sources
the catalog — every source behind every claim, dated and typed.
the catalog
every claim on this site carries source ids that resolve here. type marks the evidence role; dates keep the precision the source gave.
- 2025company page correcting llm misinformation about the licensetldraw.devcompany page correcting llm misinformation about the license
- 2023-11-2980 level on draw fast80.lv80 level on draw fast
- undatedagent starter kit docs — cursor-style agent on canvastldraw.devagent starter kit docs — cursor-style agent on canvas
- 2026ruiz talk: make real quaint in 2026ai.engineerruiz talk: make real "quaint in 2026"; stitch "not built with our canvas"
- 2026-01-19alternativeto news writeupalternativeto.netalternativeto news writeup
- 2023-11-16benj edwards, ars technica — flagship make real coveragearstechnica.combenj edwards, ars technica — flagship make real coverage
- 2024-12essay on natural-language node graphs non-determinismatharvaraykar.comessay on natural-language node graphs' non-determinism
- undatedclickup whiteboards-on-tldraw case study with pm quotetldraw.devclickup whiteboards-on-tldraw case study with pm quote
- 2024-12tldraw computer — natural-language workflows on canvascomputer.tldraw.comtldraw computer — natural-language workflows on canvas
- undatedfunding history inclapp.dealroom.cofunding history incl. unverified mar 2024 row
- 2023-12-02the decoder on make real + ecosystem (nickson demo, screenshot-to-code)the-decoder.comthe decoder on make real + ecosystem (nickson demo, screenshot-to-code)
- 2023-11-07original draw-a-ui repo, ~13githuboriginal draw-a-ui repo, ~13.5k stars, mit
- 2025-12-19multi-agent coordination lessonslinkedinmulti-agent coordination lessons; agents "working blind"
- 2025-12-01launch post: $25 one-time, december-only timed experimentlinkedinlaunch post: $25 one-time, december-only timed experiment
- 2024-12-19google gemini api showcase of tldraw computer (via vuink mirror)vuink.comgoogle gemini api showcase of tldraw computer (via vuink mirror)
- 2023lightspeeds generative now with michael mignanoapple podcastslightspeed's generative now with michael mignano
- 2026-01-24gigazine (english) writeupgigazine.netgigazine (english) writeup
- 2024ruiz conf talk: miro… could not because their canvas wasnt webgitnation.comruiz conf talk: "miro… could not because their canvas wasn't web"
- 2026-07-06show hn agent-drawing demo on tldraw, 53 ptshacker newsshow hn agent-drawing demo on tldraw, 53 pts
- 2026-01-15192 pts, 107 commentshacker news192 pts, 107 comments; mostly sympathetic
- 2024-12-20biggest tldraw hn thread — 553 pts, 120 commentshacker newsbiggest tldraw hn thread — 553 pts, 120 comments; ruiz "marketing, r&d, and fun" quote
- 2023-11-08sawyer hoods show hn — 43 pts, 5 commentshacker newssawyer hood's show hn — 43 pts, 5 comments
- 2024-01-05hn post of latent space episode, 10 ptshacker newshn post of latent space episode, 10 pts
- 2024-02-05tldraw license change — 1 pthacker news"tldraw license change" — 1 pt; hn mostly missed it
- 2022-03-01macpaint-themed tldraw interface, 59 pts — early sdk hackinghacker newsmacpaint-themed tldraw interface, 59 pts — early sdk hacking
- 2023-11-18hn submission of the story-so-far post — 6 pts (virality was off-hn)hacker newshn submission of the story-so-far post — 6 pts (virality was off-hn)
- 2025-09-18most contested thread — 98 pts, 50 commentshacker newsmost contested thread — 98 pts, 50 comments; pricing/centralization criticism; ruiz engagement
- 2026-05-08tldraw sdk 5hacker news"tldraw sdk 5.0" — 1 pt
- 2025-04-14series a hn submission — 3 ptshacker newsseries a hn submission — 3 pts
- 2021-10-13first hn post of tldraw as sponsorware (3 pts)hacker newsfirst hn post of tldraw as sponsorware (3 pts)
- undatedtotal funding $14indexed.vctotal funding $14.7m across 3 rounds
- undatedzui/infinite-canvas re-emergence in genai appsinterfacestudies.substack.comzui/infinite-canvas re-emergence in genai apps
- undatedits not foss… changed in december 2023isitreallyfoss.com"it's not foss… changed in december 2023"
- undatedlicense-ambiguity example (standalone-product clause)githublicense-ambiguity example (standalone-product clause)
- 2026-01-15contributions policy — auto-closing external prs over ai slopgithubcontributions policy — auto-closing external prs over ai slop
- undatedprotest issue: get a license for production are you joking?githubprotest issue: "get a license for production are you joking?"
- undatedkosmik sunset announcementlaunchpad.kosmik.appkosmik sunset announcement
- undatedlicense-key mechanics: trial/commercial/hobby, client-side validationtldraw.devlicense-key mechanics: trial/commercial/hobby, client-side validation
- undatedcompany page: 28 employeeslinkedincompany page: 28 employees; funding table incl. disputed $9.4m/2024 row
- 2025-04-09linkedin announcement naming autodesklinkedinlinkedin announcement naming autodesk
- 2026-02analysis: sqlite precedent, tests-as-moat discourse, the action hasnt followedmediumanalysis: sqlite precedent, tests-as-moat discourse, "the action hasn't followed"
- undatedquietly stopped being a fair open source pick… late 2025meetrix.io"quietly stopped being a fair 'open source' pick… late 2025"
- 2024-11canvas-as-ai-interface paradigm: artifacts→chatgpt canvas→mistralpatmcguinness.substack.comcanvas-as-ai-interface paradigm: artifacts→chatgpt canvas→mistral
- 2024-10wiggins muse post-mortem — canvas thinking-tool business failureadamwiggins.comwiggins' muse post-mortem — canvas thinking-tool business failure; fall-2023 wind-down
- 2026excalidraw-vs-tldraw evergreen comparisonossalt.comexcalidraw-vs-tldraw evergreen comparison
- 2023-11-27product hunt: #2 of the day, 418 upvoteswebmail.hunted.spaceproduct hunt: #2 of the day, 418 upvotes
- 2023-12-19license-change prgithublicense-change pr; agpl-then-scratch-license deliberation, kachkaev exchange
- undatedreadme corrected from open source to source availablegithubreadme corrected from "open source" to "source available"
- 2024-07-11watermark/licensing mechanisms prgithubwatermark/licensing mechanisms pr
- 2023-03-20v2 exits beta apr 4 2023tldraw.devv2 exits beta apr 4 2023; v1 parked under mit
- undatedtool review noting demo-vs-production caveats for make realthe rundowntool review noting demo-vs-production caveats for make real
- undatedself-hosting lens: excalidraw mit vs tldraw non-commercialselfhosting.shself-hosting lens: excalidraw mit vs tldraw non-commercial
- 2025aiewf talk: agent-canvas category (paper, replit agent 4, stitch)nextjs-conf-scheduler.sentry.devaiewf talk: agent-canvas category (paper, replit agent 4, stitch)
- 2019-08-30john palmer, spatial interfaces (reprint of darkblueheaven)balajis.comjohn palmer, "spatial interfaces" (reprint of darkblueheaven)
- 2020-04-09john palmer, spatial software — a world within its interfacebalajis.comjohn palmer, "spatial software" — "a world within its interface"
- undatedthree-way comparison inclstartupik.comthree-way comparison incl. miro
- 2023-11-22funding table corroborating nov 22 2023 $2m round datestartup introsfunding table corroborating nov 22 2023 $2m round date
- 2026-01-17ruizs follow-uptldraw.devruiz's follow-up; notes own claude code /issue command caused bad prs; excalidraw pr-volume comparison
- 2026-02-25willison link postsimonwillison.netwillison link post; later updated — the "move tests" issue was a joke
- 2023-12-21kosmik profile naming the infinite-canvas cohorttechcrunchkosmik profile naming the infinite-canvas cohort
- 2023-12this week in startups e1863 — ruiz on viral week + business modelthisweekinstartups.comthis week in startups e1863 — ruiz on viral week + business model
- 2024-09-13githubgithubv3.0.0 — watermark-permitted commercial use; business license
- 2023-11-30andy baio link post on draw fastwaxy.organdy baio link post on draw fast
- undatedkays dynabook — lineage anchorwikipediakay's dynabook — lineage anchor
- undatedhypercard 1987 — lineage anchorwikipediahypercard 1987 — lineage anchor
- undatedsutherland 1963 — lineage anchorwikipediasutherland 1963 — lineage anchor
- 2023-11-22$2m insider extension (amplify, lux, preston-werner ventures)tldraw.dev$2m insider extension (amplify, lux, preston-werner ventures); team list; london office
- 2026agents on the canvasyoutube"agents on the canvas"; summer-2024 team = ruiz+wilson+orion reed; teach details
- 2025-07-21worlds fair talkai.engineerworld's fair talk; excalidraw ink origin; computer internals; google collab story; liquid layers/observable shoutouts
- 2025bio: mfa uai.engineerbio: mfa u. chicago 2013, painter → clearscore → framer → play
- 2026-06agents-on-canvas talk, ai native devconyoutubeagents-on-canvas talk, ai native devcon
- 2026-09dytrych making a very good whiteboard, jan 2023–linkedindytrych "making a very good whiteboard," jan 2023–
- 2026-09alex.dytry.chalex.dytry.chbio; erase all kittens
- 2025-09100-day trial licensealternativeto.net100-day trial license; year-end discount detail; sarah fossheim a11y
- 2023-11-16ars coverage of viralitytechnewstube.comars coverage of virality
- 2026-09verbatim ruiz x posts on designers shippingbarnsworthburning.netverbatim ruiz x posts on designers shipping
- 2026-09-16full dated post index nov 2022–sep 2026tldraw.devfull dated post index nov 2022–sep 2026; bylines reveal team
- 2021-11-29released ~two weeks agobram.us"released ~two weeks ago"; source on github; vs code extension
- 2026-09full current team roster + rolestldraw.devfull current team roster + roles; founded 2022; backers
- 2024-12-19google/gemini partnership showcaseai.google.devgoogle/gemini partnership showcase; gemini 1.5 flash launch, 2.0 prototyping
- 2024-12-15team: computer stays closed-sourcegithubteam: computer stays closed-source; workflow starter kit teased
- 2024-12-18launch post text: connected components, natural-language instructions, branch/loopcouchsky.applaunch post text: connected components, natural-language instructions, branch/loop
- 2024-12-13waitlist phaselinkedinwaitlist phase; "collaboration with google deepmind"
- 2023-12-15$2m + make real recaptldraw.dev$2m + make real recap; "upcoming 2.0 release"
- 2024-12-20natural language computer mechanicsthe-decoder.com"natural language computer" mechanics; auto-built workflows
- 20253 years and $5m building the perfect canvasapple podcasts"3 years and $5m building the perfect canvas"; fairies; tool-design principles; state-designer→arrows lineage
- 2023-11-20githubgithubfal.ai real-time generation demo
- 2024-01-14shutdown notice datedrawfast.tldraw.comshutdown notice date
- 2026-09sheldrick at tldraw jun 2022–linkedinsheldrick at tldraw jun 2022–; also shows aggregate "$24.1m" figure (flagged)
- 2025-12-01lu wilson: weirdest and most ambitious projectlinkedinlu wilson: "weirdest and most ambitious project"; timed event
- 2025githubgithubinternal fairy agent: @tldraw/fairy-shared, cloudflare fairy-worker, settool/removetool apis
- 2025-12fairies landing pagefairies.tldraw.comfairies landing page
- 2026-09-10flash launchtldraw.devflash launch; authors drake, leo, knudsen; lo-fi animation
- 2026-09-02margiotta joined ~jul 2026linkedinmargiotta joined ~jul 2026
- 2026-09-02waitlist postlinkedinwaitlist post; record-and-drag motion
- 2021-05-09monorepo metadata, ~50k stars, contributor list, license=other, trusted-by listgithubmonorepo metadata, ~50k stars, contributor list, license="other", trusted-by list
- 2024full make real story talkgitnation.comfull make real story talk
- 2026max drake on agent history inclgitnation.commax drake on agent history incl. teach, agent starter kit, fairies
- 2025react advanced 2025 hit-testing talkgitnation.comreact advanced 2025 hit-testing talk
- 2021-03-12globs-based vector editorgithubglobs-based vector editor
- 2021-11-18launch hn threadhacker newslaunch hn thread; ruiz comments: mit, sponsors-gated until now, liveblocks multiplayer, vs code ext, monorepo layout
- 2022-12-01name origin (tlhacker newsname origin ("tl;dr aw"); ruiz on excalidraw/perfect-freehand, globs origin
- 2021-11-21nov 2021 monorepo snapshot: packages/tldraw, core, apps/www, vscode, electronwayback machinenov 2021 monorepo snapshot: packages/tldraw, core, apps/www, vscode, electron
- 2026-09blair frontend dev sep 2022–jun 2023linkedinblair frontend dev sep 2022–jun 2023
- 2024-01-05accidental ai canvaslatent spaceaccidental ai canvas; figma/adobe offers spring 2021; deferral & quitting play; arrows taste quote
- 2026-09current model: dev-only freetldraw.devcurrent model: dev-only free; trial/commercial/hobby keys; client-side key validation
- 2024license text, tldraw, incgithublicense text, "tldraw, inc." copyright
- 2023-12-20bespoke license w/ sdk 2tldraw.devbespoke license w/ sdk 2.0 beta; non-commercial default; v1 mit forever; 2.x pre-releases apache-2.0
- 2025-12-19departure postlinkedindeparture post; 3 yrs at tldraw; wikimedia from jan
- 2026-07-2716k+ downloads claimlinkedin16k+ downloads claim; first update
- 2023-11-13fork of draw-a-uigithubfork of draw-a-ui; archived; 5.4k stars
- 2023-11-18full make real chronologytldraw.substack.comfull make real chronology; sawyer hood fork; drawmyui.com; starter template fri; quotes
- 2022-07-07backstory: art school → broke at 30 → design → codemuseapp.combackstory: art school → broke at 30 → design → code; "released nov 2021… full time since july"
- 2026-09čuvalo head of engineering 2024–presentnightlight.rocksčuvalo head of engineering 2024–present
- 2026-09bezenšek arrow bender, jan 2023–, slovenialinkedinbezenšek "arrow bender," jan 2023–, slovenia
- 2026-07-16offline desktop launchtldraw.devoffline desktop launch; local .tldraw files; scripting/agents
- 2024-12-28desktop app repogithubdesktop app repo; mac/win/linux builds
- 2024cites dennis hansens holograph propagator nets in tldraworionreed.comcites dennis hansen's holograph propagator nets in tldraw
- undated3d underlay experiment on tldrawgithub3d underlay experiment on tldraw
- 2024reed: engineer-in-residence at tldraw, block scienceblog.vaporware.networkreed: "engineer-in-residence at tldraw," block science
- 2024make real discussionpodrocket.logrocket.commake real discussion; links makereal/teach/computer subdomains
- 2023-03-20apr 4 2023 switchover plantldraw.substack.comapr 4 2023 switchover plan; old.tldraw.com; v1 repo move; footer "tldraw gb ltd"
- 2025-09-18tldraw.devtldraw.dev4.0 details; mit starter kits; @tldraw/ai removed
- 2025-09-18cli, 5 starter kits, license-key enforcement, wcag 2tldraw.devcli, 5 starter kits, license-key enforcement, wcag 2.2 aa
- 2026-05-07sdk 5tldraw.devsdk 5.0 "all about features"; shipped-the-backlog quote
- 2022-11-30tldraw.devtldraw.dev$2.7m seed investor list; "new tldraw" beta; team roster; early sdk adopters
- 2022-11-30substack mirror of seed posttldraw.substack.comsubstack mirror of seed post
- 2025-04-09$10m series a (lux + definition)tldraw.dev$10m series a (lux + definition); ~$1m first-year license revenue; customers; team ~20; digital-ink origin
- 2025-11-10sdk state, local data, business model, fairies, futureshoptalkshow.comsdk state, local data, business model, fairies, future
- 2023-03-02signia reactive state library, mit, ruiz+sheldricktldraw.substack.comsignia reactive state library, mit, ruiz+sheldrick
- 2023-11-16willison on draw-a-ui/make real mechanicssimonwillison.netwillison on draw-a-ui/make real mechanics
- 2026-09sponsor pagegithubsponsor page; project list incl. state-designer, globs
- 2026-09starter kit catalog (agent, workflow, branching chat, chat, multiplayer)tldraw.devstarter kit catalog (agent, workflow, branching chat, chat, multiplayer)
- undatedstatecharts state management + visual idegithubstatecharts state management + visual ide
- 2026-09self-biosteveruiz.meself-bio; play/framer; ~500k mau claim; series a backers; finsbury park
- 2026-09profile: founder & ceo, londongithubprofile: founder & ceo, london; repo list w/ stars
- 2026-09dated blog post index (essays aug 2021–nov 2023)steveruiz.medated blog post index (essays aug 2021–nov 2023)
- 2026-09founder feb 2022–linkedinfounder feb 2022–; play; framer design educator mar 2019–may 2020; inviqa; clearscore
- 2025-11caution: different steve ruiz (workos gtm) — not tldraws foundersteveruiz.substack.comcaution: different steve ruiz (workos gtm) — not tldraw's founder
- 2026-09pai: react/cloudflare workers/partykit backgroundsunilpai.devpai: react/cloudflare workers/partykit background
- 2024-08-05tldraw sync launchtldraw.devtldraw sync launch; 400k users/200k projects claim; self-hosted; license included
- 2026-09@tldraw/sync-core internals, tlsyncclient push/pull/rebasegithub@tldraw/sync-core internals, tlsyncclient push/pull/rebase
- 2026-09sync architecture: rooms, tlsocketroom, cloudflare template, demo servertldraw.devsync architecture: rooms, tlsocketroom, cloudflare template, demo server
- 2022how tldraw builtsyntax.fmhow tldraw built; no-canvas-element rendering; globs/excalidraw lineage
- 2026-09hassan aug 2023–nov 2024linkedinhassan aug 2023–nov 2024; make real, carry on, llama3 autocomplete, a11y
- 2022-12-16origins quote, $2techcrunchorigins quote, $2.7m seed, five fte, sponsors-only revenue
- 2026-09lu: previously tldraw, now prototyping at wikipediatodepond.comlu: "previously tldraw", now prototyping at wikipedia
- 2024twist demo episodeglasp.cotwist demo episode; state-chart→ui generation
- 2026-03-22html-vs-rendering bet quotestwosetai.comhtml-vs-rendering bet quotes
- 2026-03-28canvas-vs-chat multi-agent quotestwosetai.comcanvas-vs-chat multi-agent quotes
- 2026-03-16adobe turndown on a fridayuxtools.coadobe turndown "on a friday"; product-maker-fit; "just ask for money"
- undatedoriginal 2021-2022 version, released under mitgithub"original 2021-2022 version, released under mit"
- 2024-02-29sdk 2githubsdk 2.0 stable, "initial public release"
- 2023-12-20first 2githubfirst 2.0 beta w/ new license
AI-drafted at Ben Guo's direct request and credited to Hraness; every claim links to its cataloged source.