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Pencil Project VS UMLGraph

Compare Pencil Project VS UMLGraph and see what are their differences

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Pencil Project logo Pencil Project

Single-user mockup / wireframing / diagramming tool

UMLGraph logo UMLGraph

UMLGraph is a professional automated drawing tool that allows the designers the declarative specification and drawing of UML class and sequence diagram.
  • Pencil Project Landing page
    Landing page //
    2018-09-30
  • UMLGraph Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-25

Pencil Project features and specs

  • Open Source
    Pencil Project is an open-source tool, making it free to use and modify according to your needs.
  • Ease of Use
    The software is user-friendly with a simple and intuitive interface, making it accessible for beginners.
  • Cross-Platform Compatibility
    Available for Windows, macOS, and Linux, ensuring that users on various platforms can utilize the tool.
  • Wide Range of Templates
    Provides various templates and stencils for web, mobile, and desktop applications to speed up the design process.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Supports exporting designs in multiple formats like PNG, PDF, SVG, and even integrates with popular tools like OpenClipart.org.
  • Community Support
    Being open-source, it has a community of users and developers who contribute to its development and provide support.

Possible disadvantages of Pencil Project

  • Limited Collaboration Features
    Unlike some paid tools, Pencil Project lacks advanced collaboration features which can be essential for team projects.
  • Performance Issues
    Users have reported that the software can be slow or laggy, especially with complex diagrams or longer usage periods.
  • UI/UX Limitations
    While it covers basic design needs well, it lacks some advanced UI/UX prototyping features available in premium tools.
  • Limited Online Resources
    There are fewer tutorials, plugins, and extensions available compared to more popular commercial alternatives.
  • No Cloud Storage
    The software does not offer built-in cloud storage or synchronization options, which can be a drawback for users needing secure storage solutions.

UMLGraph features and specs

  • Automated Diagrams
    UMLGraph allows for the automatic generation of UML diagrams directly from Java source code, which can save a significant amount of time and reduce the likelihood of errors introduced by manual diagram creation.
  • Integration with Javadoc
    UMLGraph integrates seamlessly with Javadoc, enabling the generation of both class documentation and UML diagrams in a unified process.
  • Text-Based Configuration
    Diagrams are configured using textual annotations in the source code, which makes version control easier and allows developers to maintain diagrams alongside the source code.
  • Extensible and Customizable
    The tool is highly customizable, allowing users to define the appearance and layout of UML diagrams to meet specific project needs.
  • Open Source
    Being an open-source tool, UMLGraph is freely available for use and modification, promoting community involvement and continual improvement.

Possible disadvantages of UMLGraph

  • Learning Curve
    There is a learning curve associated with mastering the use of UMLGraph and its annotations, which may create an initial barrier to entry for new users.
  • Java-Centric
    UMLGraph is designed specifically for Java, which limits its utility for projects that are developed in other programming languages.
  • Limited Dynamic Diagram Support
    The tool primarily focuses on static diagrams and may have limited functionality for generating dynamic diagrams such as sequence or activity diagrams.
  • Dependence on Graphviz
    UMLGraph relies on Graphviz for rendering diagrams, which introduces an additional dependency that must be installed and maintained.
  • Manual Configuration for Complex Diagrams
    For complex diagrams, significant manual configuration may be required, which can negate some of the time-saving benefits.

Analysis of Pencil Project

Overall verdict

  • Yes, Pencil Project is a good choice for users looking for a cost-effective and easy-to-use tool for creating mockups and wireframes. Its open-source nature and the community support further enhance its value.

Why this product is good

  • Pencil Project is well-regarded for being a free and open-source GUI prototyping tool that is user-friendly and versatile. It provides a variety of built-in shapes, templates, and stencils which makes creating mockups and wireframes straightforward. Its integration with various platforms and export options to file formats like PNG and PDF also adds to its flexibility and convenience.

Recommended for

    This tool is recommended for designers, project managers, and developers who need a simple yet effective solution for GUI prototyping and wireframe creation. It is also suitable for smaller teams or individuals with limited budgets who are looking for a no-cost alternative to more complex and expensive design software.

Analysis of UMLGraph

Overall verdict

  • UMLGraph is generally considered a good tool for generating UML diagrams, especially for those who are comfortable with using Javadoc and prefer a textual approach to diagram specification over a graphical one. It excels in environments where automated documentation is a priority and where integration with Java projects is necessary.

Why this product is good

  • UMLGraph is a tool that allows the declarative specification and drawing of UML class and sequence diagrams. It is highly regarded for its ability to generate diagrams from Java source code using Javadoc comments, which is particularly useful for developers who want to maintain up-to-date documentation within their codebase. Its integration with Javadoc and automated nature makes it efficient for projects that require regular documentation updates.

Recommended for

  • Java developers looking for an integrated solution to generate UML diagrams from source code.
  • Teams that prefer declarative documentation methods and want to keep their diagrams in sync with their codebase.
  • Projects that require frequent updates to documentation as part of their development lifecycle.

Pencil Project videos

+ Add

Pencil Project | Free UI Mockup Design Software

More videos:

  • Demo - Wireframing with Pencil Project Demo

UMLGraph videos

No UMLGraph videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

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Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Pencil Project and UMLGraph)

Pencil Project

UMLGraph

Diagrams
39 39%
Diagrams
61% 61
Flowcharts
47 47%
Flowcharts
53% 53
Wireframing
100 100%
Wireframing
0% 0
Tool
0 0%
Tool
100% 100

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Pencil Project and UMLGraph

Pencil Project Reviews

10 Best Visio Alternatives for Cost Effective Diagramming [2022]
Pencil Project is one of the best Visio alternatives which is open-source GUI prototyping software suitable for developers to create mockups, flow charts, floor designs, etc. It has a rich set of shapes and designed collections that make it easier to draw.
Source: todaystechworld.com

UMLGraph Reviews

We have no reviews of UMLGraph yet.
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Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Pencil Project seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 11 times since March 2021. 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.

Pencil Project mentions (11)

  • Uizard: Figma alternative with low learning curve
    I am a software developer, so doing UX is never my strength. From time to time though, I would resort to using the open source tool Pencil (https://pencil.evolus.vn/) to get a low fidelity mock-up. Lately I've been encountering bugs where images would come out broken when I re-open my wireframe in Pencil. Frustrated of the issue on Pencil, I tried out uizard yesterday, and have been really happy with it. It's... - Source: Hacker News / about 2 years ago
  • Quick UI-design tool for mockups?
    Thanks for your replies. I checked some of them out, but I found one on my own that fits me perfectly: Pencil. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Best practice to draw/describe UIs in plain text?
    I wouldn't use text to illustrate a GUI. We use Pencil with the crayon-styled stencils to make quick mockups. The crayon styling makes it clear that they're just mockups so people don't poke at the style aspects of the design. We've gotten great feedback from our clients that these are effective illustrations too. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • Simple tool for network documentation?
    I use MS Visio at work and Pencil (free) at home. Source: almost 3 years ago
  • A blog web design with Inkscape, what do you think about it?
    Thank you ! Of the ones I have tested, the only one that really works is Pencil, unfortunately, it lacks a lot of functionalities, and it is still far from being as practical as Figma, adobe xd etc. I think Inkscape is much more practical and powerful, but maybe it's just because I'm used to it :). Source: over 3 years ago
View more

UMLGraph mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of UMLGraph yet. Tracking of UMLGraph recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Pencil Project and UMLGraph, you can also consider the following products

draw.io - Online diagramming application

Penpot - Design freedom for teams

Dia - Dia is a GTK+ based diagram creation program for GNU/Linux, MacOS X, Unix, and Windows, and is released under the GPL license.

LibreOffice - Draw - Draw, LibreOffice, ODF, open standards, creative software, vector drawing

yEd - yEd is a free desktop application to quickly create, import, edit, and automatically arrange diagrams. It runs on Windows, Mac OS X, and Unix/Linux.

SuperNotecard - Introducing SuperNotecard. SuperNotecard is an online writing tool that features virtual notecards to help arrange facts or scenes, track details, organize paragraphs, and clarify your composition process.

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