Xfig icon

Xfig

Xfig is an open-source vector graphics editor used to draw diagrams and figures. It supports objects like circles, boxes, lines, spline curves, text, etc. and can export to formats like PDF and PostScript. Common uses are drawing diagrams like flowcharts, UML diagrams, network maps, etc.

What is Xfig?

Xfig is an open-source vector graphics editor and diagramming tool that runs on Linux and Unix platforms. It is designed for producing figures for inclusion in documents and presentations. Xfig can be used to draw many different types of diagrams like flowcharts, entity-relationship diagrams, network maps, UML diagrams, and more.

Some key features of Xfig include:

  • A graphical user interface for interactive drawing and editing of diagrams
  • Tools for basic shapes like boxes, circles, lines, arrows, polygons, etc.
  • Advanced tools like splines and polygons
  • Support for text labels on diagrams
  • Object alignment and distribution tools
  • Grouping and layering of objects
  • Image export to formats like PNG, PDF, PostScript and more
  • LaTeX output support for inclusion of figures in LaTeX documents
  • Extensibility through a GUI frontend to the Fig scripting language

With its long history and feature set, Xfig has proven useful for diagramming needs in academic and technical writing. Its cross-platform availability and LaTeX support also make it popular among the LaTeX scientific publishing community.

The Best Xfig Alternatives

Top Apps like Xfig

Adobe Illustrator, Inkscape, Affinity Designer, OmniGraffle, Graphviz, LibreOffice - Draw, Graphite, Polotno Studio, sK1, Apache OpenOffice Draw are some alternatives to Xfig.

Adobe Illustrator

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Inkscape

Inkscape is a popular vector graphics editor that provides a free and open-source alternative to commercial software like Adobe Illustrator. Developed by the Inkscape Project, it is available for multiple operating systems, including Windows, macOS, and Linux. Key Features: Vector Graphics Editing: Inkscape is specifically designed for working with vector...

Affinity Designer

Affinity Designer is a vector graphics editor software developed by Serif for macOS, Windows, and iOS operating systems. It is an affordable and capable alternative to more expensive options like Adobe Illustrator.Some key features of Affinity Designer:Intuitive and customizable interfaceComprehensive vector design and illustration toolsSupport for unlimited layers...

OmniGraffle

OmniGraffle is a powerful, versatile diagramming application developed by The Omni Group for macOS and iOS. First released in 2001, OmniGraffle enables users to create a wide range of diagrams, charts, illustrations, and graphic documents.With an intuitive and flexible interface, OmniGraffle makes it easy to quickly map out concepts, ideas...

Graphviz

Graphviz is an open-source graph visualization software package developed by AT&T Research. It is used for representing structural information as diagrams of abstract graphs and networks.Graphviz allows users to create a variety of graph and network types, including directed graphs, undirected graphs, hierarchies, and more. Some of the...

LibreOffice - Draw

LibreOffice Draw is a vector graphics editor included in the open source LibreOffice software suite. It allows users to create a wide variety of graphical images including diagrams, flowcharts, organizational charts, network layouts, floor plans, and more.As an open source alternative to Microsoft Visio, LibreOffice Draw provides many similar...

Graphite

Graphite is a highly scalable real-time graphing system. It was originally designed by Chris Davis at Orbitz to monitor the company's production web applications. Graphite consists of three main software components:Carbon - a high-performance service that listens for time-series data. It provides reliable aggregation, storage, and retrieval of metrics...

Polotno Studio

Polotno Studio is a free and open source cross-platform raster and vector graphics editor, available for Windows, macOS and Linux systems. It is an alternative to costly commercial software like Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Lightroom, and CorelDraw.Polotno Studio provides professional-level tools for image editing, vector graphics, web design, photo...

SK1

sK1 is an open source vector graphics editor for Linux operating systems. It is designed for print and pre-press professionals and focuses on functionality related to illustration, layout, typography, and publishing workflows.As an Adobe Illustrator and CorelDRAW alternative, sK1 provides an extensive feature set for working with vector graphics...

Apache OpenOffice Draw

Apache OpenOffice Draw is a vector graphics editor and diagramming tool included as part of the free and open source office suite Apache OpenOffice. It has a similar user interface and feature set to Microsoft Powerpoint, providing tools to create rich graphical content such as illustrations, diagrams, charts, graphs, flowcharts...