FreeMind is a free mind mapping application written in Java, which is further developed by the fork Freeplane. FreeMind itself was last updated in 2014. FreeMind is licensed under the GNU General Public License Version 2. It provides extensive export capabilities. It runs on Microsoft Windows, Linux, and macOS via the Java Runtime Environment.

As with other mind mapping software packages, FreeMind allows the user to edit a hierarchical set of ideas around a central concept. The non-linear approach assists in brainstorming new outlines and projects as ideas are added around the mind map.

FreeMind was a finalist for Best Project in SourceForge.net's Community Choice Awards for 2008, which featured open-source software projects. A flash based export of this documentation is available online and can be viewed from flash-enabled web browsers.

  • Folding branches
  • Save files as XML with an suffix
  • Export hypertext to HTML and XHTML
  • Export document to PDF and OpenDocument
  • Exports image to PNG, JPEG and SVG
  • Icons on nodes
  • Clouds around branches
  • Graphical links connecting nodes
  • Search restricted to single branches
  • Web and file hyperlinks from nodes
  • FreeMind browser/player for web in Java or Flash
  • Transform maps using XSLT

FreeMind uses the Swing GUI toolkit for Java.

FreeMind developers or developers of other projects have made plugins for various wiki and content management system software so that Freemind files can be viewed and in some cases created via the web interface.

See also

  • Freeplane, a FreeMind fork
  • List of mind mapping software
  • Mind map

References

  • FreeMind Review
  • Online Demonstration of FreeMind Documentation (requires flash)