Whiteboard for Linux — No App to Find or Install
Searching for a whiteboard app for Linux usually leads to a list of desktop programs like OpenBoard, Xournal++, or Rnote — each with its own install method, dependencies, and update cycle. This whiteboard skips that entirely: it's a website that works exactly like an app once it's open, with drawing, sticky notes, shapes, and export, but loads in any browser instead of needing a package manager.
How This Compares to a Native Whiteboard App
Same drawing tools, none of the install overhead.
Tools like OpenBoard, Xournal++, and Rnote are solid, but they're still desktop applications: you're picking a package format (.deb, Flatpak, AppImage, or building from source), then keeping that build updated yourself. Distro repos often lag behind upstream releases, and a Flatpak's sandboxing can make it awkward to reach files outside your home folder. None of that is wrong, it's just overhead some people would rather skip for a quick sketch or a one-off diagram.
A browser-based whiteboard sidesteps the install step entirely. The toolset is comparable — pen, shapes, sticky notes, text, image import, export to PNG or PDF — but it loads in a tab, doesn't depend on your distro's package versions, and doesn't care whether your session is running GTK or Qt under the hood.
Built to Handle Real Linux Setups
Tiling window managers, multiple monitors, and mixed input devices included.
Floating or Tiled Windows
Resizes cleanly whether you're snapping it into a tiling layout in i3 or Sway, or running it as a floating window on GNOME or KDE.
Multi-Monitor Drag
Drag the browser window across displays with different scaling factors and the canvas keeps its proportions and zoom level.
Pen, Touch, and Trackpad
Works with graphics tablets, touchscreen laptops, or a plain trackpad — pressure-aware pens are supported where the hardware reports it.
No System Tray Footprint
There's no daemon idling in the background and nothing added to your session's autostart entries.
Flowcharts & Wireframes
Shape and connector tools cover quick flowcharts, UI wireframes, and ER diagrams without opening a dedicated diagramming app.
Export to PNG or PDF
Sends finished boards straight to your Downloads folder, ready to attach to a ticket, README, or chat message.
Save Boards Locally
Project files save to any folder you choose, so they fit naturally into a dotfiles backup or sync setup if you use one.
Dark Canvas Mode
Switches to a dark board to match a dark GTK or Qt theme, easier on the eyes during long sessions under low light.
Works Without a Login
No account, no email capture — open the page and you have a working canvas immediately.
Getting Set Up on Linux
Three steps, none of which involve a terminal.
Open the Site in Your Browser
Firefox, Chrome, and Chromium-based browsers (Brave, Vivaldi, Edge for Linux) all render the canvas the same way — pick whichever you already have set as default.
Draw and Arrange
Use the pen tool for freehand sketches, shapes and connectors for diagrams, and sticky notes for brainstorming. Drop images straight from your file manager onto the canvas.
Export or Keep Going Offline
Export a finished board as PNG or PDF, or leave the tab open — once loaded, the canvas keeps working even if your network connection drops.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a separate Linux build I need to download?
No — the browser version is the entire product. There's no separate Linux binary, no architecture to pick (x86_64 vs ARM), and no release page to check for updates.
How does this compare to apps like OpenBoard or Xournal++?
The drawing and diagramming tools cover similar ground, but those are installed desktop programs with their own package format and update cycle. This is a website, so there's no install step and no version to keep current — useful if you just need a board occasionally rather than as a daily-driver annotation tool.
Does it work in Firefox as well as Chrome-based browsers?
Yes. The canvas, sticky notes, and export tools all work the same in Firefox, Chrome, Chromium, Brave, and Vivaldi on Linux.
Will it work properly in a tiling window manager like i3, Sway, or Hyprland?
Yes — the layout is responsive, so resizing the browser window into a tile doesn't break the toolbar or canvas proportions.
Can I keep using it if my internet connection drops?
Once the page has loaded, drawing and editing continue to work without a connection. You'll need connectivity again only to load the page initially or to load a previously saved file from elsewhere.
Does it support a drawing tablet or stylus on Linux?
Yes, through the browser's standard pointer and pressure APIs — most tablets that Linux already recognizes as an input device will work without extra configuration.
Is anything installed to my home directory or system folders?
No. There's no install step, so nothing is written to ~/.config, ~/.local, or anywhere else on disk unless you explicitly export or save a file yourself.