Gliffy, one of the top Web-based diagramming tools, has released the first API for any service of its kind. This software as a service just got a complete UI makeover, and that, plus this new move, will let Gliffy really lead the pack in this space.
The API is in public beta as of today. The developers who got access to the trial run have already built some dead-useful extensions, such as a WordPress plugin that allows you to incorporate diagrams and a script that automatically backs up your Gliffy account to your local machine.
Other SaaS diagram makers include Lovely Charts and Draw Anywhere, but with these latest upgrades, Gliffy’s real target is desktop software like Visio and OmniGraffle.
Gliffy has a respectable customer base and a loyal following, but getting business users to leave the desktop apps they know (even if they hate them) has been an uphill battle. With the API, the company hopes that the ability to extend and integrate the service with other platforms will become too attractive to pass up.
