Freeform Diagrams

A freeform diagram is made of shapes, icons, groups, text and connectors that you place and style yourself, so it can take whatever form the content needs – an architecture diagram, an org chart, a roadmap, a wireframe.

A freeform AWS architecture diagram: CloudFront, API Gateway, Lambda functions, S3, DynamoDB, SQS and SES arranged in five colored groups, with labeled connectors between them.

AI creates architecture diagrams and flowcharts as freeform unless your team has chosen otherwise – see Diagram format. For more, see the examples.

Creating a freeform diagram

Insert menu – press / on the canvas and choose Freeform to start from a starter diagram.
AI chat – describe the diagram. Architecture diagrams, flowcharts, timelines, org charts, wireframes and Gantt charts come out as freeform. To be sure, ask for freeform.
Paste – paste freeform JSON or XML onto the canvas.
Drop a file – drop a .drawio or .eraserdiagram file onto the canvas.

Editing

Select an element to style it from the property bar – for a connector, that includes its arrowheads and routing: elbow, straight or arc. To change the diagram with AI, select it and describe the change in AI chat.

Styling

Custom styles have the most effect on freeform diagrams: a style’s defaults fill in whatever an element doesn’t set itself.

Copying, exporting and syncing

Copy as JSON / Copy as XML – under Copy/Paste As in the property bar’s … menu. Paste the result onto any canvas to make a copy.
Export – PNG, SVG and PDF, plus Visio, draw.io and PowerPoint. See Export.
Git sync – a freeform diagram syncs as an .eraserdiagram file holding its JSON. See Git sync.

Freeform and diagram as code

	Freeform	Diagram as code
Editing	On the canvas, or with AI	In the code editor, or with AI
Layout	Wherever you place things	Automatic, from the code
Stored as	JSON	Eraser DSL
Types	Anything you can draw	Architecture, flow chart, ERD, sequence, BPMN

Converting to freeform

Select an architecture diagram or flowchart written in code, open the … menu in the property bar, and choose Convert to freeform. Eraser adds a freeform copy and keeps the original.

Diagram format

The Diagram Format team setting decides whether AI creates architecture diagrams and flowcharts as Freeform (the default) or Code (DSL). Team admins change it on the Team Settings page.

What freeform doesn’t draw

Database tables, legends, pools and lanes don’t render in a freeform diagram. Use an entity relationship diagram for tables and a BPMN diagram for pools and lanes.