Gliffy

Gliffy is a software brand focused on online diagramming and visual collaboration. Its core product enables users to create, edit, share, and embed diagrams through a browser-based application rather than relying exclusively on locally installed desktop software. The platform has been used for a broad range of visual communication tasks, including flowcharts, UML diagrams, floor plans, Venn diagrams, organizational and process diagrams, and other structured visualizations. The company was founded in 2005 by software engineers and former coworkers Chris Kohlhardt and Clint Dickson. Their initial premise was that diagramming could be delivered more conveniently through the web, allowing users to work with visual documents without being tied to a particular desktop installation. The founders developed the business independently and initially concentrated on making diagram creation accessible through a drag-and-drop interface. A significant early turning point came through the founders' contact with Mike Cannon-Brookes, co-founder of Atlassian. With his encouragement, Gliffy developed an integration for Atlassian Confluence. The Confluence plugin gave Gliffy a route into enterprise collaboration workflows, where diagrams could be created and maintained alongside project documentation and team knowledge. This relationship helped the company move beyond a standalone web utility and toward a software product integrated with broader business collaboration environments. Gliffy announced a public beta in 2006 and removed the beta designation in 2007. It subsequently expanded its Atlassian footprint with a plugin for Jira, introduced in 2009, and joined the Google Apps marketplace in 2010. These integrations positioned the brand around collaborative work performed inside commonly used productivity, project-management, and documentation ecosystems. In 2012, Gliffy moved its application to an HTML5-based platform and added Visio support, reinforcing its browser-first product strategy and its compatibility with established diagramming workflows. The service supports diagram sharing and real-time collaborative editing. It also offers export options including PDF, JPEG, PNG, and SVG, as well as features such as searchable diagram text, interactive diagrams with show-and-hide layers, and automatically updating embedded diagrams. Integrations identified in reference material include Google Apps, Google Drive, Atlassian Jira, and Atlassian Confluence. The platform is designed to operate in modern web browsers, including Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer 9 or later as documented in the referenced period. Gliffy reported reaching one million users in January 2012 and was described in the reference material as having more than 18 million registered users after its later platform expansion. No revenue, valuation, profitability, or other financial figures are established in the supplied sources. The developer, Gliffy, Inc., was acquired by Rogue Wave Software in October 2018. Rogue Wave was subsequently acquired by Perforce Software in January 2019, placing Gliffy within the Perforce portfolio. The brand therefore represents a diagramming product whose history combines an independent software origin, deep integrations with collaboration platforms, and continued ownership through successive enterprise-software acquisitions.

Gliffy originated in 2005 when software engineers Chris Kohlhardt and Clint Dickson left their full-time employment to develop an online diagramming product. The founders were former coworkers and identified a need for a diagramming tool that could be accessed through the web. Their approach placed the product within the emerging software-as-a-service model: users could create visual documents in a browser and share them with others rather than depending solely on a locally installed application. The company's early development was influenced by its relationship with Atlassian. Chris Kohlhardt contacted Mike Cannon-Brookes, one of Atlassian's founders, and received encouragement to pursue the product. Gliffy and Atlassian then became connected through a plugin for Confluence. This integration was strategically important because Confluence is used for collaborative documentation and knowledge management, environments in which diagrams can explain systems, processes, architectures, and organizational structures. Gliffy's product consequently became useful not only as an independent diagram editor but also as a component of team documentation workflows. Gliffy announced a public beta in May 2006. During its early development period, the service added UML shapes in August 2006 and introduced its Atlassian Confluence plugin in November of that year. The beta designation was removed in February 2007. These steps represented the progression from an experimental web service toward a generally available product. The use of browser technology also made it possible for users to access the software across supported operating systems, provided they were using a compatible browser. The brand continued to build integrations around business collaboration tools. In January 2009 it unveiled a plugin for Atlassian Jira, extending the product into issue tracking and project-management contexts. In July 2010 Gliffy was added to the Google Apps marketplace, giving users another route to discover and deploy the service. The company reported reaching one million users in January 2012 and joined the Atlassian Marketplace in June 2012. A major technical transition took place in October 2012, when Gliffy moved to an HTML5 platform. The change aligned the service with modern browser capabilities and helped preserve its cloud-based product identity. At the same time, the product added Visio support, making it more useful to organizations that needed to work with or transition from established diagramming formats. Gliffy also supported integrations with Google Apps, Google Drive, Jira, and Confluence. The product's documented capabilities include drag-and-drop diagram construction, real-time online collaboration, sharing, and embedding. Users can export diagrams to PDF, JPEG, PNG, and SVG. Interactive diagrams can allow viewers to reveal or conceal layers of information, while searchable diagram text supports retrieval within visual documents. Embedded diagrams can update automatically, helping teams keep diagrams current when they are placed in other documents or pages. Supported browser environments in the referenced period included Google Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer 9 and later. In October 2018, Rogue Wave Software acquired Gliffy, Inc. The transaction changed the corporate ownership of the developer while preserving Gliffy as a recognizable diagramming product and brand. In January 2019, Perforce Software acquired Rogue Wave Software. Gliffy thereby became part of the Perforce organization through this successive acquisition. The supplied reference material does not establish a separate founder-led operating structure after these transactions, nor does it provide current executive names, revenue figures, employee counts, or detailed post-acquisition product developments. Accordingly, the documented history is strongest on Gliffy's founding, Atlassian integrations, browser-platform transition, user milestones, and ownership changes.

• 2019

  Enters the Perforce portfolio

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Perforce Software acquires Rogue Wave Software in January, indirectly bringing Gliffy under Perforce ownership.

• 2018

  Acquired by Rogue Wave Software

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Rogue Wave Software acquires Gliffy, Inc. in October.

• 2012

  One million users reported

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Gliffy reports reaching one million users.

• 2012

  Atlassian Marketplace listing

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Gliffy joins the Atlassian Marketplace.

• 2012

  HTML5 platform transition

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  The service moves to an HTML5 platform and adds Visio support.

• 2010

  Google Apps marketplace availability

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Gliffy is added to the Google Apps marketplace.

• 2009

  Jira plugin unveiled

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Gliffy extends its Atlassian integrations with a plugin for Jira.

• 2007

  Beta phase ends

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  The beta designation is removed from the service.

• 2006

  Public beta announced

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Gliffy begins its public beta rollout for its browser-based diagramming service.

• 2006

  UML shapes added

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  The product expands its diagramming library with UML shapes.

• 2006

  Confluence plugin unveiled

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Gliffy introduces an integration for Atlassian Confluence.

• 2005

  Gliffy is founded

  [1]Gliffyen.wikipedia.org

  Chris Kohlhardt and Clint Dickson establish the company to develop an online diagramming tool.

Browser-based, collaborative diagramming for teams, documentation workflows, software and project planning, and enterprise knowledge sharing.

• Enterprise SaaS diagramming software

  Gliffy Diagram

  Gliffy Diagram is the brand's central browser-based diagramming offering. It provides a drag-and-drop editor for creating flowcharts, UML diagrams, floor plans, Venn diagrams, and other structured visuals. The service supports sharing, real-time collaboration, embedding, searchable diagram text, interactive layers, and exports to PDF, JPEG, PNG, and SVG. It has also been integrated with Google Apps, Google Drive, Atlassian Jira, and Atlassian Confluence, allowing diagrams to participate in documentation, project-management, and team collaboration workflows.

• 2019

  Perforce acquisition of Rogue Wave SoftwareM&A

  Background

  Rogue Wave Software owned Gliffy following its 2018 acquisition.

  Action taken

  Perforce Software acquired Rogue Wave Software in January 2019.

  Aftermath

  Gliffy became part of the Perforce Software portfolio through the acquisition of its parent company.

  Source

• 2018

  Sale of Gliffy to Rogue Wave SoftwareM&A

  Background

  Gliffy, Inc. was the self-funded developer of the Gliffy diagramming brand.

  Action taken

  Rogue Wave Software acquired Gliffy, Inc. in October 2018.

  Aftermath

  Gliffy continued as a diagramming product under new corporate ownership.

  Source

• 2012

  Move to an HTML5 platformGeneration change

  Background

  Gliffy was operating as a cloud-based diagramming service and needed to support a modern browser-oriented experience.

  Action taken

  The company migrated the product to an HTML5 platform and added Visio support.

  Aftermath

  The transition reinforced Gliffy's browser-first positioning and expanded its compatibility with existing diagramming workflows.

  Source

1. 1Gliffyen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Gliffy official websitegliffy.com