Dev tools · alternatives · 2026
24 alternatives to Gleek
Free online diagramming tool for developers
Gleek is a free online diagramming tool designed for developers who prefer writing code over manual drawing. Users type text-based commands to generate diagrams with connections, making the process faster than… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Gleek launched in 2021; newer entries below may have overtaken it.
- 1

Create diagrams without touching your mouse. Generate informal, class, sequence, state, gantt, user journey or entity-relationship diagrams using only the keyboard.
2021 · gleek.io · its alternatives →
- 2

- 3

In the past I've used declarative diagram generation tools like Mermaid.js a lot for quickly drawing up things but for presentations or deliverables I find that I have to then move the generated diagrams over to a tool like Lucidchart which allows full control of the organization and customization. Therefore I am now working on this to combine the benefits of both into just one tool which can do both functions. The project is certainly in the early stages but if you find yourself making architecture diagrams I'd love to hear your thoughts on the idea or even a Github issue for a feature…
Oct 2025 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 4
Mark▲358Create flowcharts & diagrams in seconds powered by AI
2017 · apps.apple.com · its alternatives →
- 5
dbdiagram.io▲181Free database diagrams designer for analysts & developers 🛠
2018 · dbdiagram.io · its alternatives →
- 6

- 7
Flowkit▲296Sketch library for user flows/content maps/annotations
2017 · useflowkit.com · its alternatives →
- 8

Hi all! TikZ is a widely-used LaTeX package for drawing figures in papers. It uses commands like \draw[->] (0,0) -- (1,2); to draw lines, shapes, text, etc. Academics usually code up their figures by hand, so there is lots of twiddling around with the coordinates and recompiling until things look nice. I guess it’s a bit like SVG, but it’s more code than markup, for example it has loops with \foreach. I built an open-source WYSIWYG TikZ editor (available for web and desktop) that allows you to edit your TikZ source code visually by dragging and resizing elements. It simultaneously shows the…
Jun 2026 · tikz.dev · its alternatives →
- 9
DrawKit▲369Free & premium illustrations, animations, graphics & more
2022 · drawkit.com · its alternatives →
- 10

- 11

- 12
Creately 3.0▲365The simplest way to visualize ideas, plans & processes
2020 · creately.com · its alternatives →
- 13LD
2013 · play.google.com · its alternatives →
- 14

- 15
illustration.app▲320Create custom illustrations in seconds with AI. Get scalable, editable artwork perfect for websites, apps, and marketing materials. No design skills needed.
2025 · illustration.app · its alternatives →
- 16

- 17

A sharp cut(1) clone. Contribute to sstadick/hck development by creating an account on GitHub.
2021 · github.com · its alternatives →
- 18
Mermaid AI▲256Maximize your diagramming efficiency with Mermaid AI
2024 · mermaid.ai · its alternatives →
- 19CA
Last year we launched ChartDB OSS (https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=44972238) - an open-source tool that generates ER diagrams from your database (via query/sql/dbml) without needing direct DB access. Now we’re launching the ChartDB Agent. It helps you design databases from scratch or make schema changes with natural language. You can: - Generate schemas by simply describing them in plain English - Brainstorm new tables, columns, and relationships with AI - Iterate visually in a diagram (ERD) - Deterministically export SQL script Try it out here -…
2025 · app.chartdb.io · its alternatives →
- 20

- 21

Excalideck is an app for authoring slide decks that look hand-drawn.
2021 · excalideck.com · its alternatives →
- 22
Solarch▲109Interactive diagrams with AI, and your code always in sync
Jun 2026 · solarch.dev · its alternatives →
- 23
Quick Diagram▲121A tool for generating diagrams and flowcharts from text.
2020 · quickdiagram.com · its alternatives →
- 24

Made an online tool for creating diagrams with TypeScript. I quite like it for thinking about how to shape my data, even if I end up using a different language in the end.
2023 · tsdiagram.com · its alternatives →
Also compare
Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →