Start mapping your ideas instantly
local-first, no sign up

An infinite canvas for games, worlds, and complex systems.

DevBoard app showing connected sticky notes and toolbar
Connected thinking

Turn ideas into clear systems

Map how everything connects — story beats, mechanics, or workflows. Draw flexible connectors that stay attached and adjust as you move things around. Straight, curved, or structured — shape it your way.

Post-its Word documents Tables Task cards
Flow diagram with connected sticky notes in DevBoard
Local files

Keep everything in one place

Drop in screenshots, concept art, or references right onto your canvas. Browse your project files, preview instantly, and place what you need without breaking your flow.

Folder explorer Drag-drop images PNG / JPG Multi-page workspace
File explorer sidebar and moodboard in DevBoard
Shapes & sections

Organize ideas without
losing flexibility

Group areas, label sections, and build diagrams with simple shapes. Create structure when you need it, and stay free-form when you don’t.

Sections Rect / Ellipse / Diamond Light & dark mode Grouping
Timeline / Gantt board in light mode in DevBoard

Why DevBoard

For people who think in systems

Whether you're a game developer laying out a design doc, a writer mapping a story world, or a solo maker planning your next project — DevBoard stays out of your way.

DevBoard
Miro
FigJam
Free & open source
limited
limited
No account needed
Works offline
GDPR / data never leaves device
cloud
cloud
Code blocks
Local file storage
Multi-page canvases
paid
paid
Sticky notes & connectors

All features

Everything on one canvas

Built for the way creative people actually think — not for slideware or stakeholder decks.

Infinite canvas

Pan with spacebar + drag or middle mouse. Pinch-to-zoom. Dot grid tracks your position. Re-center anytime.

Sticky notes

Place, drag, resize, double-click to edit. Eight color swatches. Copy, paste, duplicate — or Alt+drag for instant copies. Great for brainstorming game mechanics or story beats.

Smart connectors

Bezier arrows snap to anchor points and follow nodes when you move them. Straight and orthogonal styles too.

Shapes

Rectangles, ellipses, diamonds, triangles. Each takes a text label and connects to any other node.

Text blocks

Standalone text with bold, italic, underline, bullet lists, links, alignment, and color. No background in the way.

Code blocks

Drop syntax-highlighted code snippets onto the canvas — handy when you need to reference exact logic while mapping out a system.

Undo / redo

Full undo/redo stack. Alignment guides appear while dragging near other nodes' edges or centers.

Groups & sections

Group nodes with ⌘G so they move together. Section labels mark regions. Lock nodes to freeze layout elements.

Export & share

Export PNG. Save/load JSON. Generate a shareable link with the full board encoded in the URL hash — no server.

Tasks

Create basic to-do lists, with subtasks, organise them as you want on your board.

Images

Drop PNG or JPG files directly onto the canvas. Works offline. Load a whole workspace folder for multi-file projects.

Stickers

Drop emoji stickers on the canvas for quick visual markers — tag scenes, flag mechanics, mark world-building regions, or just set the vibe.


Keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard-first workflow

Switch tools, navigate, and edit without touching the toolbar.

Select tool
V
Pan tool
H
Sticky note
S
Shape
R
Text block
T
Connector line
L
Delete
Copy
C
Paste
V
Duplicate
D
Alt+drag copy
drag
Undo
Z
Redo
Z
Group / ungroup
G
Nudge
Nudge ×10
↑↓←→

Start creating on a blank canvas

Free forever. No account. Works in your browser or as a native app on macOS, Windows & Linux.