Excalidraw Self-Hosted, Deploy in One Click
Self-host Excalidraw on your own VPS with Automatio. Get an infinite whiteboard with hand-drawn styling and total data privacy on a dedicated server with HTTPS.
Excalidraw
Collaboration & ProductivityExcalidraw is a free and open source online diagramming tool that lets you easily create and share beautiful diagrams.
What you get when you deploy Excalidraw
The server we rent for it, what it costs, and what the installer will ask you.
- Server
- CX23 · 2 vCPU · 4 GB RAM
- From
- $9/month
- Setup
- No configuration required
Included with every deployment
- Dedicated server, one app per machine
- HTTPS certificate issued automatically
- Free subdomain, custom domain optional
- Restart, resize, snapshot and restore
The project
Everything this page links to outside Automatio.
Deploy Excalidraw in one click
On your own server, with your own data. No terminal, no Docker commands, no certificate setup.
- 1
Pick a size
Start on the smallest server that fits the app. Resize later without reinstalling.
- 2
Press deploy
We rent the server, install the app with Docker, and point a subdomain at it.
- 3
Watch it come up
Provisioning runs unattended and takes a few minutes. When the HTTPS certificate lands, the app is live and your login details are on the deployment page.
Server size
Billed monthly with your Automatio subscription. Destroy the server any time and the charge stops.
Key Capabilities
Explore what Automatio can do for this use case
Infinite sketching canvas
The workspace expands in all directions as you draw, allowing you to map out complex ideas without worrying about page boundaries. It supports zooming and panning to manage large-scale architectural diagrams or process flows.
- 1Supports zoom and panning
- 2Object snapping for precision alignment
- 3Layer management for complex builds
- 4Infinite workspace coordinates
Key Capabilities
- Infinite sketching canvas
The workspace expands in all directions as you draw, allowing you to map out complex ideas without worrying about page boundaries. It supports zooming and panning to manage large-scale architectural diagrams or process flows.
- Supports zoom and panning
- Object snapping for precision alignment
- Layer management for complex builds
- Infinite workspace coordinates
- Hand-drawn aesthetic
The interface uses a unique rough-sketch style that makes digital diagrams feel like physical whiteboard drawings. This low-fidelity look is intentional, reducing the pressure to create perfect visuals during the early ideation phase.
- Customizable stroke styles
- Hachure and cross-hatch fill patterns
- Handwritten and standard font options
- Curated color palettes
- Lossless export and import
Users can save work in multiple formats for sharing or documentation. The native .excalidraw file format allows for lossless editing when re-imported, while standard image exports work for presentations or team chats.
- Export to SVG and PNG
- Copy to clipboard functionality
- JSON-based file structure
- Native .excalidraw file persistence
- Extensible component library
You can save frequently used shapes into a personal library or import community-made packs. This is particularly useful for technical teams who need consistent icons for cloud architecture or UI wireframing.
- Custom library creation
- JSON library imports
- Community asset integration
- Local storage for assets
Why self-host Excalidraw
What to know first
Managed, DIY, or One-Click?
The three realistic ways to run {name}, compared honestly.
| Aspect | Managed SaaS | DIY on a VPS | Automatio one-click |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup speed | Instant | 30-60 minutes | A few minutes |
| Data privacy | Third-party cloud | Full ownership | Full ownership |
| SSL/HTTPS | Included | Manual setup | Auto-provisioned |
| Maintenance | None | Manual updates | Automated |
Setup speed
Data privacy
SSL/HTTPS
Maintenance
Who this is for
People who actually run Excalidraw on their own server, and what changes when they do.
a solo developer sketching architecture
Tired of proprietary tools that store data in a black-box cloud.
They get a permanent, private place to map out database schemas and microservices.
- Drafting microservice diagrams
- Planning API endpoints
- Visualizing data flow
a freelance designer ideating UX
Needs a quick way to show rough wireframes without the overhead of Figma.
Provides a safe space for first drafts that stay completely private and lightweight.
- Wireframing landing pages
- Mapping user journeys
- Sketching logo concepts
a homelab tinkerer documenting networks
Keeping track of VLANs and IP addresses in text files is hard to visualize.
They can visually map their entire rack setup on their own internal server.
- Drawing network topologies
- Planning server upgrades
- Mapping docker container links
a small agency head leading brainstorms
Client data privacy is a concern during project kickoff calls.
Running their own instance ensures client secrets stay off third-party whiteboard clouds.
- Running internal kickoffs
- Defining project scopes
- Creating client presentations
About This App
What this app does and where it fits.
Solving perfection paralysis
Excalidraw is an open-source whiteboard tool designed to solve a specific problem in technical documentation: the pressure to make things look professional too early. When tools produce highly polished output, users often hesitate to sketch messy, early-stage ideas. The app uses a rough-sketch aesthetic that intentionally mimics the speed of a physical whiteboard, encouraging rapid ideation while providing the benefits of digital persistence. Developed originally within the React ecosystem, it has grown into a massive project at excalidraw/excalidraw with over 120,000 GitHub stars.
How it works
Architecturally, the app is a lightweight client-side application. While the public version can store data via an encrypted backend, self-hosting provides a standalone environment under your own control. It is efficient, using minimal server resources because the rendering happens locally in the browser. This makes it an ideal candidate for a low-resource VPS. The app is designed to be local-first, meaning it works offline and saves to your browser by default, ensuring that a lost internet connection does not interrupt a session. All deployment details are managed through Docker, ensuring consistent performance across different environments.
Your first hour
After deployment, your first hour will involve exploring the intuitive toolset. You will start by drawing basic rectangles and arrows, discovering the smart connecting lines that snap to shapes. Most technical users immediately dive into the Library to download community-made icon packs for AWS, Kubernetes, or basic UI elements. Within minutes, you can have a full architectural diagram that looks hand-drawn but remains perfectly editable and scalable. You can toggle between dark and light modes and experiment with stroke styles to get the exact look you want.
Ecosystem and alternatives
Compared to text-to-diagram tools like Mermaid.js, this app offers far more flexibility for freeform layout. While tools like Miro or Lucidchart provide enterprise project management features, this project focuses on being the fastest possible way to sketch a technical idea. It fits perfectly for developers, architects, and designers who need a private, intuitive canvas for high-speed ideation. The project also supports various integrations, including a popular VS Code extension and plugins for note-taking apps like Obsidian.
Community Feedback
See what the community thinks about Excalidraw
“Excalidraw is dead-simple open-source whiteboard for architecture sketches, flows, and pitch diagrams. Hand-drawn look, zero friction.”
“I was looking into Excalidraw and it doesn’t seem like they support self hosted collaboration sessions easily out of the box, but for solo sketching it's perfect.”
“Plugin Excalidraw: 'drawing board' plugin, draw a diagram/scratch and insert it into a markdown file... you get the infinite canvas drawing app.”
“The client-only docker image is great for internal documentation where you just need to sketch something up and export it.”
“I moved my sketches from the public site to my own VPS. Knowing my internal architecture diagrams aren't on someone else's cloud is a huge relief.”
“Love the handwritten font and the simplicity. No extra fluff, just a canvas that works as fast as my brain.”
Related Videos
Watch tutorials, reviews, and discussions about Excalidraw
“What's cool about this is that yes you've got your icons and you can add your image if you want... you can insert an image and draw on here.”
“I absolutely love this handdrawn style look of a whiteboard, but I can also easily resize or change these elements later.”
“The cool thing is you don't even need a tablet. You don't even need a pen. This works entirely from any device since it is a simple web application.”
Supercharge your workflow with AI Automation
Automatio combines the power of AI agents, web automation, and smart integrations to help you accomplish more in less time.
Pro Tips
Expert tips to help you get the most out of Excalidraw and achieve better results.
Export files locally
Always export important drawings as .excalidraw files. Do not rely solely on the browser cache for long-term storage.
Import icon libraries
Visit the official library to download pre-made components for cloud providers like AWS or GCP to speed up technical documentation.
Use SVG for presentations
If you need to include diagrams in slide decks, export as SVG to ensure they remain crisp at any resolution without pixelation.
Testimonials
What Our Users Say
Join thousands of satisfied users who have transformed their workflow
Jonathan Kogan
Co-Founder/CEO, rpatools.io
Automatio is one of the most used for RPA Tools both internally and externally. It saves us countless hours of work and we realized this could do the same for other startups and so we choose Automatio for most of our automation needs.
Mohammed Ibrahim
CEO, qannas.pro
I have used many tools over the past 5 years, Automatio is the Jack of All trades.. !! it could be your scraping bot in the morning and then it becomes your VA by the noon and in the evening it does your automations.. its amazing!
Ben Bressington
CTO, AiChatSolutions
Automatio is fantastic and simple to use to extract data from any website. This allowed me to replace a developer and do tasks myself as they only take a few minutes to setup and forget about it. Automatio is a game changer!
Sarah Chen
Head of Growth, ScaleUp Labs
We've tried dozens of automation tools, but Automatio stands out for its flexibility and ease of use. Our team productivity increased by 40% within the first month of adoption.
David Park
Founder, DataDriven.io
The AI-powered features in Automatio are incredible. It understands context and adapts to changes in websites automatically. No more broken scrapers!
Emily Rodriguez
Marketing Director, GrowthMetrics
Automatio transformed our lead generation process. What used to take our team days now happens automatically in minutes. The ROI is incredible.
Jonathan Kogan
Co-Founder/CEO, rpatools.io
Automatio is one of the most used for RPA Tools both internally and externally. It saves us countless hours of work and we realized this could do the same for other startups and so we choose Automatio for most of our automation needs.
Mohammed Ibrahim
CEO, qannas.pro
I have used many tools over the past 5 years, Automatio is the Jack of All trades.. !! it could be your scraping bot in the morning and then it becomes your VA by the noon and in the evening it does your automations.. its amazing!
Ben Bressington
CTO, AiChatSolutions
Automatio is fantastic and simple to use to extract data from any website. This allowed me to replace a developer and do tasks myself as they only take a few minutes to setup and forget about it. Automatio is a game changer!
Sarah Chen
Head of Growth, ScaleUp Labs
We've tried dozens of automation tools, but Automatio stands out for its flexibility and ease of use. Our team productivity increased by 40% within the first month of adoption.
David Park
Founder, DataDriven.io
The AI-powered features in Automatio are incredible. It understands context and adapts to changes in websites automatically. No more broken scrapers!
Emily Rodriguez
Marketing Director, GrowthMetrics
Automatio transformed our lead generation process. What used to take our team days now happens automatically in minutes. The ROI is incredible.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Find answers to common questions about Excalidraw