Pencil

You are going to like Pencil because it is free and open source. You are going to like Pencil because it is available for multiple platforms. You are going to like Pencil because it is easy to use. And you are going to like Pencil because of the functionality it has to offer: GUI prototyping. In layman’s terms, this means you can use the application to create mockups.

As mentioned above, Pencil is available for multiple platforms: Windows, Mac OS X, Linux, and Firefox. You can use Pencil on desktop machines powered by Microsoft’s or Apple’s operating system, you can use Pencil on a machine powered by a Linux build, or you can use Pencil as a Firefox extension.

The mockup you’re working on is presented by the main panel on the application’s interface. To the left there’s a panel that allows you to access shapes, web elements, widgets, and other bits and pieces. In the upper left hand side there’s a traditional File Menu and a toolbar with buttons for various functions.

Speaking about functions, here’s a quick look at the main features Pencil has to offer: use a variety of shapes and elements for your GUI prototyping; arrange and customize the elements you want to use for the mockup; very useful undo and redo function; clipart browser; import new collection; export templates; several export options for your project.

Released under a GNU General Public License, Pencil is free and open-source. You can use the application for free for as long as you want. If you find value in the application, make a donation and support its development.

There is much to like about Pencil: user friendly interface, useful GUI prototyping functionality, free and open source.