 | |
 OmniGraffle 7 running on macOS High Sierra | |
| Developer(s) | The Omni Group |
|---|---|
| Initial release | May 7, 2001 [1] |
| Stable release | |
| Operating system | macOS, iOS |
| Type | Charting software |
| License | Proprietary |
| Website | www |
OmniGraffle is a diagramming and digital illustration application for macOS and iOS [3] created by The Omni Group.
OmniGraffle is used to create graphics and visuals. The application features several design tools, along with a drag-and-drop WYSIWYG interface and a notes function that annotate and create specification documentation for prototypes and mockups.
While OmniGraffle can produce graphics and visuals, it is often used as a tool to create content maps, screen flows, and wireframes. Visuals are often referred to as "graffles." [4]
OmniGraffle design tools include canvases, templates, stencils, vector drawings, and grid guides. Other features include auto layout and document management.
OmniGraffle documents are vectorial, and the app includes vector design tools.
OmniGraffle supports "smart guides" and snap-to-grid for object alignment. Other design features include artistic fill and stroke styles, text and shape scalability, path-following text, shape combinations, diagram styling, auto layout features for tree mapping, and documentation management.
OmniGraffle can be automated using OmniJS (a Javascript programming environment).
OmniGraffle supports file sharing and Visio support in its Pro distribution. All users can export their graffles to JPEG, BMP, EPS, GIF, HTML Images, SVG, Template, Stencil, PNG, OO3, TIFF, and PDF. [4] Additionally, OmniGraffle Pro users can import dot/graphviz, Visio, SVG, PDF, Photoshop [8] with layers, and Xcode.
In many respects, OmniGraffle is similar to Microsoft Visio. The Pro version of OmniGraffle can both import and export Visio files created using Visio's XML export function. However, Omnigraffle doesn't provide CAD integration like Visio, since it lacks some features such as DWG or DXF (Autodesk file formats), import/export functions, among others. Also it is important to notice that layers cannot be shared among some versions of Visio and OmniGraffle. [4]
Diagrams such as concept maps or mind maps, flowcharts and wire frames can also be drawn with other applications: see Comparison of vector graphics editors.
Adobe Photoshop is a raster graphics editor developed and published by Adobe Inc. for Windows and macOS. It was originally created in 1987 by Thomas and John Knoll. Since then, the software has become the most used tool for professional digital art, especially in raster graphics editing. The software's name is often colloquially used as a verb although Adobe discourages such use.
QuarkXPress is desktop publishing software for creating and editing complex page layouts in a WYSIWYG environment. It runs on macOS and Windows. It was first released by Quark, Inc. in 1987 and is still owned and published by them.
Adobe Illustrator is a vector graphics editor and design program developed and marketed by Adobe Inc. Originally designed for the Apple Macintosh, development of Adobe Illustrator began in 1985. Along with Creative Cloud, Illustrator CC was released. The latest version, Illustrator 2023, was released on October 18, 2022, and is the 27th generation in the product line. Adobe Illustrator was reviewed as the best vector graphics editing program in 2021 by PC Magazine.
Inkscape is a free and open-source vector graphics editor for GNU/Linux, Windows and macOS. It offers a rich set of features and is widely used for both artistic and technical illustrations such as cartoons, clip art, logos, typography, diagramming and flowcharting. It uses vector graphics to allow for sharp printouts and renderings at unlimited resolution and is not bound to a fixed number of pixels like raster graphics. Inkscape uses the standardized Scalable Vector Graphics (SVG) file format as its main format, which is supported by many other applications including web browsers. It can import and export various other file formats, including SVG, AI, EPS, PDF, PS and PNG.
Microsoft Visio is a diagramming and vector graphics application and is part of the Microsoft Office family. The product was first introduced in 1992, made by the Shapeware Corporation, later renamed Visio Corporation. It was acquired by Microsoft in 2000. A lightweight version of Visio is now included with all commercial SKU of Microsoft 365 and is known as Visio in Microsoft 365. It has two other subscription based SKUs. Visio Plan 1 includes the Visio web app whereas Visio Plan 2 provides access to both the web app as well as the Desktop application.
Graphviz is a package of open-source tools initiated by AT&T Labs Research for drawing graphs specified in DOT language scripts having the file name extension "gv". It also provides libraries for software applications to use the tools. Graphviz is free software licensed under the Eclipse Public License.
Adobe Fireworks was a bitmap and vector graphics editor, which Adobe acquired in 2005. Fireworks was made for web designers for rapidly creating website prototypes and application interfaces. Its features included slices, which are segments of an image that are converted to HTML elements, and the ability to add hotspots, which are segments of an image that are converted to hyperlinks. It was designed to integrate with other Adobe products such as Adobe Dreamweaver and Adobe Flash. It was available as either a standalone product or bundled with Adobe Creative Suite. Older versions were bundled with Macromedia Studio. Adobe discontinued Fireworks in 2013, citing the increasing overlap in functionality with its other products such as Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Illustrator, and Adobe Edge.
A number of vector graphics editors exist for various platforms. Potential users of these editors will make a comparison of vector graphics editors based on factors such as the availability for the user's platform, the software license, the feature set, the merits of the user interface (UI) and the focus of the program. Some programs are more suitable for artistic work while others are better for technical drawings. Another important factor is the application's support of various vector and bitmap image formats for import and export.
Canvas X is a drawing, imaging, and publishing computer program from Canvas GFX for personal computers.
Raster graphics editors can be compared by many variables, including availability.
Precision Graphics Markup Language (PGML) is an XML-based language for representing vector graphics. It was a World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) submission by Adobe Systems, IBM, Netscape, and Sun Microsystems, that was not adopted as a recommendation. PGML is a 2D graphical format, offering precision for graphic artists, guaranteeing that the design created will appear in end user systems with the correct formatting, layout and the precision of color.
Serif have a range of software products, which are listed below.
LibreOfficeDraw is a free and open source vector graphics editor. It is one of the applications included in the LibreOffice office suite, developed by The Document Foundation.
ConceptDraw DIAGRAM is proprietary diagramming software used to create business graphics, including: diagrams, flowcharts, Infographics, data visualization for business process models, data presentation and project management documentation. It can also be used for creating professional and technical diagrams, such as: UML diagrams, DFD, ERD, computer networks topology, engineering schemes, floor plans, and other technical graphic formats. The program was developed by CS Odessa in 1999. Since 2008, it has formed a part of ConceptDraw OFFICE. A set of solution add-ons that include collections of task-oriented templates and vector stencils libraries, have been released for ConceptDraw DIAGRAM, relating to certain industry-specific graphical tasks. The software also contains a set of tools for vector graphics drawing, along with a built-in presentation mode.
Affinity Designer is a vector graphics editor developed by Serif for macOS, iPadOS, and Microsoft Windows. It is part of the "Affinity trinity" alongside Affinity Photo and Affinity Publisher. Affinity Designer is available for purchase directly from the company website and in the Mac App Store, iOS App Store, and the Microsoft Store.
Sketch is a vector graphics editor for macOS developed by the Dutch company Sketch B.V.. It was first released on 7 September 2010 and won an Apple Design Award in 2012. It also has a web application that allows users to share files online.
Adobe XD is a vector design tool for web and mobile applications, developed and published by Adobe Inc. It is available for macOS and Windows, and there are versions for iOS and Android to help preview the result of work directly on mobile devices. Adobe XD enables website wireframing and creating click-through prototypes.
VSDX Annotator is a software application to view and annotate Microsoft Visio documents on the Apple Mac OS X operating system. There are some Visio file Viewers or Visio alternatives for creating flowcharts, diagrams, mind-maps, concept-maps and other graphical data. VSDX Annotator is the first application that allows you to comment and annotate MS Visio files on OS X.
Boxy SVG is a vector graphics editor for creating illustrations, as well as logos, icons, and other elements of graphic design. It is primarily focused on editing drawings in the SVG file format. The program is available as both a web app and a desktop application for Windows, macOS, ChromeOS, and Linux-based operating systems.
