Pros of mermaid

• Lightweight and easy to integrate into existing projects
• Text-based diagram creation, making it version-control friendly
• Free and open-source

Cons of mermaid

• Limited customization options for diagram appearance
• Less interactive features for end-users
• Steeper learning curve for complex diagrams

Code Comparison

mermaid:

graph TD
    A[Start] --> B{Is it?}
    B -->|Yes| C[OK]
    B -->|No| D[End]

GoJS:

var $ = go.GraphObject.make;
var myDiagram = $(go.Diagram, "myDiagramDiv");
myDiagram.nodeTemplate =
  $(go.Node, "Auto",
    $(go.Shape, "RoundedRectangle", { fill: "lightblue" }),
    $(go.TextBlock, { margin: 8 }, new go.Binding("text", "key"))
  );

mermaid uses a simple text-based syntax to define diagrams, while GoJS employs a more programmatic approach with JavaScript. mermaid's syntax is more concise and easier to read for simple diagrams, but GoJS offers greater flexibility and control over diagram elements and interactions.

Pros of G6

• Open-source and free to use, with a large community and frequent updates
• Extensive documentation and examples in both Chinese and English
• Supports custom rendering and interactions through plugins and extensions

Cons of G6

• Less mature and feature-rich compared to GoJS
• Limited built-in layout options and diagram types
• May require more manual configuration for complex diagrams

Code Comparison

G6:

import G6 from '@antv/g6';

const graph = new G6.Graph({
  container: 'mountNode',
  width: 800,
  height: 600,
});

graph.data(data);
graph.render();

GoJS:

var $ = go.GraphObject.make;
var myDiagram = $(go.Diagram, "myDiagramDiv");

myDiagram.model = new go.GraphLinksModel(
  [{ key: "Alpha" }, { key: "Beta" }],
  [{ from: "Alpha", to: "Beta" }]
);

Both libraries offer straightforward ways to create and render graphs, but GoJS provides a more declarative approach with its "$ function" for creating diagram objects. G6 focuses on a more configuration-based setup, which can be more flexible for certain use cases but may require more code for complex diagrams.

Pros of Cytoscape.js

• Open-source and free to use
• Extensive documentation and active community support
• Highly customizable with a wide range of layout algorithms

Cons of Cytoscape.js

• Steeper learning curve for complex visualizations
• Limited built-in UI components compared to GoJS
• Performance may degrade with very large graphs

Code Comparison

Cytoscape.js:

var cy = cytoscape({
  container: document.getElementById('cy'),
  elements: [ // list of graph elements to start with
    { data: { id: 'a' } },
    { data: { id: 'b' } },
    { data: { id: 'ab', source: 'a', target: 'b' } }
  ],
  style: [ // the stylesheet for the graph
    {
      selector: 'node',
      style: {
        'background-color': '#666',
        'label': 'data(id)'
      }
    }
  ]
});

GoJS:

var $ = go.GraphObject.make;
var myDiagram = $(go.Diagram, "myDiagramDiv",
  {
    "undoManager.isEnabled": true
  });
myDiagram.nodeTemplate =
  $(go.Node, "Auto",
    $(go.Shape, "RoundedRectangle", { strokeWidth: 0 },
      new go.Binding("fill", "color")),
    $(go.TextBlock,
      { margin: 8 },
      new go.Binding("text", "key"))
  );

Pros of dagre

• Open-source and free to use, unlike GoJS which is commercial
• Lightweight and focused specifically on graph layout algorithms
• Easier integration with other JavaScript libraries and frameworks

Cons of dagre

• Limited built-in features compared to GoJS's extensive diagramming toolkit
• Less comprehensive documentation and examples
• Smaller community and fewer updates

Code Comparison

dagre:

var g = new dagre.graphlib.Graph();
g.setNode("kspacey", { label: "Kevin Spacey", width: 144, height: 100 });
g.setNode("swilliams", { label: "Saul Williams", width: 160, height: 100 });
g.setEdge("kspacey", "swilliams");

GoJS:

var $ = go.GraphObject.make;
var myDiagram = $(go.Diagram, "myDiagramDiv");
myDiagram.nodeTemplate = $(go.Node, "Auto",
  $(go.Shape, "RoundedRectangle", { fill: "white" }),
  $(go.TextBlock, { margin: 8, font: "bold 14px sans-serif" },
    new go.Binding("text", "key"))
);

The code comparison shows that dagre focuses on graph structure and layout, while GoJS provides a more comprehensive diagramming solution with built-in visual elements and data binding.

Pros of vis-network

• Open-source and free to use
• Lightweight and easy to integrate
• Supports both directed and undirected graphs

Cons of vis-network

• Limited customization options compared to GoJS
• Less comprehensive documentation
• Fewer built-in layout algorithms

Code Comparison

vis-network:

var nodes = new vis.DataSet([
  {id: 1, label: 'Node 1'},
  {id: 2, label: 'Node 2'}
]);
var edges = new vis.DataSet([
  {from: 1, to: 2}
]);
var container = document.getElementById('mynetwork');
var data = {nodes: nodes, edges: edges};
var options = {};
var network = new vis.Network(container, data, options);

GoJS:

var $ = go.GraphObject.make;
var myDiagram = $(go.Diagram, "myDiagramDiv");
myDiagram.model = new go.GraphLinksModel(
  [{key: 1, text: "Node 1"}, {key: 2, text: "Node 2"}],
  [{from: 1, to: 2}]
);

Both libraries allow for easy creation of nodes and edges, but GoJS offers more built-in functionality and customization options. vis-network has a simpler API, making it easier to get started quickly, while GoJS provides more advanced features for complex diagrams and interactions.

Pros of draw.io

• Open-source and free to use, with a self-hosted option available
• Supports a wide range of diagram types and integrations
• User-friendly interface with drag-and-drop functionality

Cons of draw.io

• Limited customization options for advanced users
• Performance can be slower with large, complex diagrams
• Less extensive documentation compared to GoJS

Code Comparison

draw.io (XML-based diagram definition):

<mxGraphModel>
  <root>
    <mxCell id="0"/>
    <mxCell id="1" parent="0"/>
    <mxCell id="2" value="Hello, World!" style="rounded=1;" vertex="1" parent="1">
      <mxGeometry x="120" y="120" width="100" height="40" as="geometry"/>
    </mxCell>
  </root>
</mxGraphModel>

GoJS (JavaScript-based diagram definition):

var $ = go.GraphObject.make;
var myDiagram = $(go.Diagram, "myDiagramDiv");
myDiagram.model = new go.GraphLinksModel(
  [{ key: 1, text: "Hello, World!" }],
  []
);

Both libraries offer powerful diagramming capabilities, but GoJS provides more flexibility and performance for complex diagrams, while draw.io offers a more accessible, open-source solution with a user-friendly interface.