Mind mapping software is a tool that allows users to visually organize their thoughts, ideas, and information in a hierarchical and interconnected manner. It is based on the concept of mind maps, which are graphical representations of concepts or ideas linked together by branches. Mind maps typically start with a central idea or topic, and then branch out into subtopics or related concepts.
Mind mapping software provides a user-friendly interface where users can create, edit, and rearrange nodes or elements representing ideas or concepts. Users can add text, images, icons, and other visual elements to enhance the representation of their ideas. The software allows for easy navigation and manipulation of the mind map, enabling users to expand or collapse branches, zoom in or out, and rearrange nodes as needed.
Mind mapping software is widely used in various domains, including productivity, project planning, and idea mapping. Here's how it can be beneficial in each of these areas:
- Productivity: Mind mapping software helps improve productivity by providing a structured and visual way to organize ideas, tasks, and information. Users can create to-do lists, set priorities, and track progress by adding tasks and subtasks to their mind maps. The visual nature of mind maps helps users see the bigger picture while also focusing on specific details.
- Project Planning: Mind mapping software is valuable for project planning as it allows users to break down complex projects into manageable tasks and subtasks. Users can create a mind map to outline the project scope, identify deliverables, assign responsibilities, and establish dependencies. The hierarchical structure of mind maps helps in understanding the project's timeline and critical milestones.
- Idea Mapping: Mind mapping software is an effective tool for brainstorming and idea generation. Users can jot down ideas as nodes and connect related ideas through branches. This encourages free thinking and association of ideas, leading to creative solutions and innovative thinking. Mind maps can be used to explore different perspectives, analyze relationships between ideas, and identify connections that might not be immediately apparent.
In summary, mind mapping software facilitates visual thinking, organization, and collaboration in various contexts, making it a powerful tool for productivity, project planning, and idea mapping.
In this list you can find the best free and open-source mind mapping software that you can download, install and use free for Windows, Linux, and macOS.
1- Freemind
FreeMind is an open-source mind mapping software that allows users to create and organize their thoughts and ideas in a visual format.
Some of its key features include:
- Node-based Structure: FreeMind uses a hierarchical structure of nodes to represent different ideas or concepts. Users can create nodes and sub-nodes to organize their information.
- Customizable Styling: Users can customize the style and appearance of nodes, including font styles, colors, icons, and node shapes. This allows for visual differentiation and organization of ideas.
- Keyboard Shortcuts: FreeMind provides a range of keyboard shortcuts for efficient navigation and editing. This helps users to quickly create and modify their mind maps.
- Import and Export: FreeMind supports importing and exporting mind maps in various formats, such as XML, HTML, and image files. This allows for easy sharing and collaboration with others.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: FreeMind is available for Windows, macOS, and Linux operating systems, ensuring that users can access and work on their mind maps across different platforms.
- Fold and Unfold: FreeMind allows users to collapse or expand branches of the mind map, providing a focused view of specific areas or details.
- Smart Drag and Drop: Users can easily rearrange nodes by dragging and dropping them within the mind map. The software automatically adjusts the layout to maintain the overall structure.
- Notes and Hyperlinks: FreeMind enables users to add notes and hyperlinks to nodes, providing additional information or linking to external resources.
- Task Management: Users can add checkboxes to nodes to create task lists and track progress. This feature helps in organizing and managing projects or to-do lists.
These features make FreeMind a versatile and user-friendly tool for creating and organizing mind maps. It is suitable for various applications such as brainstorming, planning, organizing information, project management, and more.
2- Heimer
Heimer is an open-source desktop application that provides a user-friendly interface for creating and managing concept maps. With Heimer, users can easily create nodes and connect them to visualize relationships and organize their thoughts and ideas. It offers features such as customizable node styles, export options, and cross-platform compatibility.
juzzlin
Jussi Lind
3- mindmaps
mindmaps is a HTML5 based mind mapping application. It lets you create neat looking mind maps in the browser.
drichard4- My Mind
My Mind is a web application for creating and managing Mind maps. It is free to use and you can fork its source code. It is distributed under the terms of the MIT license.
ondras5- TreeSheet
TreeSheet is an open-source "hierarchical spreadsheet" that is a great replacement for spreadsheets, mind mappers, outliners, PIMs, text editors and small databases.
Suitable for any kind of data organization, such as to-do lists, calendars, project management, brainstorming, organizing ideas, planning, requirements gathering, presentation of information, etc.
6- EMACS Mindmap
This is an Emacs package that creates graph viz directed graphs from org-mode files.
the-ted7- Minder (Elementary OS)
Minder is a powerful mind-mapping tool that allows you to quickly create visual mind-maps.
It offers various features such as automatic layout, support for Markdown formatting, insertion of Unicode characters, adding notes, tasks, and images to nodes, node-to-node connections, stylizing nodes and links, adding stickers and node groups, quick search and filtering, zooming in and out, focus mode, unlimited undo/redo, automatic saving, colorized node branches, tab support, theming options, gorgeous animations, import/export capabilities, and printer support.
phase1geo8- jsMind
jsMind is mind map library built by JavaScript, it bases on html5 canvas and SVG. jsMind is released under the BSD license, you can embed it in any project as long as you abide by the license.
hizzgdev9- MindMap
MindMap is an open-source mind mapping program written in Python3.
tannerbohn10- MindTree
MindTree is a free open-source web-based mind mapping software.
skitsanos11- Qmind (macOS)
Qmind is a mind mapping App for OS X compatible with FreeMind. Many features of FreeMind are yet to be implemented.
qvacua12- MindNode
MindNode is a popular mind mapping application that allows users to visually organize their thoughts and ideas. It provides a user-friendly interface and a wide range of features to enhance the mind mapping process.
Features
- Drag and Drop: Users can easily create and rearrange nodes by dragging and dropping them on the canvas.
- Multiple Themes: MindNode offers a variety of themes and styles to customize the appearance of the mind maps.
- Cross-Platform Compatibility: It is available on macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, allowing users to seamlessly work across different devices.
- Node Styling: Users can customize the style and appearance of nodes, including font styles, colors, and icons.
- Branches and Connections: MindNode allows users to create branches and connections between nodes to visualize relationships and connections between ideas.
- Task Management: Users can add checkboxes to nodes to create task lists and track progress.
- File Export and Sharing: MindNode supports exporting mind maps in various formats, such as PDF, image files, and text outlines. Users can also share their mind maps with others through email or cloud storage services.
13- Dia
Dia is an open-source diagramming software that provides a user-friendly interface and a wide variety of diagram types. It offers customizable shapes and symbols, flexible grid and alignment tools, export and import options, extensive editing capabilities, cross-platform compatibility, and benefits from being open-source and community-driven. Dia is a versatile tool for creating professional and visually appealing diagrams.
tomigo14- VYM (View Your Mind)
VYM (View Your Mind) is a tool to generate and manipulate maps which show your thoughts. Such maps can help you to improve your creativity and effectivity. You can use them for time management, to organize tasks, to get an overview over complex contexts.
15- Labyrinth
Labyrinth is a lightweight mind-mapping tool, written in Python using Gtk and Cairo to do the drawing. It is intended to be as light and intuitive as possible, but still provide a wide range of powerful features.
A mind-map is a diagram used to represent words, ideas, tasks or other items linked to and arranged radially around a central key word or idea. It is used to generate, visualise, structure and classify ideas, and as an aid in study, organisation, problem solving, and decision making. (From wikipedia)
labyrinth-team16- Semantik
Semantik is an open-source mind mapping software for Linux systems.
17- Freeplane
Freeplane is a free and open source software application that supports thinking, sharing information, getting things done at work, in school and at home. It provides you a set of tools for mind mapping (also known as concept mapping or information mapping) and navigating the mapped information. Freeplane is also a more robust and superuser alternative to Xmind, Mindmeister, and similar mind mapping software.
freeplane