Network and technical diagram shapes in draw.io

All the latest shape libraries

draw.io has up-to-date shape libraries for a wide range of technical diagrams. Whatever your use case, we’ve got you covered.

In this blogpost, along with some tips and tricks to help you get the most out of draw.io, we’ll look at how to access the following technical shape libraries:

1. Alibaba
2. AWS
3. Azure
4. BPMN
5. Citrix
6. ERD
7. IBM
8. Networking and cloud
9. SAP
10. UML

These libraries are found by heading to +More Shapes in the left side menu.

Custom libraries

You can also build custom libraries in draw.io. These are ideal for adding and sharing logos, employee headshots, and other branding elements with your company’s identity. To find out how to build these, see, Create your own custom library.

1. Alibaba Cloud

Here, you’ll find a wide range of Alibaba Cloud applications and services, helping you document your infrastructure on the Alibaba Cloud platform.

To find these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes in the left side menu;
2. Locate the Networking category and click on Alibaba Cloud;
3. Click Apply.

Tip: To add text beneath a specific shape, left-click on the shape and begin typing. If you want to customize the text, for example, to change the vertical position of the text in relation to the shape: Click on a blank space on the canvas, head to the Text tab in the right side menu, and select Bottom from the dropdown menu.

You can also change the Font Color in this section to match the shape color. Use the color picker to the right of the colored box, then click on a shape to apply that shape’s color to the text.

2. AWS icons

We have everything you need for Amazon Web Services (AWS) infrastructures, including AWS shape libraries from 2017 onwards.

To find these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Networking category and click on the relevant AWS library;
3. Click Apply.

There are also AWS templates available in draw.io, to get you started.

Tip: To reorder shapes, click on a shape, then head to the Arrange tab in the right side menu. Click on any of the following options, To Front or To Back, or Bring Forward/Send Backward, to rearrange the stacking order.

3. Azure

You can create your cloud infrastructure from a blank canvas, or by importing a .vsdx file. Whichever you choose, draw.io’s updated shape library is here to assist.

To locate these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Networking category and click on Azure;
3. Click Apply.

Tip: If you’re regularly using the same shapes, for example, to create sub-sections of your diagram for backup or redundancy purposes, you can use the Scratchpad to store these shapes (along with groups of shapes, and even entire diagrams!) to use time and time again.

Note: the Scratchpad only stores shapes in your diagrams; these are not visible to other team members accessing the same diagram.

Locate the Scratchpad by going to the View option in the top menu, and clicking on Scratchpad.

4. BPMN

Visualizing business processes? draw.io has both BPMN and BPMN 2.0 shape libraries to help flesh these out.

To locate these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Business category and click on BPMN 2.0;
3. Click Apply.

Tip: Once the library is visible in the left menu, hover over a particular shape to see a preview, along with a description of what it represents.

5. Citrix

The Citrix shape library helps you create comprehensible diagrams for even the most detailed Citrix infrastructures. The older, “3D shapes” are directly below, found in the Citrix (legacy) library.

To locate these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Networking category and click on Citrix;
3. Click Apply.

Tip: The search bar at the top of the left side menu will help you quickly find specific shapes.

6. Entity Relationship Diagram (ERD)

Entity Relationship Diagrams (ERD), or ER models, show the logical structure of databases and highlight the interrelations between specific concepts or entities, (i.e. objects, people, places, etc.) in a given topic area. With the Entity Relation shape library, you can design and build these detailed diagrams in draw.io, to map out complex data relationships.

To locate these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Software category and click on Entity Relation;
3. Click Apply.

Tip: You can either build your ERD using the Entity Relation shape library, or use the SQL plugin to generate entity shapes, their attributes, and primary and foreign keys automatically. To do this, head to Arrange in the top menu, and navigate to Advanced > SQL.

7. IBM (Cloud)

These shapes are used for a wide range of technical diagrams. Our up-to-date IBM and IBM Cloud libraries have a selection of region shapes, and both are designed to function clearly in both light and dark display modes.

To locate these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Networking category and click on IBM and IBM Cloud;
3. Click Apply.

There are also several IBM templates available in draw.io:

Tip: To find out how to create your own IBM shapes in draw.io using the black IBM .svg icon, see, New IBM Cloud shape library for technical diagrams.

8. Networking and cloud

Networks are always evolving, and so are our Network shape libraries. We’ve updated them to include the latest devices and connections, like those found in complex smart home systems.

To locate these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Networking category and click on Network 2025 (or, Network 2018 for those traditional “3D” shapes);
3. Click Apply.

Tip: You can enable and customize “bold long shadows” for shapes with background colors. This allows you to customize the shadow color, offset, opacity, and blur.

9. SAP

BTP solution diagrams utilize SAP icons to clearly document SAP Business Technology Platform architecture, fostering understanding across all teams, from IT to solution architects.

To locate these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Networking category and click on SAP;
3. Click Apply.

Tip: Number shapes are available in the SAP shape library that can be used to show a specific order along a path.

10. UML

UML diagrams can represent structural information (like class diagrams), behavioral aspects (such as use case diagrams), or illustrate interactions (for instance, sequence diagrams). In draw.io, you’ll find two dedicated UML shape libraries: UML 2.5 and UML.

To locate these shapes:

1. Click on +More Shapes at the bottom of the left side menu;
2. Locate the Software category and click on UML 2.5 and UML;
3. Click Apply.

There are also a number of UML templates in draw.io:

Tip: Use the Style tab in the right side menu to apply different connector types denoting the different relationships between shapes.