yEd 2.3.1

yEd is a powerful graph editor that is written entirely in the Java programming language. It can be used to quickly generate drawings and apply automatic layouts to all kinds of diagrams and networks. yEd is available as a free download with unrestricted functionality!
yEd makes use of the yFiles library which is a Java class library for viewing, editing, optimizing, drawing, and animating diagrams, networks, and other graph-like structures.
yEd is built using 100% lightweight Swing components, i.e., it will run on any platform for which there is a suitable Runtime Environment available.
Main features:
yEd can be used to automatically layout complex graph structures. Several highly sophisticated layout algorithms have been implemented and ship with yEd. They can be used to either arrange the items fully automatically or support the user during a manual layout.
- New in version 2.3.1: Interactive Hierarchical Layout can be used to interactively layout hierarchical or pseudo-hierarchical scenarios.
- Hierarchical Layout can be used to perfectly visualize hierarchical or pseudo-hierarchical scenarios.
- Orthogonal Layout produces clear representations of complex networks.
- Organic Layout and Smart Organic Layout produce clear representations of complex diagrams like ER-diagrams, UML diagrams and many more.
- Organic Edge Router reroutes edges in existing drawings organically.
- Orthogonal Edge Router can reroute edges in existing drawings orthogonally.
- Circular Layout portrays interconnected ring and star topologies perfectly.
- Tree Layout can be used to visualize tree-like structures in many different ways.
- New in version 2.3.1: The tree layout algorithms can also be used on graphs that are almost like trees.
yEd enables users to create groups of nodes. These groups can be visualized and nested to virtually any degree. Of course the new layout algorithms support this type of visualization perfectly. Using this feature complex structures can be visualized and laid out even clearer than before.
Another one of yEds most powerful features is its ability to automatically assign label positions. This will help the user to easily build better readable diagrams.
yEd has an intuitive user interface that complies with the design guidelines for Java applications. Among its various features are:
- New in version 2.3.1: a customizable workplace lets you arrange your tool windows to your needs
- New in version 2.3.1: table-like property editors allow you to configure the graphical properties easily
- Internationalization: yEd has been localized in English, German, and partially in Japanese
- New in version 2.3.1: a sophisticated print preview allows you to preview the printing results (especially useful for poster-printing)
- Session Management: yEd remembers and manages your settings
- Undoability support
- Clipboard facility
- Keyboard shortcuts for most of the functions
- Integrated help system
yEd can be used to build, modify, and visualize graph structures. They can be loaded using several different file formats, among them are:
- Full support for the YGF file format. The native file format.
- Full support for the XML-based GraphML file format.
- Full support for the GML graph file format. GML is a popular text-based graph file format.
- New in version 2.3.1: Full support for the XML-based GML graph file format. This is a variant of the GML language that uses XML syntax.
- Import of arbitrary XML files. An XSLT stylesheet must be given that transforms the XML input into a valid GraphML. Predefined stylesheets for Ant build scripts, the OWL Web ontology language and others are included.
- Export to the SVG vector graphics file format.
- Export to the Windows Meta File (WMF) file format. A vector graphics format used in almost any Windows application.
- Export to JPG and GIF file formats. Export large images as multiple images and HTML tables also supported!
- New in version 2.3.1: Export to BMP (on Windows machines) and PNG file formats.
All of the image export formats can be fully customized.
The editor supports the complete set of graphical attributes necessary for effective graph visualization. It offers built-in support for:
- preconfigured node types for UML object diagrams and class diagrams!
- multiple labels for nodes and edges
- multi-line and icon labels
- powerful searching and selection utilities
- zooming and overview
- a set of beautiful icons to get you started with your first diagrams