Gleek Blog

We are excited to announce some of the latest updates to Gleek that will help you create high-quality diagrams more efficiently. Let's take a closer look at the new features we have added.

isio is an expensive diagramming solution, but there are plenty of other options available at no cost. In this article, we will explore 8 Visio alternatives that offer similar features without breaking your budget. From open-source solutions to cloud-based applications, these Visio replacements have something for everyone.

In general terms, an online shopping system is a platform on which you can buy products online. Consequently, there are two parties — sellers and buyers — as well as the object of sale, i.e., product (or items). It is also worth bearing in mind that the product is bought and sold for money, which leads to...

Software development is a tricky business that needs a lot of planning. What’s the best way to plan massive databases and map their relations? Diagrams, of course! But what kinds of diagrams are the most useful for software developers? The common diagram types we all know, like Venn and mind maps, may be useful for other professions and ideas, but not so much for software. The best diagram types for developers are...

In relational tables within a database, there are several types of ‘keys’. Keys are used as identifiers for the information in the table, as well as defining the relationships between tables. Let’s take a closer look at two of these identifiers: primary keys and foreign keys. What is a primary key? Primary keys are columns…

In relational database tables, we use ‘keys’ to identify and find information more easily, or to show the relationships between the data of two different tables. Two of these identifiers are primary keys, and unique keys. Let’s take a closer look. What is a primary key? Primary keys are a column or set of columns…

We’ve talked about Lucidchart plenty of times in the past, but how does it stack up against Miro?  Lucidchart and Miro are two amazing diagramming tools used by software developers for plotting out databases. These services aren’t just for developers though, people from all industries can benefit from a well made diagram. Lucidchart vs. Miro…

What is the ER Model? ER model, short for entity-relationship model, is a diagram type that shows real world objects, their characteristics, and the relationships they have with one another. ER diagrams are used as blueprints for developers when creating databases. ER diagrams provide a visualized model that is easy to read and understand. There…

There are a lot of things to learn about ER diagrams before you can read and understand them. Things like entities, attributes, symbols and notations are all important to know about, including how they are represented, before trying to make sense of an ER diagram. Another important aspect of ER diagrams is cardinality and relationships.…

In the world of diagramming tools, Lucidchart is one of the best and most well known programs on the market today. However, you may find Lucidchart to be lacking in some ways, or maybe you just want to try something new. There are a lot of excellent alternatives out there, and here are some of…

UML and ERDs are both used by software developers to map out software systems and databases before any actual coding occurs. Making a diagram beforehand helps developers see what components are needed, and how the system or database will be structured. UML is a series of symbols and shapes that help to visualize how software…

Smartdraw is a diagramming tool for individuals, small businesses, and enterprises that was created by Smartdraw Software in 1994. With this tool, users can create flowcharts, organizational charts, floorplans, and more. No matter how large or small your team is...

Hi Gleek.io fans! Welcome to our roundup of the huge number of improvements that have been added to Gleek in the last year. Gleek version 3 is a huge step forward and we’re proud to say that we’ve achieved everything on our roadmap for 2021. We also listened to your valuable feedback and implemented some…

What is an ER diagram and what can it be used for? Entity-relationship diagrams show how data objects relate to each other in a database. With just three basic elements – entities, attributes, and relationships – a database designer can use an ER diagram to sketch out the structure of the system.  An ER diagram…

What are entity-relationship diagrams? An ER diagram is a way for the designer of a database to visually represent the entities, or data objects, to be created in the system. The ERD is drawn before starting work on creating the database itself, so that the designer can identify potential problems and clarify business requirements. Or…

There aren’t many things in this world that can’t be captured with a good flowchart. Flowcharts are diagrams used for showing the steps of virtually any process; from the clear and linear, to processes with a dozen variables and decisions. In the technology sector, they’re used to show the flow of algorithms, system processes, and…

What is a sequence diagram? Sequence diagrams are a type of Universal Modeling Language (UML) diagram. They’re used to show how objects in a system work together over time. A sequence diagram helps the designer of a system visualize and understand the order in which these interactions occur. This can make it easier to identify…

What are class diagrams and what are they used for? Class diagrams are an amazingly versatile type of UML diagram. They can be used in all kinds of software development to rapidly sketch out an informal diagram of how a system should be built. Because class diagrams are easy to understand, they can be shared…

Entity-relationship diagrams, also called ERDs or ER diagrams, are flowchart-like diagrams that explain the structure of entities, attributes, and their relationships in a database. They are mainly used for relational database design, and can be used to troubleshooting designs. There are many notations and symbols that are unique to ERDs that you need to know…

Both activity diagrams and sequence diagrams are used by software developers to show actions and relationships within a software system. But, before we get into these two diagram types, we first need to talk about UML. Universal Modeling Language, also known as UML, is a standardized language used in software diagrams to represent the items,…

What is the purpose of sequence diagrams? Sequence diagrams are one of the 14 different types of Unified Modeling Language (UML) diagrams. While some of these diagrams, such as class diagrams or object diagrams, are designed to show the static structure of a system, a sequence diagram shows how the system behaves over time and…

What is a class diagram and what is it used for? Class diagrams are one of the most popular Unified Modeling Language diagrams. For over 20 years, the UML standard has provided software engineers with a standardized way to visualize and diagram systems before starting to code. Class diagrams are great for sketching a static…

What is the purpose of a logical data model? The first stage in designing a database is the conceptual model and the last is the physical model. In between sits the logical model. In a logical data model, the database designer or database architect moves on from the big picture of the conceptual model and…

What is data modeling? When starting to create a new database, the database designer or database administrator needs to carefully plan ahead. Mistakes made in the planning phase could be very costly later on when the database is in the process of being put together and decisions have already been made on what kinds of…

So, maybe you’re a budding entrepreneur, looking to create a product for the first time. Or perhaps your business struggles with launching new products because of disorganization. Whatever your situation is, everyone can benefit from using the new product development process. What is the new product development process? The new product development (NPD) process is…

One of the best things about today’s world is the abundance of choices we have when shopping. But as we all know, the endless options can also be a curse. How do you know you’ve made the right choice? What if there’s something better out there? This is true across every facet of life, including…

What is an entity-relationship diagram and what is it for? An entity-relationship (ER) diagram, ERD, or entity-relationship model, is commonly used in the early stages of designing a database. An ERD is perfect for quickly sketching out the elements needed in the system and explaining how they interact. ER diagrams can be shared with colleagues…

What are sequence diagrams and what are they used for? Sequence diagrams are one of the 14 diagram types that can be created using the Unified Modeling Language (UML). UML diagrams are generally used when designing software and databases to make sure that the system will work as required and to reveal potential problems before…

Let’s talk sequence diagram tools. What are they? What can you use them for? Which one is best for you and your team? We’ve compiled a list of the top 8 UML sequence diagram tools on the market in 2021, and can hopefully answer some of these questions for you. Sequence diagrams are just one…

What is data modeling? Data modeling is an essential first step in the design of any database. The database designer or database administrator creates models to represent the data objects to be stored, their attributes, and the relationships between them. The diagrams or documents created act as blueprints for the final result and keeps the…

What is data modeling? Data modeling is a way of creating a blueprint, often an actual diagram, for the design of a data storage system. It clearly shows the data types to be stored, how they relate to each other, and the rules that are needed for the system to operate. Check out this Gleek…

What’s life without problems? Probably a little boring, if we’re being honest. If everything were perfect all the time, there would be no challenges, and things would get pretty monotonous. This is a rather optimistic view on what many believe to be an aggravating part of life. No matter how you feel about problems, one…

What is data modeling and what is its purpose? Data modeling is a way to visualize a data storage system. The system is represented by a diagram that attempts to explain the data to be stored, the relationships between the different types of data, and the formats, attributes, and rules that make the system work.…

Some things are near impossible to explain using words alone. This is especially true in the software world when describing systems, and the relationships between them. How do we solve that problem? With diagrams, of course. Two great tools for creating diagrams across all types of industries are Lucidchart and Draw.io. So, which is the…

UML, or Unified Modelling Language, is a visual diagramming language used to represent the design of systems or processes. It is especially useful for designing software and databases. Creating a UML diagram before any code is written is an efficient way for programmers to keep track of all the components involved and how they relate…

What is UML? The Unified Modeling Language (UML) is a general-purpose modeling language used to visualize the design of a system. You can think of UML as a way to create blueprints so that software is fully understood by the designer before any coding begins. Models assist developers by letting them initially work at a…

What is Confluence? Confluence is a wiki, or knowledge base, to help teams collaborate and share project assets. Resources such as product requirements, design documents, ideas, meeting notes, calendars, and all relevant information or materials can be stored in Confluence and accessed by everyone involved in the project. All stakeholders can edit, provide feedback and…

Why use Azure DevOps? At Blocshop we use both our own Gleek diagram maker and Azure DevOps, so it made perfect sense for us to create a Gleek extension for Azure! Azure DevOps is a web-based collaboration tool focused on giving support teams the tools they need to work together effectively on code development, planning, testing,…

UML diagrams can either be structural, or behavioral. A few behavioral diagram types include activity, communication, and sequence diagrams. UML communication diagrams, formerly known as collaboration diagrams, show the relationships between objects, and how messages flow...

Do you often work on large, complicated projects by yourself or with a team? Chances are you’ve heard of LucidChart and Gliffy. Both of these services provide easy-to-use diagramming tools for all types of projects. From flowcharts to mind maps, diagrams are used to organize, collaborate, and track progress on projects or plans. Lucidchart is…

Developers use entity-relationship diagrams to sketch out designs for databases. As their name suggests, enhanced entity-relationship diagrams take ER diagrams a step further and allow for much more complex designs for modern databases. EER diagrams give developers the tools to add...

What is a sequence diagram and what is it used for? A sequence diagram is a type of UML (Unified Modelling Language) diagram that is used to model interactions between objects in a system over time. The sequence diagram lets a developer sketch out and demonstrates how processes will behave and interact in sequence. The…

What is the Confluence tool used for? Atlassian created Confluence workspace to help teams. Atlassian wrote Confluence in Java in 2006 to create a place to organize and boost productivity. According to Atlassian Confluence helps teams:  Scale agile practices Consolidate workflows Expand visibility Plan, track, and release   In practice, many kinds of teams use Confluence…

What are the uses for cross-functional flowcharts? We know that software development teams use flowcharts to diagram steps and decisions. Flowcharts show a process, step-by-step. Flowcharts help teams organize and visualize systems. We can use them to document, brainstorm, or record a decision-making process. Most importantly, flowcharts must be easy to read and understand.…

What is a sequence diagram and what is it used for? Sequence diagrams show an overview of the interactions between objects in a system over time. Also called event diagrams or event scenarios, sequence diagrams depict the sequential events that occur and the processes that are completed. Sequence diagrams descend from top to bottom to…

What are class diagram relationships? UML class diagrams allow developers to graphically represent a system or program. UML stands for unified modeling language. UML diagrams map out the classes, attributes, operations, and relationships among objects in a system. Developers use UML class diagrams to view the structure of static systems. What are UML classes exactly?…

What symbols do we use in flowcharts? A flowchart is a diagram that shows a process, decision, or action in a project. It helps teams organize and visualize systems. We can also use flowcharts to document, brainstorm, or record a decision-making processes. Most importantly, flowcharts must be easy to read and understand.

What is a class diagram and what is it used for? Diagramming helps developers and software architects plan and map out projects. But diagramming works well for other fields as well. Today we will take a look at class diagrams. We will define and explain class diagrams. Then we will show how class diagrams can…

How do I create a flowchart in Google docs? Flowcharts help teams organize and visualize systems. Frank and Lillian Gilbreth created the first flowchart in 1921. They presented the concept of flowcharts to the American Society of Mechanical Engineers in their talk, “Process Charts: First Steps in Finding the One Best Way to do Work.”…

What is an ER diagram?  What do we mean when we talk about ER diagrams? Developers use ER diagrams to outline the design of a database. In times past, a database engineer could diagram database relations on a whiteboard. Nowadays, we need powerful tools to properly map out a database. ER diagrams graphically represent the…

Software development has become more complicated. UML retains an important place in any software development project. UML gives teams a valuable tool for mapping complex software projects. UML is a flexible, universal visual modeling language. UML creates a standard form to visualize systems.

So you’ve signed up with Gleek and you want to make some diagrams. But you’re not sure where to start…  Don’t worry, here’s our quick start guide to using Gleek. Once you’ve read this, you’ll be happily diagramming like a pro 💪 The simplest thing you can do in Gleek is to make a shape.…

What is a relational schema? A relational schema is a blueprint used in database design to represent the data to be entered into the database and describe how that data is structured in tables (called relations in relational schemas). The schema describes how those tables relate to each other. In the relational schema, the table,…

What are database entities? We create databases to store information about things that exist in the real world. If it can be uniquely identified as being separate from other things and recorded in a database, it can be a database entity. Database entities can be persons, places, events, objects, or concepts, such as a university…

Hey Gleek.io fans, the app just got a major update! What’s new? Completely new layout engine (based on Mermaid) Diagrams are generated much faster than ever before (like lightning!) Added option to save diagram as an SVG image Added option to fit diagram into screen window (without scrollbar) Try it out yourself and create a…

What is process mapping? Any business activity can be described as a process if it goes through a series of steps and transforms inputs into outputs. The inputs might be raw materials, information, or human activity. The output is the finished product, document or anything that results from the series of steps. A process map…

What is an architecture diagram? Architecture (or architectural – both are used) diagrams are primarily about making it easier to communicate and collaborate with all stakeholders in a project. An architecture diagram will show the concepts involved in the architecture, including key principles, elements, and components. They are high-level diagrams that aim to represent the…

What is a concept map? Concept maps were first used in universities in the 1970s, but are now also used by engineers, designers, businesses, and anyone who needs to illustrate how concepts relate to each other. Creating a concept map is a way to organize, explore, and expand your understanding of a topic. When you…

Entity-relationship diagrams are a useful tool for designing databases. They show the entities involved, their attributes, and the relationships between them. You need to define these elements to properly understand the structure of the database before building it. A method often used to create an entity-relationship diagram is crow’s foot notation. Introduced in the 1970s, the distinctive…

When you start working on a new project, you need to know what external entities will be involved and how they will interact with your system. A system context diagram will help you to work out these relationships without getting too involved in the details of how your system works. A data flow diagram (DFD)…

Before you create a new database, you have to work out what elements you’ll include and how they relate to each other. That’s where the entity-relationship diagram (ERD) comes in. An ERD is ideal for rapidly sketching out a database at the conceptual level. If you plan the overall scope of what you need, you’ll…

You will find several data modeling and management tools on the market including Gleek. It’s a text-to-diagram tool that makes it easier to perform data modeling. Like other options on this list, Gleek is free and requires no signup. It can be used to create information, class, entity-relationship, or UML object diagrams by using the keyboard…

Best software development tools are heavily in demand. The software industry is among the largest and fastest-growing industries out there. The whole IT industry is worth $5.2 trillion (2020), hence it doesn’t come as a surprise that more and more people want to be a part of the industry. There are more than 21 million software developers out…

Designing your database using the entity-relationship model The entity-relationship (ER) model is a way to design databases at the conceptual level. It relies on describing real-world entities and the relationships between them. If something can be individually identified, then you can use it as an entity in your database. Any association between entities is then recorded…

The first premium feature for Gleek is integration with Git source control repositories. The idea was to enable users who would like to version their diagrams or are concerned with their project privacy, to use their own Git repos to store their Gleeks. For registered users, we store diagrams in Azure table storage and diagram…

Gleek takes a completely new approach to diagraming, so we wanted to take a moment to share some tips we’ve learned having used this product over the last months during its development. Don’t try to put everything you can think of into it, instead focus on the most important idea you are trying to communicate…

Hi all, thanks for stopping by. I hope you’ve already played around with Gleek a bit, but if not, have a look here to give it a try. Gleek is an app that we built to scratch an itch we’ve had at Blocshop for a long time. We are a software development company that works almost exclusively with remote…