Dia is an open source GTK+ based diagram creation tool.
More specifically, Dia is a tool for making diagrams and schematic illustrations for articles, books, documentation, modelling and other uses, inspired by Visio, but with a simple and intuitive interface.
Dia is designed to be much like the commercial Windows program ‘Visio’. It can be used to draw many different kinds of diagrams. It currently has special objects to help draw entity relationship diagrams, UML diagrams of various types, flowcharts, network diagrams, and simple circuits. It is also possible to add support for new shapes by writing simple XML files, using a subset of SVG to draw the shape.
It can be scripted using the Python programming language.
Dia can be used from the command line.
Features include:
- Import and export of Visio VDX files.
- Special objects to help draw entity relationship diagrams, UML diagrams, flowcharts, network diagrams, and many other diagrams.
- Loads and saves diagrams to a custom XML format (gzipped by default, to save space).
- Exports diagrams to a number of formats:
- Computer Graphics Metafile (.cgm).
- Dia Native Diagram (.dia).
- Dia Shape File (.shape).
- AutoCad Drawing eXchange Format (.dxf).
- HP Graphics Language (.plt, .hpgl).
- Encapsulated Postscript (.eps, .epsi).
- Portable Network Graphics (.png).
- Scalable Vector Graphics (.svg).
- Scalable Vector Graphics gzip compressed (.svgz).
- TeX Metapost macros (.mp).
- TeX PSTricks macros (.tex).
- WordPerfect Graphics (.wpg).
- XFig format (.fig).
- XSLT (eXtensible Stylesheet Language Transformation) (.code).
- Prints diagrams (including ones that span multiple pages).
- Cross-platform support – Linux, MacOS X and Windows are supported. There are also third-party binaries available for Solaris, and Irix.
Website: wiki.gnome.org/Apps/Dia
Support: Documentation, FAQ
Developer: Dia Developers
License: GNU General Public License v2.0
Dia is written in C. Learn C with our recommended free books and free tutorials.
Return to Unified Modeling Language Tools
Popular series | |
---|---|
The largest compilation of the best free and open source software in the universe. Each article is supplied with a legendary ratings chart helping you to make informed decisions. | |
Hundreds of in-depth reviews offering our unbiased and expert opinion on software. We offer helpful and impartial information. | |
The Big List of Active Linux Distros is a large compilation of actively developed Linux distributions. | |
Replace proprietary software with open source alternatives: Google, Microsoft, Apple, Adobe, IBM, Autodesk, Oracle, Atlassian, Corel, Cisco, Intuit, and SAS. | |
Awesome Free Linux Games Tools showcases a series of tools that making gaming on Linux a more pleasurable experience. This is a new series. | |
Machine Learning explores practical applications of machine learning and deep learning from a Linux perspective. We've written reviews of more than 40 self-hosted apps. All are free and open source. | |
New to Linux? Read our Linux for Starters series. We start right at the basics and teach you everything you need to know to get started with Linux. | |
Alternatives to popular CLI tools showcases essential tools that are modern replacements for core Linux utilities. | |
Essential Linux system tools focuses on small, indispensable utilities, useful for system administrators as well as regular users. | |
Linux utilities to maximise your productivity. Small, indispensable tools, useful for anyone running a Linux machine. | |
Surveys popular streaming services from a Linux perspective: Amazon Music Unlimited, Myuzi, Spotify, Deezer, Tidal. | |
Saving Money with Linux looks at how you can reduce your energy bills running Linux. | |
Home computers became commonplace in the 1980s. Emulate home computers including the Commodore 64, Amiga, Atari ST, ZX81, Amstrad CPC, and ZX Spectrum. | |
Now and Then examines how promising open source software fared over the years. It can be a bumpy ride. | |
Linux at Home looks at a range of home activities where Linux can play its part, making the most of our time at home, keeping active and engaged. | |
Linux Candy reveals the lighter side of Linux. Have some fun and escape from the daily drudgery. | |
Getting Started with Docker helps you master Docker, a set of platform as a service products that delivers software in packages called containers. | |
Best Free Android Apps. We showcase free Android apps that are definitely worth downloading. There's a strict eligibility criteria for inclusion in this series. | |
These best free books accelerate your learning of every programming language. Learn a new language today! | |
These free tutorials offer the perfect tonic to our free programming books series. | |
Linux Around The World showcases usergroups that are relevant to Linux enthusiasts. Great ways to meet up with fellow enthusiasts. | |
Stars and Stripes is an occasional series looking at the impact of Linux in the USA. |
Dia is indeed good and I have seen so many users recommended it. Do you know whether the tool can export /import vsdx or vsd files? I’m using Visio 2016 pro sometimes so I may need to export vsdx files to other diagramming tools.
So far, the one I found recently that can export vsdx and vsd files is Edraw Max 9.4, but it is not free if you need to edit your files (only open and view are totally free).
Why don’t you try Dia and report back if it can export / import the file types you want?