Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Graphviz

Free#29 of 36 in Diagram SoftwareGraph Visualization Tools SoftwareDiagramming Software

Graphviz: A specialized, scriptable choice for generating structured diagrams from DOT definitions. Ranked #29 of 36 in Diagram Software by our editors (6.3/10); pricing: Open source; best for programmatic graph generation and layout.

6.3/10Editor score
Visit Graphviz
Graphviz6.3 Visit Graphviz

At a glance

  • Editor score
    6.3 / 10
  • Pricing
    Open source
  • Best for
    Programmatic graph generation and layout
  • Paid from
    Free
  • Facts checked
    20 Sep 2026
Graphviz screenshot

  • Where it wins

    • Multiple layout engines cover hierarchical, force-directed, radial, and circular graphs.
    • Exports to PNG, SVG, PDF, JSON, DOT, plain text, and other formats.
    • Command-line programs and libraries support local workflows and software integration.

  • Where it doesn't

    • DOT is the only listed import format.
    • The workflow centers on command-line programs and libraries.
    • It is specialized for graph definitions rather than general visual editing.

Our verdict on Graphviz

Graphviz is open-source graph visualization software for representing structural information as diagrams of abstract graphs and networks. It is designed for people who define graphs in the DOT language, then apply layout algorithms and render the result. Its scope includes directed, undirected, clustered, hierarchical, radial, circular, and treemap diagrams, with use cases spanning networking, bioinformatics, software engineering, database design, web design, machine learning, and technical interfaces.

The main strength is control over graph structure and layout. DOT supports nodes, edges, subgraphs, and clusters, while graph, node, edge, cluster, color, font, shape, and attribute settings provide detailed customization. Layout engines include dot, neato, fdp, sfdp, circo, twopi, osage, and patchwork, covering layered, spring-model, force-directed, radial, circular, clustered, and squarified treemap arrangements. Rendering programs and utilities can produce image, vector, document, data, and terminal-oriented output, including PNG, SVG, PDF, JSON, DOT, and plain text.

Graphviz fits technical teams and developers who want repeatable graph generation, local processing, or library integration across Linux, Windows, and macOS. Its open-source model avoids subscription plan decisions, and its library usage supports embedding graph generation into software. The trade-off is a specialized workflow: DOT is the listed import format, and the product is primarily distributed through command-line programs and libraries rather than a general-purpose visual editor. Choose Graphviz when structured definitions, layout engines, customization, and export control matter most; consider a different diagram tool when collaborative visual editing is the priority.

Your product? Our editors can test Graphviz in depth and publish a review, labelled as paid · from $149/mo →

Graphviz pricing

Plans Open sourceFree Free to use — no paid tier required for the core job.
See plans on graphviz.org

Graphviz fact sheet

Free planNot verified
Paid fromFree
Diagram typesgraph diagrams; network diagrams; hierarchical diagrams
Real-time collaborationNot verified
Export formatsBMP, EPS, GIF, JPEG, JSON, PDF, PNG, PS, SVG, TIFF, WebP, DOT, XDOT
Import formatsDOT
Desktop appNot verified
Version historyNot verified
Maximum editorsNot verified
DeploymentSelf-hosted, Desktop
PlatformsWindows, macOS, Linux
SupportCommunity, Docs
Built forSolo, Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise (editorial estimate)
PricingOpen source
Websitegraphviz.org
Facts checked20 Sep 2026

Alternatives to Graphviz

See all Graphviz alternatives →

Also Ranked In

Graphviz is ranked in 3 of our directories.

Used Graphviz? Be the first to review it

The editor score above is our own research. What this page doesn't have yet is a reader's view — what you used Graphviz for, what worked and what didn't. No stars are seeded and no review is paid for; an editor reads every one before it appears.

Write a reviewTwo minutes · verified accounts only · read by an editor before it appears

Reviews come only from verified accounts. Sign in or create an account first — your e-mail is never shown.

Your rating

0 characters · at least 80, up to 3,000

Posted from your verified account. Reviews appear after an editor reads them, usually within two working days.

Featured on iTechGuides

Featured on iTechGuides — Graphviz 6.3/10

Graphviz is listed in our Diagram Software directory. Add the badge to your site — it links back to this page.

<a href="https://www.itechguides.com/products/graphviz/"><img src="https://www.itechguides.com/best/badge/graphviz.svg" alt="Featured on iTechGuides" width="230" height="46"></a>

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Last updated · How we research and update