Draft Canvas
A local-first canvas for turning software architecture into a clear visual story.
FreeOpen SourceCodeVisual editing20 impressionslaunches Oct 27
Draft Canvas is a local-first, open-source visual canvas for mapping software architecture.
- for
- Developers and teams who need to create and share architecture diagrams offline.
- pricing
- free
- license
- Apache-2.0
- v1.16.1Draft Canvas 1.16.114 hours ago
- v1.16.0Draft Canvas 1.16.020 hours ago
- v1.15.2Draft Canvas 1.15.25 days ago
Key features
- Offline desktop app — Runs on macOS and Windows without an account and stores diagrams locally.
- AI agent integration — Connect Claude, Codex, Cursor, Gemini CLI, Junie to generate diagrams from code.
- Pattern library — Insert common architectures (CQRS, Saga, Event-Driven) with a quick shortcut.
- Step-by-step flow presentation — Walk the room through request flows, showing notes and code per step.
- Export options — Export as image, Mermaid, C4-PlantUML, Structurizr, draw.io or share a link.
- Deep dive view — Press ⌘↓ to zoom into a shape for C4-depth details without leaving the canvas.
Use cases
- Create a visual overview of a microservice order system for team onboarding.
- Generate C4 component diagrams directly from a TypeScript codebase using an AI agent.
- Present a request flow step-by-step during architecture review meetings.
- Export architecture sketches to Mermaid for inclusion in documentation.
Draft Canvas vs alternatives
 Draft Canvas |  Gitea |  Semgrep |  AI-Atlas |  Framer | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Local-first architecture sketching | Self-hosted Git hosting | Static analysis for bugs and security | AI skill mapping | Website design and publishing |
| Pricing | Free | Free | Subscription | Free | Subscription |
| DevHunt upvotes | 1 | 0 | 0 | 57 | 0 |
| Launched | Oct 2026 | — | — | Oct 2026 | — |
- Draft Canvas vs Gitea: Gitea is a self-hosted Git service, not a visual architecture canvas.
- Draft Canvas vs Semgrep: Semgrep performs static code analysis, while Draft Canvas focuses on visual architecture diagrams.
- Draft Canvas vs AI-Atlas: AI-Atlas maps AI skills from code, whereas Draft Canvas maps overall software architecture.
- Draft Canvas vs Framer: Framer designs and publishes websites; Draft Canvas creates architecture diagrams for any stack.
Draft Canvas FAQ
Do I need an internet connection to use Draft Canvas?+
No, the desktop app works offline and stores files locally.
Can I use Draft Canvas without creating an account?+
Yes, the tool is free, open source and requires no account.
How does the AI agent feature work?+
Enable agent access in Settings, install the Draft Canvas skill, then paste a prompt; the agent fills the diagram based on code.
What export formats are supported?+
You can export as an image, Mermaid, C4-PlantUML, Structurizr, draw.io, or share a link.
Is Draft Canvas available for Linux?+
The provided downloads are for macOS (Apple silicon and Intel) and Windows; Linux is not listed.
Summarized by DevHunt from draftcanvas.dev · Oct 25, 2026. Details may change; check the official site.
