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Best Productivity ResourcesBy Shushant LakhyaniVerified creator

Web App

ASCIIFlow

Draw simple diagrams and boxes in plain text, right in the browser.

Visit ASCIIFlow4.5

  • Rating

    4.5 / 5

  • Pricing

    Free

  • Difficulty

    Beginner

  • Works on

    Web

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What is ASCIIFlow?

ASCIIFlow is a free, open-source editor for drawing boxes, arrows and lines as plain text characters. The diagrams can be pasted straight into code comments, README files, emails and chat messages, and your drawings are saved locally in the browser.

Pros: what ASCIIFlow does well

  • Diagrams work anywhere text does
  • Quick and simple to use
  • Free and open source

Cons: where it falls short

  • Only basic shapes
  • Not suited to large diagrams

Who ASCIIFlow is for

Developers who want quick diagrams inside code comments, docs or plain-text notes.

Who can skip it

People who need polished, colourful diagrams.

ASCIIFlow alternatives

Not sold on ASCIIFlow? These do a similar job, and each card says what it has in common.

All Brainstorming resources

Diagram Design

Focus: agent skills, claude code and architecture diagrams. Shares diagrams with ASCIIFlow. An AI tool, not a web app. Rated 4.6 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

AI ToolFreeCross-Platform
4.6Visit

Flourish

Focus: data visualisation, charts and storytelling. Also in Communication and Brainstorming, like ASCIIFlow. Freemium (ASCIIFlow: Free). Rated 4.6 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

Web AppFree planWeb
4.6Visit

Excalidraw CLI

Focus: excalidraw, cli and ai agents. Shares diagrams and developer tools with ASCIIFlow. A framework, not a web app. Adds macOS, Windows and Linux. Rated 4.4 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

FrameworkFreemacOS, Windows
4.4Visit

draw.io

Focus: flowcharts, uml and open source. Shares diagrams with ASCIIFlow. Adds Windows, macOS and Linux. Rated 4.7 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

Web AppFreeWeb, Windows
4.7Visit

ExcalidrawEditor's pick, verified

Focus: whiteboard and open source. Shares diagrams with ASCIIFlow. Freemium (ASCIIFlow: Free). Rated 4.7 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

Web AppFree planWeb, Cross-Platform
4.7Visit

Shields.io

Focus: badges, readme and open source. Shares developer tools with ASCIIFlow. Rated 4.7 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.7Visit

Free alternatives to ASCIIFlow

Want to spend nothing? These free picks cover similar ground.

Health Icons

Focus: icons, healthcare and svg. Also in Brainstorming and Communication, like ASCIIFlow. A website, not a web app. Rated 4.6 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

WebsiteFreeWeb
4.6Visit

Ray.so

Focus: code screenshots, social media and design. Shares developer tools with ASCIIFlow. Rated 4.6 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.6Visit

tldraw

Focus: whiteboard, sketching and brainstorming. Shares diagrams with ASCIIFlow. Rated 4.6 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.6Visit

AutoDraw

Focus: drawing, doodles and icons. Also in Brainstorming and Communication, like ASCIIFlow. An AI tool, not a web app. Rated 4.4 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

AI ToolFreeWeb
4.4Visit

D2

Focus: diagram as code, command line and open source. Shares diagrams with ASCIIFlow. A desktop app, not a web app. Adds macOS, Windows and Linux. Rated 4.6 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

Desktop AppFreemacOS, Windows
4.6Visit

Regexper

Focus: regex and debugging. Shares diagrams and developer tools with ASCIIFlow. Rated 4.6 (ASCIIFlow: 4.5).

Web AppFreeWeb
4.6Visit
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