The trend of animated diagrams and flow visuals on LinkedIn has exploded in the past 1–2 years, especially for topics like cloud architecture, workflows, DevOps, and tech explainers. Most of these animated diagrams and GIFs are created using a mix of the following popular tools:
1. Excalidraw
- What it is: Free, browser-based hand-drawn style diagram tool.
- Animation support: Not natively animated, but people export images and animate them using other tools.
- Typical use: Sketch-style diagrams, then animated in another app.
2. Figma
- What it is: Web-based collaborative design tool.
- Animation support: Strong! Use “Smart Animate” and interactive prototypes to animate diagrams.
- How people use it: Create the diagram and animate the flow using Figma’s prototype features, then screen-record or export as video/GIF.
- Pro tip: Tons of free “animated diagram” Figma templates are available.
3. Microsoft PowerPoint / Google Slides
- What it is: Presentation tools everyone has.
- Animation support: Animations and motion paths for objects.
- How people use it: Build diagrams with step-by-step reveal or motion animations, export as GIF/video.
- Why used: Super simple for non-designers; quick to export videos or GIFs.
4. Canva
- What it is: Web-based graphic design platform.
- Animation support: Drag-and-drop animations, animated elements, and export as GIF or MP4.
- Use case: Very popular for non-designers, with ready-made templates.
5. Adobe After Effects
- What it is: Professional video/motion design software.
- Animation support: Industry standard for advanced animation.
- How people use it: For really slick, high-quality motion diagrams—more complex, steeper learning curve.
6. Lucidchart (with screen recording)
- What it is: Popular flowchart and diagram tool.
- Animation support: Not native, but people “animate” flows by manually revealing elements and screen recording the process, or using GIF plugins.
7. Draw.io / diagrams.net (with screen recording)
- What it is: Free diagram maker.
- Animation support: No built-in animation, but similar hack—step-by-step reveal + screen recording.
Workflow Example
- Design the flow or diagram in Figma, Canva, PowerPoint, or Excalidraw.
- Animate in the same tool if supported (Figma, Canva, PowerPoint), or use screen-recording to capture the step-by-step build.
- Export as GIF or MP4.
- Share on LinkedIn as an eye-catching post.
New Trend:
- Figmated: There are now browser extensions and plugins (like Figmated) that specifically turn Figma diagrams into animated GIFs or videos automatically.
- AI Tools: Some people use AI tools (e.g., Tome, Gamma) to create story-based, animated presentations.
Summary Table
| Tool | Animation Support | Difficulty | Typical Output |
|---|---|---|---|
| Figma | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (native) | Medium | GIF/MP4 |
| Canva | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (native) | Easy | GIF/MP4 |
| PowerPoint | ⭐⭐⭐ (native) | Easy | GIF/MP4 |
| Excalidraw | ⭐ (no native) | Easy | Image + animate elsewhere |
| Lucidchart | ⭐ (no native) | Easy | Image + animate elsewhere |
| After Effects | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (pro) | Hard | MP4 |
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