ShowDev: I built a zero-login online whiteboard because I hate 'Sign Up' walls

Published: (May 9, 2026 at 10:44 PM EDT)
2 min read
Source: Dev.to

Source: Dev.to

Introduction

As web developers we constantly need to sketch system architectures, brainstorm UI layouts, or explain complex ideas visually to a teammate.
Every time I tried to use an online whiteboard I hit the same frustrating wall: “Please create an account to continue.”
Even worse, many tools are bloated with hundreds of features I don’t need, making the app slow and heavy. It completely killed my flow.

I decided to fix this for myself, and built Boardesa – a zero‑login online whiteboard.

Features

  • Instant Access – Open the link and you’re immediately on a canvas.
  • Minimalist UI – Only the essential tools needed to draw and explain ideas.
  • Fast & Lightweight – Built with performance in mind; it doesn’t eat up your browser’s RAM.

Technical Details

The top priority was keeping the app lightweight and highly responsive. I focused heavily on:

  • Optimizing JavaScript rendering.
  • Ensuring smooth canvas interactions across devices.
  • Minimizing dependencies to reduce load time and memory usage.

Call for Feedback

I’m actively improving Boardesa and would love to hear your thoughts.

Give it a try: Boardesa.com

What features do you think are absolutely essential for a simple whiteboard? Let me know in the comments!

0 views
Back to Blog

Related posts

Read more »

Bun ported to Rust in 6 days

Overview - Test coverage: 99.8 % of Bun’s pre‑existing test suite passes on Linux x64 glibc in the Rust rewrite. - The codebase is essentially the same, but Ru...