Teammapper: Mind Maps for the Web – GNU/Linux.ch

Monday, October 2, 2023, Lee

Visualizing complex connections, structuring a large amount of information, or simply for brainstorming: mind maps can be used in very different applications. There are also many programs for creating such “thinking maps,” most of which are unfortunately proprietary. Of the open source software I’ve known so far, Minder was the only one that was really usable.

But the “Teammapper” program is also interesting. It impresses with a tidy user interface that provides everything you need without overloading. The application is available as a web application hosted on teammapper.org Under license from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. You can find the source code, as well as instructions for hosting it yourself via Docker github.

I didn’t learn about Teammapper through my own research, I actually hate using mind maps. Instead, the geography teacher arrived to ask us to collaborate in creating a mind map of the opportunities and weaknesses of different modes of transportation.

It’s very easy to use and you don’t need to register: the mind map creator doesn’t even have to create an account. You can use the Share button on the top bar to copy and send the link, or simply view the QR code. Anyone who knows this link has access to the mind map, and there are no additional protections for access.

All editors see directly the changes made by themselves and others. This works surprisingly well as long as each person works in their own area. The only weak point is that the text you write in a branch is completely lost if someone else moves it.

on teammapper.org All projects are automatically deleted after 30 days, which in my opinion is not a disadvantage, but an advantage, as there is no unnecessarily long data storage. If you need the mind map long term, you can download it using the download code. You can choose between GIF, PNG, JPEG, PDF and JSON, although you can also upload the latter again, and when in doubt, you can easily avoid the 30-day limit. I think Teammapper is a great option, especially in a school context, and the software is also suitable for collaborative brainstorming.

If you know of other mind mapping software worth checking out, please leave a comment!