add custom shapes via the UI or by modifying the JSON data. However, deep theming or style overrides require code changes in the React component.

Self-hosting Excalidraw with collaboration

It's possible but complex; you need to set up a backend for real-time syncing and encryption, as the npm package currently lacks built-in collaboration servers.

Open-Awesome

Excalidraw

MITTypeScriptv0.18.1

An open-source virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn diagrams with real-time collaboration and end-to-end encryption.

Visit Website GitHub

121.7k stars13.4k forks0 contributors

What is Excalidraw?

Excalidraw is an open-source virtual whiteboard designed for creating hand-drawn style diagrams, wireframes, and sketches. It provides an infinite canvas with tools that mimic natural drawing, and it supports real-time collaboration with end-to-end encryption. The project solves the need for a simple, accessible, and secure visual collaboration tool that feels intuitive and uncluttered.

Target Audience

Developers, designers, product managers, educators, and teams who need a lightweight, collaborative diagramming tool for brainstorming, planning, and visual communication.

Value Proposition

Developers choose Excalidraw for its open-source nature, hand-drawn aesthetic, and built-in real-time collaboration with encryption. Its embeddable React component and open file format offer flexibility and control not always found in proprietary alternatives.

Overview

Virtual whiteboard for sketching hand-drawn like diagrams

Use Cases

Best For

Brainstorming and ideation sessions with remote teams
Creating technical diagrams and wireframes with a sketch-like feel
Embedding a collaborative whiteboard into web applications
Educational purposes for visual teaching and explanations
Quick prototyping of UI/UX designs and flowcharts
Secure, encrypted visual collaboration for sensitive projects

Not Ideal For

Professional diagramming requiring precise, grid-aligned vector graphics
Non-React web projects needing a drop-in whiteboard solution
Large teams needing built-in version history or advanced admin controls
Applications requiring complex data visualizations or automated diagram generation

Pros & Cons

Pros

Hand-Drawn Aesthetic

The sketch-like style makes diagrams feel informal and creative, ideal for brainstorming and wireframing without the pressure of perfection.

Real-Time Collaboration

Built-in end-to-end encrypted collaboration on excalidraw.com allows secure simultaneous editing, perfect for remote teams.

Open Format & Export

Drawings save as .excalidraw JSON files for easy interoperability, and export to PNG, SVG, or clipboard supports flexible sharing.

Local-First & PWA

Works offline as a Progressive Web App with autosave to the browser, ensuring reliability without constant internet access.

Cons

Limited Advanced Features

Lacks advanced tools like animations, templates, or deep integrations found in proprietary tools like Figma or Miro, making it less suitable for complex design workflows.

React-Centric Integration

The npm package is a React component, requiring React and additional setup for non-React frameworks, which adds complexity for some projects.

Collaboration Setup Overhead

Self-hosting real-time collaboration requires backend work, as the README notes these features are only drop-in plugins 'in the future' for the npm package.

Frequently Asked Questions

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