use cases   templates   shape libraries

UML interaction overview diagrams

Interaction overview diagrams show a high-level overview of how components of the system interact with each other. General flowchart shapes show the interaction flow between activities, and sometimes entire sequence diagrams or activity diagrams are embedded for detailed documentation.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

UML overview - where and why each UML diagram is used

UML notation is one of the most popular technical diagramming standards defining a wide range of diagrams useful in many different industries and professions, not just software engineering. That many different technical diagrams can be daunting, so here is an overview of each of the different types of UML diagrams, who draws or reads them, and why they are useful.

use cases   shape libraries

More updated networking and cloud shape libraries

In addition to updating the main AWS and Azure shape libraries in draw.io, several new networking and cloud shape libraries have been added, including shapes for Alibaba Cloud, Dynamics365 and OpenStack.

use cases   shape libraries

New IBM Cloud shape library for technical diagrams

The new IBM Cloud shape library in draw.io (right) reflects IBM’s updated design language, and extends the existing IBM shape library (left) with a wide range of additional groups, connectors and infrastructure components.

use cases   shape libraries

Updated Citrix shape library for clean infrastructure diagrams

The new Citrix shape library helps you to draw Citrix diagrams of complex infrastructures that are easier to read. The older 3D shapes are still available in the Citrix (legacy) shape library.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

What makes a good UML diagram tool?

There are a wide range of UML diagramming tools available, as standalone applications, as online-only cloud software, and embedded in various content platforms. Some take text input to generate diagrams, and others are specialised to draw just one type of UML diagram.

use cases

Showing probabilities and risk in diagrams

Risk management and knowing the probabilities of a success are important in any business, but much more so when human lives are on the line. You can indicate risks in diagrams with different shapes, styles and colours, or by showing percentages, even if you are not using a probability tree to visualise your system or task.

features   use cases

Diagrams for retail - customer paths and planograms

You can use diagrams in many ways in retail, including to visualise customer shopping data, to plan customer journeys, to analyse and optimise your retail space, and to improve workflows for both customers and co-workers.

use cases   templates

What's the difference between a process map, process model and a flowchart?

There are many terms for diagrams that show a series of steps and decisions - flowchart, process diagram, process map, workflow, and process model. While many sources claim large differences between these terms, in practice, they are used interchangeably.

use cases   shape libraries

New built-in SAP shape library for BTP solution diagrams

BTP solution diagrams document your SAP Business Technology Platform architecture to show its services, environments, systems and interdependencies. Using the standard SAP icon set in your BTP solution diagram ensures that teams from various departments can understand your diagram immediately - from IT service managers and CTOs to SAP consultants and solution architects.

features   shapes   use cases

How many shapes do you need to draw technical diagrams?

There are so many different notations used for technical diagramming that this is a hard question to answer. draw.io supports all your icon needs - there are shape libraries for a vast range of different technical diagrams, and you can extend the built-in libraries with your own shapes in a custom library if you need to.

integrations   features   use cases   import

Mermaid in draw.io updated to support ELK layout

Mermaid is a text-based syntax that you can use to describe a diagram, and automatically lay it out neatly on the diagram canvas. Enter your Mermaid diagram description in draw.io via Arrange > Insert > Advanced > Mermaid in the draw.io menu or + > Advanced > Mermaid from the toolbar. draw.io has updated to Mermaid version 10.9.1 to support the new ELK automatic layout.

features   use cases

Case study - Requirements flows for a new website

When you contract an external company to create a website, a mobile app or a program interface, you need to provide clear requirements - user interface specifications and mock-ups, user flows and use cases, as well as data structures and note the various rules that must be followed. You could draw a set of technical diagrams for each context, or you could put it all into one diagram.

Part flowchart, mockup and data - documenting the requirements of a website

features   use cases

Technical diagrams for manufacturing - process engineering shape library

In draw.io, the wide range of shape libraries let you draw many kinds of technical diagrams. The large process engineering shape library (Proc. Eng.) helps you visualise manufacturing processes and production lines. This library also includes various ISO shapes should you need to diagram to specific standards.

features   use cases

Diagrams in software design - forward or backward design?

Software and web applications have become more complex, interacting with many different systems, and using a wide range of services and libraries. Good documentation, with technical diagrams of many different types, is used as both a planning and design tool, and to post-document a running system in order to make it easier to maintain and extend after deployment.

use cases

Draw tree diagrams to show hierarchies

Tree diagrams are used to show hierarchies, to categorise something or show decisions. They are commonly used in computer science for binary search trees, red-black trees, and more, and to show directory structures on computers or a website navigation structure. Tree diagrams are quick and easy to create in draw.io.

features   use cases

The many types of technical diagrams

Technical diagrams are used throughout many different professions and industries, both for internal documentation and to help customers or provide training. Many of these fields have their own specific types of technical diagrams.

features   use cases

Can you draw graphs and charts in draw.io?

draw.io is not a spreadsheet program - there are no figures from which to draw charts and graphs automatically. But there are plenty of useful shapes in draw.io, so you can easily create attractive charts and graphs for presentations and infographics.

features   use cases

Useful medical diagrams for patients

Diagrams for the medical industry are often described from the perspective of an organisation or hospital, but how can the most important people in medicine - the patients - use diagrams themselves to get better treatment outcomes?

features   use cases

Diagramming tools from simple to complex

Humans understand information faster and more easily in diagrams. This is why there are many visualisation tools, from simple sketching apps, to single-purpose diagramming tools and whiteboarding apps, through to technical drawing applications like draw.io and hyper-specialised CAD and architectural tools for precision drawings.

use cases

Salesforce shape library for system infrastructure and business diagrams

Salesforce diagrams let you visualise your system and solution architectures using a set of icons (shapes) recommended by Salesforce.

use cases

Make sense of confusing sentences with sentence trees and Reed-Kellogg diagrams

If you are learning a language, you need tools to help you make sense of the grammar. Especially when you come across sentences that are carefully constructed to be as confusing as possible. That’s where sentence trees come in handy.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

Use a waypoint shape to connect an association class in UML class diagrams

Association classes in UML class diagrams ‘hang’ off the relationship between two other classes. Instead of leaving an unconnected end on your connector, add a waypoint shape between them and connect all three class shapes to the waypoint shape.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

UML component diagrams show the structure of a system

UML component diagrams are used to model the high-level software components and subsystems in service-oriented architectures and component-based development projects, and more importantly, define the interfaces between those components. As component diagrams provide a clear visual overview of a system, they are drawn early in a project as they are useful both to seek approval from stakeholders and to develop an implementation roadmap.

use cases

Create a variety of T-charts in draw.io

T-charts are a type of graphic organiser or concept map that helps you to evaluate the advantages and disadvantages of anything. They can also be used to contrast two things of the same type, such as physical products, services, processes or data structures, business models, applications, situations, etc.

features   use cases

Draw freehand infographics in draw.io

While the shape libraries in draw.io have a vast array of shapes for technical diagrams, there are relatively few illustrations for use in infographic diagrams. You can create your own illustration shapes easily using draw.io on a tablet. For example, all of the illustrations in this tidal pool infographic were drawn as freehand shapes in draw.io.

use cases

How to create data flow diagrams in draw.io

Data flow diagrams (DFDs) are common diagrams used in structured analyses and data modelling to document the data flows between entities, processes and data stores. For example, the following DFD documents the main data flows in a large language model that allows user queries such as ChatGPT.

use cases

Explain system roles and responsibilities in diagrams

There are many systems where you need to describe the different roles that interact with it, and what their responsibilities are. As they can be quite complex, diagrams help you to explain how it works to both customers and colleagues.

use cases   templates

How to draw and use concept maps

Concept maps are a broad category of diagrams that are useful for brainstorming with teams, learning and training, showing hierarchical information, planning events or product campaigns, and exploring solutions to problems. They are widely used throughout all industries, especially in medicine and education.

use cases

Explain feature flag DevOps easily with diagrams

Explaining new technologies to a less technical audience, like management-level stakeholders, can be difficult. Our whitepaper explains feature flags DevOps in clear diagrams how feature flags work and how they could benefit your product.

Explaining feature flag DevOps with diagrams whitepaper (PDF version)

use cases   templates

Diagrams for teachers

Diagrams are an effective way of teaching and learning because we all understand complex information more easily when it is visualised. Graphic organisers, mindmaps, timelines, cause and effect charts, Venn diagrams, flowcharts, scientific illustrations - all of these can created in draw.io.

integrations   features   use cases

Using diagrams with GitLab

draw.io will be available as an integration in the web-based GitLab Wiki editor on 22 March with the GitLab 15.10 release and product kickoff. When you add your diagram to a GitLab Wiki page while editing the source of that page, it will be saved as an SVG image containing the diagram code, and displayed in the page content.

integrations   features   use cases   atlassian

Use PlantUML in draw.io

With PlantUML in draw.io using our web application (app.diagrams.net) you can quickly draw UML diagrams from a text description. When you input your PlantUML text, the diagram editor will automatically layout and arrange the diagram for you, based on your description and the style of output you select. It supports many different types of UML diagrams, as well as mindmaps, tree diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, Gantt charts, ER diagrams and more.

use cases

Feature flag development with tags in gitflow diagrams

Feature-based development and lean release cycles are becoming more common in online software services (SaaS products), where continuous development and continuous deployment are required. Feature flags give administrators and developers fine control over what features are available to which customer segments on release.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

Draw UML activity diagrams

UML activity diagrams show the sequence of actions and the flow of control in a system or a process. You can model the behaviour of physical and digital systems, as well as business process flows with activity diagrams.

UML activity diagram template in draw.io

integrations   features   use cases   import   export

Create data-driven diagrams with draw.io

Using diagrams.net or draw.io together with scripts and data sources, you can create data-driven diagrams, with colours, shapes, text labels and even animations that change to reflect live data.

features   use cases   import

Generate diagrams from code

Documenting software costs developers time and becomes outdated quickly. A code-first diagramming approach - describing the diagram in code or text while programming - works well for entity models (SQL database code), and class descriptions (PlantUML and Mermaid syntax).

use cases

Diagrams for a better incident response

Industries and services need to plan for when an incident happens, both to provide good customer service and ensure the safety of all those affected. When responding quickly to an incident, diagrams are easier to read and put into action than paragraphs of text.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

Draw a UML use case diagram

UML use case diagrams show all of the ways an end-user interacts with your systems, with all of its pre- and post-conditions, exceptions and alternate paths. These diagrams are used to establish your system requirements, whether that be a software system or an interaction with another person or team.

use cases

SysML vs UML - what's the difference?

Systems modelling language (SysML), is an extension of UML that has been modified for systems engineering. While both can document software, information and processes, SysML diagrams also document the hardware, humans, physical components, and facilities in the system.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

Draw a UML state machine diagram

The concept of state diagrams or state machine graphs has been around since the mid 1900s, long before David Harel modified them into the form used today as part of the UML standard.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

Diagrams for marketing analysts - 5C, SWOT & PEST

Marketing teams commonly use 5C situational analyses, simpler SWOT analyses, PEST and PESTLE analyses to examine and improve their products and services. By presenting the information visually, you won’t get bogged down in unnecessary details.

templates   use cases   shapes

Create infographics and slides using layered shapes

When you slice a 3D shape up and layer it in a diagram, you clearly visualise that a concept or process is broken up into smaller parts. Here’s a step-by-step tutorial to create your own infographic using shapes from the basic draw.io shape libraries.

use cases   shapes   import

Biology and chemistry clipart libraries for draw.io with Bioicons

Bioicons is a collection of free custom shape libraries containing open source icons for life science applications. The website lets you select one or more shape libraries, and open them in the draw.io editor on the web.

integrations   features   use cases   import

Create a mindmap from text with PlantUML

Mindmaps are useful to quickly capture ideas, and are easy to draw in draw.io and our draw.io branded apps. But some people prefer to work from text lists when brainstorming. Drop a text list into the PlantUML import tool and draw.io will generate your mindmap for you - no need to fuss with connectors or layouts.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

Venn diagrams and templates

Venn diagrams are widely used in business, education and research to visualise commonalities and differences. Although, you have probably most often seen theme used in memes.

Open this Venn diagram in our diagram viewer

use cases   templates   shape libraries

Create a sequence diagram

Sequence diagrams show the order of messages that are passed between elements of a system to complete a particular task or use case. The events that cross system boundaries are used by objects and people (actors) to complete their processes.

use cases

What's the difference between diagrams, charts and graphs?

Have you been asked to create a chart, a diagram, or a graph? There is a lot of confusion around these overlapping terms, especially as they are most often used interchangeably. However, there are some minor differences in how they are used.

use cases   shape libraries

Draw structural formulas in draw.io

Represent the three-dimensional molecular shape of a chemical by drawing a structural or skeletal formula in draw.io with the two new connector shapes in the Arrows shape library - the solid wedge and the dashed wedge.

use cases   templates   shape libraries

Create UML class diagrams

UML class diagrams are used to illustrate the structure of a computer program. They detail the types of data or attributes stored within each ‘class’, the methods (operations or functions) that each class provides, and the relationships between the classes.

use cases   shapes

Updated shapes for GCP and AWS network diagrams

You can create network diagrams from scratch in draw.io using shapes that match the platform you are using - AWS, GCP, Veeam, Azure, Cisco, IBM and many more. Both the draw.io AWS19 and GCP Icon shape libraries for network and cloud architectures have been updated recently.

use cases   shapes   templates

Draw timelines and roadmaps in draw.io

Timelines, roadmap and milestone diagrams feature in a range of documentation - project development documents, infographics and presentations being some of the most common. There are many shapes and templates in draw.io and our draw.io branded apps that you can use to quickly draw an attractive diagram that you can embed in your presentation or documentation.

templates   use cases   shapes

Draw circular flowcharts

Flowcharts are one of the most used types of diagrams in all teams. But some process flows are circular or cyclical rather than a series of steps with a start and end. You can create circular flowcharts in the draw.io editor in a number of ways.

use cases

Reviews from real draw.io users

The barrier to anyone diagramming and whiteboarding with draw.io is lower compared to many other SaaS applications. From reviews and customer feedback, some of the things they like the most include:

• you don’t need to register and it costs nothing
• you can diagram in all major operating systems
• there is an offline desktop version
• you can give your diagram to anyone else and they will be able to load and edit it freely
• you can store unlimited diagram files wherever you prefer
• project development is in the open and anyone can take part

use cases   templates

Ishikawa diagrams for root cause analyses

Ishikawa diagrams, also called fishbone, herringbone or cause and effect diagrams, are used to analyse and identify the root causes of defects or negative events. As most problems have multiple causes, Ishikawa diagrams are a useful prompt to look at the many different contributing factors.

atlassian   use cases

Flowcharts in Confluence

Steps in business processes and project documentation are easier to understand when visualised. As one of the most common families of diagrams, drawing flowcharts in Confluence lets you present complex information neatly and securely in your team and company knowledge base.

features   use cases

Complex diagramming on an online whiteboard

Many people prefer a minimal interface for diagramming, as there are fewer distractions. While online whiteboard applications often have a limited set of available tools, draw.io lets you use its advanced features in a less cluttered diagram editor theme.

features   use cases

How to use sketch.diagrams.net as an online whiteboard

The draw.io editor online at can use the Sketch editor theme which has an endless whiteboard-style canvas and simple toolbar. This theme is ideal to use as a collaborative online whiteboard with your remote team. The lack of page and grid lines, along with the simple toolbar, minimised panels and the default hand-drawn rough style for shape outlines, shading, connectors, and text labels feels like an informal physical whiteboard, much less intimidating than traditional diagramming apps.

features   use cases

Plan, design and track projects with diagrams in remote teams

Teams in different departments use many different methods to plan projects, but most of these plans are initially sketched on a whiteboard. Collaborate in real time and online with distributed team members, customers and stakeholders easily in the draw.io whiteboard-like editor theme throughout your project development process.

use cases   templates

Draw dependency graphs in draw.io

As a type of directed graph, dependency graphs visualise processes or situations where there are dependent components such as in decision making, scheduling, product development, IT or telecommunications infrastructure, supply and manufacturing chains, and more. They help you find the optimal order and identify critical paths or weak links that would constain your application, infrastructure or process.

use cases   templates

Create a remote kanban board with draw.io

Kanban boards show the breakdown of large projects into smaller tasks that you prioritise and track as they are completed. Collaborative projects benefit from a kanban board as it helps everyone visualise workflows, the state of the project, and the current workload.

features   use cases

BPMN 2.0 shapes for detailed process flows and choreography models

Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN) is a standardised diagramming system used to visualise business processes. BPMN diagrams are a form of flowchart, similar to UML activity diagrams. While it is typically used by business analysts and managers, its simple and understandable set of shapes and flows makes it a good choice to document processes for stakeholders in any department.

features   use cases   templates

Work with entity relationship table shapes in draw.io

Entity relationship diagrams or ER models in software engineering show the structure of and relationships between database objects. They are used extensively in database modelling to plan new systems, and document existing systems for maintenance and updates.

Open this ER model in the draw.io editor

features   use cases   templates

Use swimlanes with flowcharts to show who does each step

Flowcharts are one of the most common diagram types, showing all of the steps that must be followed to complete a process. Not many processes are limited to just one person or one team, which is why swimlane diagrams and cross-functional flowcharts are used - these show the flow of data or control across different groups.

use cases

Story mapping

User story diagrams are quite strongly related to UML use case diagrams, and both are used in an agile software development context. Both types of diagrams are used to explore and document customer requirements, they identify different groups of users and their goals, but they are used in different ways.

features   use cases

UML 2.5 shape library with updated shapes

The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a set of standard symbols and diagram types, commonly used in data modelling, workflow visualisation, and system modelling. UML notation is the defacto industry standard in the fields of software development, IT infrastructure, business systems and other fields. Many languages, such as SysML, SoaML, and a number of architecture frameworks use and extend UML.

features   use cases   templates

Use AWS icons to create a free Amazon architecture diagram

Draw your Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructure with draw.io for free. You don’t need to register or sign-up, and you can store your diagrams in your favourite cloud storage platforms, like Google Drive, One Drive, and Dropbox.

integrations   features   use cases

Embed a diagram in GitHub markdown

You can use a versioned diagram in a GitHub README file in a number of different ways, and include links to edit the diagram or use it as a template for a new diagram.

use cases

Create C4 models and diagrams

The C4 modelling is used to describe and define architectures in an abstract and simple way. Designed by Simon Brown, C4 is a different way to approach modelling software development which focuses on four c’s: context (people), containers, components, and code.

use cases   integrations

Create diagrams directly in VS Code

Diagrams make coding go a lot smoother, especially when you are programming in teams. Having diagrams version tracked and right with the code they reference, and version tracked similarly in your code editor saves you time. You don’t have to exit your workspace to switch to an external tool, or have to export/import every time you want to update a diagram.

use cases   templates

Create a rack diagram in draw.io

draw.io has a number of shape libraries and templates for creating rack diagrams. Both electronics cabinets can be visualised, as well as IT racks with servers and networking hardware, including those provided by specific vendors like APC, Cisco, Dell, F5, HP, IBM and Oracle.

use cases   integrations   atlassian

Team diagramming in all departments

All teams have their own unique needs and particular workflows. Integrating useful collaboration tools seamlessly into that workflow is the key to your team’s success. We offer security-first diagramming for teams working with Atlassian products.

integrations   features   use cases   import

Use Mermaid syntax to create diagrams

Mermaid is a syntax similar to Markdown where you can use text to describe and automatically generate diagrams. With Mermaid’s Markdown-inspired syntax, you can generate flow charts, UML diagrams, pie charts, Gantt charts, and more.

use cases   templates

Network and infrastructure diagrams

Network diagrams, or infrastructure diagrams, let you understand a computer network quickly.

use cases

Use org charts to categorise data and show hierarchies

Org charts, also known as tree diagrams, organisational charts, and organigrams, are used throughout all disciplines and professions. We like to categorise everything as it helps us make sense of how the world works. Species of plants and animals, corporate and military hierarchies, team structures, family trees, language family relationships, even symptoms of illnesses - org charts help us quickly find who to contact, what illness to treat, and so on.

use cases   templates

Create floorplans and layouts

Floorplans aren’t only useful for real-estate agents and people who are moving to a new apartment. You can also plan new office spaces, show emergency routes, create a seating chart, plan a conference or trade show layout - anything where you need to arrange people and furniture in a space.

use cases   templates

How to create a gitflow diagram

It’s easier to show new development team members your project’s branch structure in your Git repository visually than to describe it in words. Some platforms may illustrate this using built-in tools. If you are using a platform without a convenient visual representation, it’s easy to create your own gitflow diagram.

use cases

Analysing vulnerabilities with threat modelling using draw.io

Threat modelling, especially in IT, is becoming more common. Companies are increasingly aware of the risks of having their infrastructure and devices connected to the internet. As more devices, machines, sensors, monitors, and applications are added to a company’s infrastructure, there are potentially many more vulnerabilities.

integrations   use cases   import

Export from Cloudockit to a .drawio diagram

Cloudockit is a platform which connects to and monitors your cloud and on-premises environment and automatically generates 2D or 3D diagrams. It works with AWS, Azure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), VMWare Hyper-V, Alibaba Cloud, IBM Cloud, and your local infrastructure to visualise your network and automatically generate documentation.

features   use cases   import

Insert from SQL to create an ER diagram

Entity relationship diagrams show how data is structured in relational databases. Each entity consists of rows of attributes. ER diagrams are used in software development and by IT workers to design and document database structure.

integrations   use cases   import

Use Cloudcraft to export your AWS architecture to a .drawio diagram

Using Cloudcraft, you can securely connect to cloud environments and infrastructure components via your architecture diagrams where statistics, resource information and more is updated in real time. The 3D isometric view that Cloudcraft uses is familiar to engineers and IT staff as it often matches the tools they learned on. The automatic updates driven from your company’s live systems makes Cloudcraft a fantastic tool for monitoring your AWS cloud infrastructure. The statistics are also helpful to estimate costs when you want to make changes to your system.

use cases

draw.io supports Veeam stencils

Veaam is an online service that visualises and monitors your cloud and network architectures, and provides a number of additional availability services, including deployment, backup, replication and restoration. It supports Amazon AWS, Microsoft Azure, and IBM Cloud, as well as a variety of workloads, apps, and platforms commonly used by businesses.