Monodraw

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Usage and Use Cases

  • Many long-time users; often one of the first tools installed on a new Mac.
  • Common uses:
    • Architecture and system diagrams embedded in source code comments and READMEs.
    • Buffer / data structure layouts and CSS layout sketches.
    • Documentation diagrams, UX workflows, and take‑home coding challenge diagrams.
    • Login banners, ASCII “art” sites, ads, album covers, and game‑style walkthroughs.
    • Mocking up text UIs; quick brainstorming where low visual fidelity avoids bikeshedding.
  • Some users now use Monodraw even for diagrams that could be images, due to familiarity and speed.

Product State and Development

  • App officially went into “maintenance mode” in 2018 due to poor commercial returns.
  • Developer comments:
    • Time is very limited; focus is on keeping it working with OS updates.
    • Some new features are in progress but with no promised timeline.
    • Requested features include plaintext/ASCII format, dark canvas, auto layout, tables, ANSI export.
  • Several users say it feels “complete” and that infrequent updates are acceptable.

Open Source and Sustainability Debate

  • Some argue it’s a shame a beloved but low‑maintained tool stays closed, citing bus‑factor and desire to contribute.
  • Others counter that:
    • Open sourcing is not free; community management and legal risks are real.
    • Licenses don’t reliably stop bad actors from selling clones.
  • Developer states preference for:
    • Strong centralized product vision.
    • Avoiding clone‑selling.
    • Focusing instead on open, non‑proprietary data formats for interoperability.

Platform, Alternatives, and Pricing

  • Mac‑only nature draws both praise (polish, paying user base) and criticism (no Linux/Windows).
  • Various alternatives mentioned: Asciiflow, MonoSketch, ascii-d, P5-App-Asciio, draw.io, PlantUML, Pikchr, etc.
  • Price (~$10) is widely viewed as fair; some friction around the checkout form and App Store vs direct purchase (e.g., CLI only for direct buyers).

Diagrams, Accessibility, and Technical Details

  • Embedding ASCII diagrams on the web requires monospaced fonts, code blocks, and avoiding wrapping; mobile often breaks layouts.
  • Accessibility is a concern: ASCII diagrams are generally not screen‑reader‑friendly; suggested workarounds involve treating them like images with ARIA descriptions.
  • Debate over “ASCII” vs Unicode/box‑drawing characters and terminology, but most accept “ASCII art” as shorthand for monospaced text diagrams.