ExcalidrawZ offers a native, feature-rich client for the Excalidraw drawing application on macOS, iPadOS, and iOS. It targets users seeking a more integrated and powerful drawing experience on Apple devices, providing enhanced file management, synchronization, and AI capabilities beyond the standard web application. The primary benefit is a seamless, platform-aware workflow for Excalidraw users.

How It Works

Built entirely with SwiftUI, ExcalidrawZ delivers a native user experience across Apple's ecosystem. It preserves the familiar Excalidraw canvas while layering robust native functionalities. Key architectural choices include document-based file management, enabling users to organize drawings as real app documents with groups and custom sorting, and seamless iCloud synchronization across devices. This approach leverages Apple's platform strengths for a more integrated and efficient workflow compared to browser-based solutions.

Quick Start & Requirements

Installation on macOS involves downloading the latest .dmg file from the Releases page and dragging the application to the Applications folder. The application requires macOS, iPadOS, or iOS. For development, Xcode and specific Apple developer credentials (DEVELOPMENT_TEAM, ICLOUD_CONTAINER) configured in Overriddes.xcconfig are necessary.

Highlighted Details

• Native File Management: Organizes drawings as documents, supporting groups, custom sorting, local folders, and temporary external files.
• iCloud Sync & File History: Synchronizes app-managed files across macOS, iPadOS, and iOS, with version checkpoints for restoring previous work.
• Enhanced Editing: Compatible with Excalidraw formats (.excalidraw, .excalidraw.png, .excalidraw.svg), supports PDF import, Mermaid diagram conversion, and native Apple Pencil/gesture controls.
• AI Drawing Assistant: Features AI for reading, creating, and revising drawings, with visual context awareness, proposal previews, and AI visibility controls per file.
• Math & Diagram Tools: Integrates LaTeX formula rendering, function graph plotting, and AI-assisted formula generation with editable math images.
• Security: Offers file locking with local authentication, encryption, recovery keys, and AI exclusion for sensitive content.
• Export & Sharing: Supports export to images, editable Excalidraw formats, and PDF, alongside standard system sharing options.

Maintenance & Community

The project maintains a Discord server for user suggestions and issue reporting. The core Excalidraw engine used by ExcalidrawZ is also open-source.

Licensing & Compatibility

The license for ExcalidrawZ itself is not explicitly stated in the README. The underlying Excalidraw core is noted as open-source. Compatibility is focused on the Apple ecosystem (macOS, iPadOS, iOS).

Limitations & Caveats

ExcalidrawZ is exclusively designed for Apple platforms. Building from source requires specific Apple developer configurations and credentials. The licensing terms for the ExcalidrawZ application itself require clarification for potential adopters.