ExcalidrawZ：4年，把 Excalidraw 做成真正的原生 App

一个工具能做4年，说明它在认真解决问题

Excalidraw 是公认最好用的手绘风白板工具——但它是个网页。文件散落在浏览器下载文件夹，没有版本历史，iPad 上笔迹体验凑合，离线？不存在的。

ExcalidrawZ（chocoford/ExcalidrawZ）从 2022 年底开始做这件事：用纯 SwiftUI 重新包装 Excalidraw 核心，把它做成一个真正的 Apple 原生 App。

2026年8月，版本 2.4.3，⭐ 1410，App Store 上架，macOS + iPadOS + iOS 全平台覆盖。

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原生文件管理：从「乱放」到「有序」

浏览器版 Excalidraw 的文件管理就是没有文件管理——你下载一个 .excalidraw 文件，它在下载文件夹里等你找。

ExcalidrawZ 把绘图文件当成真正的 App 文档来管理：

• 分组和自定义排序：你的图，按你的方式组织
• iCloud 同步：macOS、iPadOS、iOS 之间自动同步，画一半拿起 iPad 接着画
• 直接打开本地文件：.excalidraw、.excalidraw.png、.excalidraw.svg 都认
• 临时文件和本地文件夹：外部文件直接在 App 里编辑，不需要导入

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文件历史：再也不怕改坏

ExcalidrawZ 会自动为每个 App 管理的绘图记录历史检查点。改得太远了？随时回到早期版本查看或恢复。

这是原生 App 才能做的事——浏览器版的 Excalidraw，关了标签页，一切都消失了。

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Apple Pencil + 原生手势

iPad 用户的体验：

• Apple Pencil 完整支持，包括熟悉的撤销/重做手势
• 鼠标和触控板的滚动缩放手势在 iPad 和 iPhone 上都能用
• 自定义工具栏顺序，数字快捷键跟着你的配置走
• PDF 导入，直接在 Excalidraw 里批注
• Mermaid 图转换：把 Mermaid 代码粘进来，自动变成可编辑的 Excalidraw 图形

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AI 绘图助手

ExcalidrawZ 2.x 加入了 AI 助手，直接理解 Excalidraw 画布：

• 读图/创图/改图：告诉 AI 你想要什么，它在画布上操作
• 图片上下文：把截图发给 AI，让它参考画面内容
• 提案预览：AI 生成的内容先在预览里看，满意了再应用到真实画布
• per-file AI 可见性控制：你可以指定某个文件对 AI 不可见
• 多端适配：iPhone 紧凑工具栏、iPad 浮动面板、macOS 侧边检查器，三端界面各自优化

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MCP 服务器：让 AI 客户端直接操控 Excalidraw

这是 2.x 加入的功能里最有意思的一个：ExcalidrawZ 可以把自己暴露为一个 MCP 服务器，让兼容的 AI 客户端（Claude、Cursor 等）直接连进来操控画布。

两种模式：

模式	能力
Basic	标准 excalidraw-mcp 绘图工作流
Optimized	当前文件编辑、文件导航、历史记录、画布检查、导出、Library 工作流、数学工具

本地 MCP 客户端通过 App 托管的 HTTP 端点连接。也就是说，你可以在 Claude Code 里说”帮我在 Excalidraw 里画一张系统架构图”，ExcalidrawZ 直接执行。

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数学和图表工具

面向技术图和学习笔记的专项功能：

• LaTeX 公式：直接插入渲染好的数学公式，后续可在画布上二次编辑
• 函数图像：配置坐标轴和样式，渲染函数曲线
• 数学模板：可复用的公式模板库
• AI 辅助公式生成：描述你要的公式，AI 帮你写 LaTeX

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文件加密和访问控制

对于敏感图纸，ExcalidrawZ 加了一套保护机制：

• 本地认证锁定（Face ID / Touch ID / 密码）
• 加密存储：锁定的文件及其历史检查点都加密
• 恢复密钥：万一生物认证失败，备用访问路径
• AI 可见性隔离：加锁文件对 AI 不可见，AI 只能通过提案画布间接操作
• 加密备份：独立的恢复路径

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导出和分享

• PNG / SVG / PDF 导出
• .excalidraw.png 和 .excalidraw.svg：保留可编辑性——图片里内嵌原始绘图数据，发给别人他们也能在 Excalidraw 里继续编辑
• 剪贴板、文件、系统分享表单
• App 管理文件批量归档备份

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安装

App Store（推荐）：直接搜 ExcalidrawZ 或访问 App Store 链接

非 App Store 版（macOS）：

# 从 GitHub Releases 下载最新 .dmg
# 拖入 Applications，完成

从源码构建（开发者）：

ExcalidrawZ/Config/ 下新建 Overrides.xcconfig：
DEVELOPMENT_TEAM = <你的 Apple 开发者 Team ID>
ICLOUD_CONTAINER = <你的 iCloud 容器标识符>

Excalidraw 核心也单独开源：chocoford/excalidraw (ExcalidrawZ-core 分支)

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4年的积累在哪里

从 2022 年底第一个版本，到 2026 年 v2.4.3：ExcalidrawZ 走过了一条”先做好基础、再叠加能力”的路线。

早期解决的是最基本的需求：文件管理、iCloud 同步、本地文件支持——这些是从”浏览器工具”变成”真正 App”的必要条件。

中期做的是 Apple 平台的体验打磨：Apple Pencil 支持、触控手势、工具栏自定义——这些是”用起来顺不顺”的核心。

近期加入的 AI 助手和 MCP 集成，是在稳固基础上加的新维度：让 ExcalidrawZ 不只是一个画图工具，而是一个可以被 AI 工作流直接操控的创作环境。

1410 个 Star，4 年，这个数字说明它在认真解决用户的真实问题。

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GitHub: chocoford/ExcalidrawZ ⭐1410
App Store: ExcalidrawZ
Discord: discord.gg/aCv6w4HxDg

ExcalidrawZ: Four Years Turning Excalidraw into a Real Native App

Excalidraw is arguably the best hand-drawn whiteboard tool available — but it’s a web page. Files scatter across browser downloads, there’s no version history, iPad pencil experience is mediocre, and offline use doesn’t exist.

ExcalidrawZ (chocoford/ExcalidrawZ) started solving this in late 2022: wrapping the Excalidraw canvas in pure SwiftUI to build a genuine Apple-native app. August 2026 — version 2.4.3, ⭐1410, on the App Store, covering macOS + iPadOS + iOS.

Native File Management

The browser Excalidraw has no file management — you download a .excalidraw file and it sits in your Downloads folder. ExcalidrawZ treats drawings as real app documents:

• Organize with groups and custom sort order
• iCloud sync across macOS, iPadOS, and iOS — start drawing on your Mac, pick up your iPad
• Open .excalidraw, .excalidraw.png, and .excalidraw.svg directly from the filesystem
• Edit external local files in-place without importing

File History

ExcalidrawZ automatically records checkpoints for every app-managed drawing. Went down a wrong path? Review earlier states and restore. Browser Excalidraw? Close the tab and everything is gone.

Apple Pencil and Native Gestures

• Full Apple Pencil support on iPad, including the familiar undo/redo gestures
• Mouse and trackpad scroll/zoom gestures on iPad and iPhone
• Customizable toolbar order — number shortcuts follow your configuration
• PDF import — annotate PDFs directly on the canvas
• Mermaid diagram conversion — paste Mermaid code, get an editable Excalidraw diagram

AI Drawing Assistant

ExcalidrawZ’s built-in AI assistant understands the canvas:

• Read / create / revise drawings through conversation
• Image context — attach screenshots for the AI to reference visually
• Proposal preview — AI-generated content appears in a preview before touching your real canvas
• Per-file AI visibility — mark specific files off-limits to AI
• Three-platform UI: iPhone compact toolbar, iPad floating panel, macOS inspector

MCP Server Integration

The most interesting 2.x addition: ExcalidrawZ can expose itself as an MCP server, letting any compatible AI client (Claude, Cursor, etc.) directly control the canvas.

Mode	Capabilities
Basic	Standard excalidraw-mcp drawing workflow
Optimized	Current-file editing, file navigation, history, canvas inspection, export, library workflows, math tools

Local MCP clients connect through an app-hosted HTTP endpoint. You can tell Claude Code “draw me a system architecture diagram in Excalidraw” and ExcalidrawZ executes it directly.

Math and Diagram Tools

For technical drawings and study notes:

• LaTeX formulas — insert rendered math; edit later directly from the canvas
• Function graphs — configurable axes and styles
• Math templates — reusable formula library
• AI-assisted formula generation — describe the math, get the LaTeX

File Encryption and Access Control

For sensitive drawings, ExcalidrawZ adds a protection layer:

• Local authentication lock (Face ID / Touch ID / passcode)
• Encrypted storage — locked files and their checkpoints are encrypted at rest
• Recovery key for fallback access
• AI isolation — locked files are invisible to AI; AI works through proposal canvases only
• Encrypted backups as an additional recovery path

Export and Sharing

• PNG / SVG / PDF export
• .excalidraw.png and .excalidraw.svg with preserved editability — the original drawing data is embedded in the file; recipients can reopen it in any Excalidraw client
• Clipboard, files, system share sheet
• Batch archive of app-managed files for backup

Install

App Store (recommended): search ExcalidrawZ or use the App Store link

Non–App Store (macOS): download the latest .dmg from Releases and drag to Applications.

Four Years of Compounding

From the first version in late 2022 to v2.4.3 in 2026, ExcalidrawZ followed a clear progression: lay the foundation first (file management, iCloud sync, local file support — the prerequisites for being a real app rather than a browser wrapper), then build native platform quality (Apple Pencil, touch gestures, toolbar customization — what makes it feel right to use), then add new dimensions on a solid base (AI assistant, MCP server — making ExcalidrawZ not just a drawing tool but a creation environment that AI workflows can directly control).

1,410 stars. Four years. Numbers that say someone is genuinely solving real problems.

GitHub: chocoford/ExcalidrawZ ⭐1410
App Store: ExcalidrawZ
Discord: discord.gg/aCv6w4HxDg