How to vibe codeEraser
AI-powered technical design and documentation workspace
eraser.io ↗Developer Tools
The verdict: can you vibe code Eraser?
You can build a personal single-user clone of Eraser's markdown editor and diagram-as-code parser, but the multiplayer canvas engine and deterministic layout code are a serious undertaking.
While knocking together a Next.js app with a Tailwind UI and an OpenAI prompt wrapper for Mermaid or custom nodes takes a weekend, replicating Eraser's core magic—a zero-flicker vector infinite canvas synced inline with a markdown editor—requires building complex layout parsing and state synchronization algorithms from scratch. A solo developer can easily ship a single-user note editor with text-to-diagram rendering, but true real-time multiplayer coordination and repository parsing will eat weeks of edge-case debugging.
Estimated effort: 4-6 weeks of focused evening development
What you can't replicate
- Proprietary vector layout rendering performance
- Production-grade multiplayer CRDT conflict resolution at scale
- Enterprise security posture and audited compliance infrastructure
Founded
2020
Raised
$4M
Team
11 to 30
Cheapest paid tier
$0
What Eraser does
A technical workspace merging collaborative markdown documents, diagram-as-code engines, and generative AI diagramming.
Core features
- Infinite canvas with panning, zooming, and vector node rendering
- Diagram-as-code text parser supporting flowchart and sequence syntax
- Markdown document editor with inline figure snapshot embeddings
- AI diagram generator converting prompts to layout structures via LLMs
- Multiplayer real-time collaboration with cursor presence and sync
- GitHub repository parser for codebase architecture visualization
- VS Code extension for viewing and editing diagram source files
- Version history snapshots and file export to PNG, SVG, and Markdown
The business
Pricing
- Free$0
- Starter$15/mo
- Business$45/mo
Funding
$4M from Caffeinated Capital
Pay vs build, cumulative
Break-even at month 3 — after that, every month is money kept.
The hard parts of vibe coding Eraser
- Building a deterministic layout engine that parses text syntax into clean, non-overlapping visual nodes and routing vectors
- Implementing real-time multiplayer co-editing across both the text editor and canvas with conflict resolution
- Optimizing infinite canvas rendering for smooth performance during heavy zoom and pan operations
- Structuring prompt-to-code pipelines that reliably output valid graph schemas from arbitrary user prompts
How to vibecode Eraser
Prerequisites
Node.jsfree
Required for running the Next.js runtime and package ecosystem.
GitHubfree
Hosts the source control repository and enables OAuth integration.
AI coding tools
Recommended stack
| Frontend | Next.js with Tailwind CSS, Lucide icons, and a custom canvas or React Flow setup |
|---|---|
| Backend | Next.js App Router API endpoints with better-auth |
| Database | Turso (SQLite at the edge) via Drizzle ORM |
| Auth | better-auth |
| Payments | none |
| Other | OpenAI API for DiagramGPT generation, Liveblocks for multiplayer state and presence synchronization |
Build guide
01Project Scaffolding and Database Schema
Initialize the Next.js 16 project with Tailwind CSS, configure Drizzle ORM with Turso SQLite, and set up better-auth for secure user accounts.
Create a new Next.js project using the App Router, Tailwind CSS, and TypeScript. Set up Drizzle ORM configured for Turso SQLite. Define a database schema with tables for users, workspaces, documents (storing markdown content), and diagrams (storing diagram-as-code text and node coordinates). Integrate better-auth with email/password and session management. Implement a clean dashboard layout listing user files with creation and deletion actions.02Markdown Note Editor Integration
Build a split-pane or unified markdown document editor with real-time saving and support for embedding inline figure snapshots.
Build a markdown document editor view in Next.js using a robust textarea or rich text interface with live markdown preview. Implement automatic debounced saving to the documents table via server actions. Add a custom syntax extension or block type that allows users to reference and embed live-updating diagram figures inside their markdown documents, pulling the snapshot directly from associated diagram records.03Infinite Canvas and Diagram-as-Code Parser
Implement a high-performance infinite canvas component with zoom, pan, and a text parser that translates diagram-as-code syntax into visual nodes and edges.
Create an infinite canvas component supporting smooth mouse panning and zooming using HTML5 Canvas or SVG transformations. Build a diagram-as-code text parser that reads custom text syntax (nodes, arrows, groupings) and computes layout positioning for boxes and connectors. Render the parsed nodes interactively on the canvas with selection, dragging, and styling capabilities, while keeping a synchronized text editor pane for raw source editing.04AI Diagram Generation (DiagramGPT)
Integrate the OpenAI API to translate natural language prompts into structured diagram-as-code definitions and auto-render them on the canvas.
Implement an AI generation endpoint using the OpenAI API that accepts a natural language prompt describing a system architecture, data flow, or ERD. Prompt the model to return structured diagram-as-code syntax conforming to our parser schema. Build a user interface modal with a prompt input box that streams the AI response, parses the resulting code, and auto-renders the generated nodes onto the active canvas workspace.05Real-time Multiplayer Collaboration
Integrate Liveblocks to enable real-time cursor presence, live document co-editing, and synchronized canvas state across active users.
Integrate Liveblocks into the application to power real-time multiplayer collaboration. Configure room presence to display active collaborators' cursors with names and colors on both the document editor and infinite canvas. Set up Yjs shared data structures so that diagram-as-code text edits and canvas node movements synchronize instantly across all connected clients in the same file room without flickering.06Export Utilities and Polish
Add file export options for PNG, SVG, and Markdown, alongside version history snapshots and final UI polish.
Implement export utilities allowing users to download their canvas diagrams as PNG, SVG, or plain image files, and export markdown notes with embedded figures. Build a lightweight version history mechanism that captures hourly snapshots of document and diagram states in the database, allowing users to view and restore past revisions. Polish the UI with dark mode support, keyboard shortcuts (like ⌘K command palette), and loading state indicators.
Cost vs paying for Eraser
What will you build it with?
Starting total with Claude Code$0 one-time
Starting costs (one-time)
- AI Coding Assistant subscription$20
Total~$20 one-time
Ongoing costs (monthly)
- Vercel & Turso Hobby tiers$0/mo
- OpenAI API usage~$5/mo
Total~$5/mo
Paying for Eraser
$15/mo (Starter plan)
Your time to build
40-60 hours
AI tool credits
$20 (Claude Pro / Cursor)
Break-even
1 month of paid SaaS vs AI credits
Vibe code Eraser: FAQ
- Can you vibe code Eraser yourself?
- Serious undertaking — 42/100 vibecodeable. You can build a personal single-user clone of Eraser's markdown editor and diagram-as-code parser, but the multiplayer canvas engine and deterministic layout code are a serious undertaking.
- How long does it take to vibe code Eraser?
- 4-6 weeks of focused evening development — roughly 40-60 hours of hands-on time with an AI coding agent.
- How do you build your own Eraser?
- Scoped to personal use: Next.js with Tailwind CSS, Lucide icons, and a custom canvas or React Flow setup on the front, Next.js App Router API endpoints with better-auth behind it, Turso (SQLite at the edge) via Drizzle ORM for data. Follow the 6-step build guide on this page — each step has a paste-ready prompt for an AI coding agent.
- How do you code your own Eraser without being an expert?
- Use an AI coding tool (Claude Code or Cursor) and work in small steps: scaffold, data model, core screens, then deploy. Realistic effort: 4-6 weeks of focused evening development. The prompts on this page are written so the AI does the heavy lifting.
- How much does it cost to vibe code Eraser instead of paying?
- About ~$20 one-time to start and ~$5/mo to run, versus $15/mo (Starter plan) for Eraser. Break-even: 1 month of paid SaaS vs AI credits.
- What stack should you use to vibe code Eraser?
- Next.js with Tailwind CSS, Lucide icons, and a custom canvas or React Flow setup; Next.js App Router API endpoints with better-auth; Turso (SQLite at the edge) via Drizzle ORM; plus OpenAI API for DiagramGPT generation, Liveblocks for multiplayer state and presence synchronization.