Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Paper.js VS Diagram-JS

Compare Paper.js VS Diagram-JS and see what are their differences

Paper.js logo Paper.js

Open source vector graphics scripting framework that runs on top of the HTML5 Canvas.

Diagram-JS logo Diagram-JS

JavaScript toolbox for displaying and modifying diagrams on the web.
Not present
  • Diagram-JS Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-07

Paper.js features and specs

  • Vector Graphics Support
    Paper.js excels in handling vector graphics, making it an excellent choice for creating and manipulating graphics with precision.
  • Scene Graph
    The library uses a scene graph, which facilitates hierarchical organization and management of graphical objects.
  • Rich API
    Paper.js offers a highly intuitive and rich API that simplifies tasks like working with paths, segments, and more.
  • Ease of Use
    With its clear documentation and straightforward syntax, Paper.js is beginner-friendly while remaining powerful for advanced users.
  • Cross-Platform
    Being JavaScript-based, Paper.js works across different platforms and browsers without requiring any additional plugins.
  • Interactive Graphics
    It allows for easy creation of interactive graphics, making it ideal for use in web applications needing dynamic graphic manipulation.
  • Built-In Animation Support
    Paper.js includes built-in support for animations, enabling smooth and complex animations with minimal effort.

Possible disadvantages of Paper.js

  • Performance
    Due to its high-level abstraction and ease of use, Paper.js may not perform as well as lower-level graphics libraries in performance-critical applications.
  • File Size
    Paper.js can be relatively large in terms of file size compared to some lightweight alternatives, which might affect load times.
  • Limited to Canvas
    Paper.js is limited to the HTML5 Canvas element, so it doesn't natively support other rendering contexts like SVG.
  • Animation Flexibility
    While it offers built-in animation support, the flexibility and feature set might not be as extensive as dedicated animation libraries.
  • Learning Curve for Complex Features
    Although it's beginner-friendly for simple tasks, mastering more complex aspects of Paper.js can have a steeper learning curve.
  • Community and Support
    Paper.js might not have as large a community or as extensive support as some other more widely-used JavaScript libraries such as D3.js or Three.js.

Diagram-JS features and specs

  • Modular Design
    Diagram-JS is built with a modular architecture, which allows developers to easily extend and customize its functionality to suit specific needs.
  • Customizability
    It provides comprehensive APIs and extension points, enabling developers to create custom diagramming tools and applications with specific requirements.
  • Community Support
    As an open-source library, it has an active community and regular contributions, offering a wealth of resources, plugins, and community-driven innovations.
  • Compatibility
    Diagram-JS is designed to work seamlessly with BPMN diagrams and integrates well with other libraries like bpmn-js, providing a robust ecosystem for business process modeling.

Possible disadvantages of Diagram-JS

  • Learning Curve
    The library's complexity and extensive customization options can present a steep learning curve for new developers unfamiliar with its architecture.
  • Limited Documentation
    While there is documentation available, it may not cover all advanced use cases in depth, potentially requiring additional exploration or community assistance.
  • Performance
    For very large diagrams with numerous elements, performance issues may arise, necessitating optimization and efficient resource management.
  • Browser Compatibility
    Although largely browser-compatible, certain advanced features or extensions might not perform consistently across all browsers, requiring additional testing and adjustments.

Paper.js videos

Revision clouds in AutoCAD using Paper.js

Diagram-JS videos

No Diagram-JS videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Paper.js and Diagram-JS)
Javascript UI Libraries
83 83%
17% 17
Flowcharts
64 64%
36% 36
Org Charts
0 0%
100% 100
Development
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Paper.js and Diagram-JS

Paper.js Reviews

20+ JavaScript libraries to draw your own diagrams (2022 edition)
Paper.js is an open source vector graphics scripting framework that runs on top of the HTML5 Canvas. It offers a clean Scene Graph / Document Object Model and a lot of powerful functionality to create and work with vector graphics and bezier curves, all neatly wrapped up in a well designed, consistent and clean programming interface. It’s based on (and largely compatible)...
8 Best Free and Open-Source Drawing Libraries in JavaScript
The Paper.js library is another free and open-source solution for people who want to draw using JavaScript. The library uses canvas to handle its drawing animations. However, its primary focus is vector-based drawings instead of raster images.

Diagram-JS Reviews

We have no reviews of Diagram-JS yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Paper.js seems to be a lot more popular than Diagram-JS. While we know about 11 links to Paper.js, we've tracked only 1 mention of Diagram-JS. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Paper.js mentions (11)

  • How Framer/Figma is built?
    I started with angular and paper.js: http://paperjs.org/. Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Polygon JS libraries
    In a thread in the Processing forum, Boolean operations in polygons , user ErraticGenerator suggests using g.js or Paper.js. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Looking for a javascript library with good wrapping support
    It is likely that paper.js provides the functionality needed. I will probably investigate it at some point since it appears to be the more popular library Compare paper.js & bezier.js. Source: about 2 years ago
  • Animating an svg
    Just remember you can do some SVG displacement with Paper.JS. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Diagnosing RangeError: Maximum call stack size exceeded in React KeyEscapeUtils
    Our webapp is written with React and Redux using the official react-redux bindings. Another primary library used in this web app is PaperJS. We recently transitioned this to being a Redux app, though it has used React for a while. Source: almost 3 years ago
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Diagram-JS mentions (1)

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Paper.js and Diagram-JS, you can also consider the following products

p5.js - JS library for creating graphic and interactive experiences

GoJS - GoJS is a JavaScript library for building interactive diagrams on HTML web pages. Build apps with flowcharts, org charts, BPMN, UML, modeling, and other visual graph types.

Three.js - A JavaScript 3D library which makes WebGL simpler.

mxGraph - mxGraph is a fully client side JavaScript diagramming library - jgraph/mxgraph

Konva - Konva is 2d Canvas JavaScript framework for drawings shapes, animations, node nesting, layering, filtering, event handling, drag and drop and much more.

Pixi.js - Fast lightweight 2D library that works across all devices