For a collaborative whiteboard tool for drawing, the first results are tldraw/draw-a-ui (tldraw/draw-a-ui is an AI-powered collaborative whiteboard framework with real-time shared canvas, drawing tools, and broader capabilities like export/import and undo/redo, directly matching the search for a self-hostable collaborative drawing tool), excalidraw/excalidraw (Excalidraw is a self-hostable, real-time collaborative whiteboard with multi-user cursors, vector drawing tools, and export to PNG/SVG/JSON, fitting every requirement for a shared digital whiteboard) and tldraw/tldraw (tldraw is a programmable drawing engine designed specifically for building collaborative whiteboards and infinite canvas apps, with built-in multiplayer sync and a full set of drawing tools — exactly what you need to create or embed a real-time collaborative drawing experience). lovasoa/whitebophir and szimek/signature_pad round out the shortlist. Compare the match explanations and check the project documentation against your requirements.
We curate open-source GitHub repositories matching “collaborative drawing engines”. Results are ranked by relevance to your query — pick filters below to narrow, or refine with AI.
This project is an AI-powered visual canvas and collaborative whiteboard framework. It functions as a customizable vector drawing engine and a tool for converting hand-drawn interface sketches and wireframes into functional code using artificial intelligence. The system distinguishes itself through the integration of AI agents that can read, modify, and generate visual diagrams directly on the canvas. It also provides a node-based workflow editor for building automation pipelines and data processing flows by connecting multimodal components. The platform covers a broad range of capabilities,
tldraw/draw-a-ui is an AI-powered collaborative whiteboard framework with real-time shared canvas, drawing tools, and broader capabilities like export/import and undo/redo, directly matching the search for a self-hostable collaborative drawing tool.
This project is a virtual whiteboard component and vector graphics editor designed for creating diagrams with a hand-drawn aesthetic. It provides a canvas-based drawing engine that can be embedded directly into web applications, allowing users to manipulate shapes, upload images, and export visual data into standard formats like PNG, SVG, or JSON. The platform distinguishes itself through a real-time synchronization layer that supports multi-user collaboration across distributed environments. This engine utilizes end-to-end encryption to secure shared sessions and employs a local-first data p
Excalidraw is a self-hostable, real-time collaborative whiteboard with multi-user cursors, vector drawing tools, and export to PNG/SVG/JSON, fitting every requirement for a shared digital whiteboard.
This project is a programmable, high-performance drawing engine designed for building collaborative whiteboards, diagramming tools, and infinite canvas applications. It provides a reactive graphics runtime that manages complex canvas interactions, viewport animations, and input handling through a unified signal-based API. The framework is built on a schema-driven data store that maintains application state in a strictly typed, centralized record system, enabling efficient UI updates and persistent data management. The engine distinguishes itself through a highly modular architecture that supp
tldraw is a programmable drawing engine designed specifically for building collaborative whiteboards and infinite canvas apps, with built-in multiplayer sync and a full set of drawing tools — exactly what you need to create or embed a real-time collaborative drawing experience.
Whitebophir is a collaborative whiteboarding application designed for real-time visual collaboration. It enables multiple users to brainstorm and create content together on a shared virtual canvas using freehand sketching, geometric shapes, and text labels. The platform focuses on private workspace management, allowing the creation of restricted boards via unique URLs and token-based access control to manage editing permissions. It integrates real-time state synchronization for drawing updates and a built-in chat system for text communication between collaborators. The workspace includes too
Whitebophir is a fully self-hostable real-time collaborative whiteboard application with WebSocket-based synchronization, drawing tools for freehand sketches, shapes, and text, private board management, and SVG/state export, directly matching the need for a live multi-user drawing tool.
signature_pad is a JavaScript library and drawing tool for capturing handwritten digital signatures on an HTML5 canvas. It provides a handwriting capture interface that transforms raw mouse or touch inputs into smooth, professional-looking lines. The project uses Bézier curve interpolation to smooth jagged input points into fluid strokes. It supports the configuration of drawing aesthetics, including pen color, background color, and line width, and includes a history management system for undoing and restoring drawing actions. The library handles the serialization of signature data into poin
szimek/signature_pad is a JavaScript library for capturing signatures on a canvas, with undo/redo and export, but it does not support real-time collaboration or multi-user cursors, so it is only a drawing component rather than the shared whiteboard tool you need.
tui.image-editor is a JavaScript image manipulation library and web-based photo editor. It provides a browser-based interface for cropping, resizing, and applying filters to images using the HTML5 Canvas API. The project is distinguished by its role as a canvas-based annotation tool, allowing users to add text, shapes, and freehand drawings as graphic overlays. It offers extensive UI customization through theme configuration, interface text localization, and the ability to replace default icons with custom SVG files. The library covers geometry manipulation, visual filter application, and im
This is a single-user image editor library with drawing tools and layers, but it does not provide real‑time synchronization or multi‑user cursors, so it is not a collaborative whiteboard tool.
Quill is a modular, web-based rich text editor designed for structured content authoring. It provides a comprehensive toolkit for building tailored editing experiences, allowing developers to manage document state, handle user input, and synchronize content through a predictable, serializable data model. The editor distinguishes itself through a custom document abstraction that maps the browser DOM to a structured tree of nodes, ensuring consistent behavior across different environments. It utilizes an operational change tracking system that represents all document modifications as a sequence
Quill is a rich text editor designed for structured content authoring, not a collaborative drawing canvas or whiteboard, so it lacks the drawing tools, multi-user cursor management, and canvas-based collaboration this search requires.
Rnote is a vector-based note-taking and drawing application designed for capturing handwritten input. It functions as a digital workspace that records stylus pressure and movement to create sketches and notes, storing them as mathematical paths rather than pixels to allow for infinite scaling and non-destructive editing. The application provides a flexible canvas environment that supports infinite scrolling and various page layouts. Users can organize their work using a layer-based system, which allows for the independent manipulation and ordering of individual strokes, shapes, and background
Rnote is a single-user vector note-taking and drawing app with layers and export, but it lacks real-time collaboration and multi-user cursors, so it does not match the core requirement for a shared whiteboard.
react-canvas is a library for drawing user interface elements to a hardware-accelerated canvas instead of the standard document tree. It provides a system for rendering components to a canvas to improve rendering speed and frame rates. The project includes a layer manager to organize visual elements and cache expensive drawing operations. It features a text engine capable of rendering multi-line text with precise character metric measurements and truncation, as well as a virtualized list system that processes only visible items to maintain smooth scrolling. Interaction is handled through a c
react-canvas is a React library for rendering UI elements onto a hardware-accelerated canvas, focused on performance for components rather than freehand drawing or real-time collaboration; it lacks the real-time sync, multi-user cursors, and drawing tools needed for a collaborative whiteboard.
Fabric.js is an HTML5 canvas library and interactive vector graphics engine. It provides an object-oriented model for creating, manipulating, and animating 2D shapes and interactive graphics on a web page. The project functions as an SVG to canvas parser, translating SVG data into interactive canvas objects and exporting canvas states back into SVG format. It also serves as a canvas image processing tool for applying filters, gradients, patterns, and brush strokes to visual elements. The library covers programmatic vector manipulation, including the ability to scale, rotate, skew, and group
Fabric.js is a client-side HTML5 canvas library for vector graphics and drawing, but it lacks any built-in real-time synchronization or multi-user collaboration features, making it a component you could combine with other tools to build a collaborative whiteboard rather than serving as one itself.
Drawnix is a digital whiteboarding and visual diagramming application centered around an infinite canvas. It provides a workspace for freeform sketching, interactive brainstorming, and the creation of structured visual documentation. The platform distinguishes itself by supporting both manual drawing and the automatic generation of diagrams from markup text and mermaid syntax. It utilizes a plugin architecture that allows for the integration of custom modules to extend drawing behaviors and application features. The toolset includes brush-based annotations, image insertion, and a coordinate
Drawnix is a whiteboarding and diagramming application, but its description emphasizes local-first design and plugin architecture rather than real-time multi-user synchronization, so it may not directly satisfy the need for live collaborative drawing.
react-konva is a declarative React canvas graphics library and 2D vector graphics framework. It serves as a rendering engine and interactive canvas toolset that allows for the drawing and management of complex 2D shapes and graphics using a React component model. The library maps reactive component trees to an underlying object-oriented graphics scene graph, enabling the synchronization of visual states with application data. It provides specialized tools for building interactive graphical interfaces, including support for multi-touch gestures, drag-and-drop functionality, and real-time trans
react-konva is a declarative 2D canvas graphics library for React, providing drawing tools and shape management, but it lacks built-in real-time synchronization and multi-user collaboration, so it is a building block rather than a self-contained collaborative whiteboard.
| Repository | Stars | Language | License | Last push |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| tldraw/draw-a-ui | 5.4K | TypeScript | — | |
| excalidraw/excalidraw | 125.5K | TypeScript | MIT | |
| tldraw/tldraw |
| 47.9K |
| TypeScript |
| NOASSERTION |
| lovasoa/whitebophir | 2.6K | JavaScript | agpl-3.0 |
| szimek/signature_pad | 12K | TypeScript | MIT |
| nhn/tui.image-editor | 7.7K | JavaScript | MIT |
| slab/quill | 47.2K | TypeScript | BSD-3-Clause |
| flxzt/rnote | 10.9K | Rust | gpl-3.0 |
| flipboard/react-canvas | 13.2K | JavaScript | BSD-3-Clause |
| kangax/fabric.js | 31.2K | TypeScript | MIT |