FreePDFly UML Documentation

1. Getting Started

To begin creating diagrams, simply navigate to /editor. You do not need to register an account or install any software. FreePDFly UML initializes a blank diagram or a selected template in memory and autosaves directly to your browser's IndexedDB.

2. Adding & Connecting Elements

• Drag & Drop: Drag any UML element from the left shape palette directly onto the canvas.
• Connecting Elements: Click the connection point (circle) on any node boundary, or activate the Connector tool from the toolbar and click from source to target.
• Smart Quick-Add: Select any single node on canvas and click the small (+) arrow to instantly create and connect a neighboring node.
• Orthogonal Routing: Connections automatically compute clean right-angled paths around nodes. You can switch between Orthogonal, Straight, and Curved routing in the Properties panel.

3. Class Editing & Visibility

When a Class or Interface node is selected, use the right Properties panel to add or edit attributes and methods. You can set visibility to Public (+), Private (-), Protected (#), or Package (~), and configure parameter signatures and return types.

4. Export Formats

• SVG Vector: Clean vector file preserving all geometry, markers, colors, and typography without UI chrome.
• PNG Image: Raster image at 1x, 2x (Retina/High-Res), or 3x scale.
• PDF Document: Client-side PDF fitted to A4 or Letter in Portrait or Landscape.
• JSON Project: *.freepdfly-uml.json file containing full diagram state for backups and sharing.

5. Local Storage & Autosave

All changes are debounced and persisted to IndexedDB with a fallback to localStorage. You can view all saved projects at /projects or in the editor's File menu.