Integrate with GitHub

[gr2m]

I used Excalidraw for the first time and love it! I used it to create a diagram for @probot:
probot/probot#1453

I've seen these related issues: #2611, #2060, but I don't only want to suggest a feature but also offer to help implement / maintain it. I'm a maintainer of @octokit and @probot, I know the GitHub platform APIs very well and am building all the JS tooling myself.

In a nutshell, I'd like to simplify the process to collaborate on Excalidraw diagrams that are part of Open Source project hosted on GitHub.

Currently a user would need to

1. Download the source *.json file
2. Upload the *.json file to https://excalidraw.com/
3. Make edits
4. Download *.json file. Export .png/.svg file as static output for comparison
5. Fork the repository
6. Update the .json and .png/.svg file for the diagram
7. Send a pull request
8. On every feedback loop, repeat step 1. - 4. and 6.

Ideally, I'd like an edit on Excalidraw button, which would open https://excalidraw.com with the .json file already loaded. The Excalidraw UI could be altered slightly to include a button to include a update on GitHub button which would either create or update the pull request.

The created pull request would include a edit on Excalidraw button which would load the current PR's version of the diagram.

I'm passionate about enabling/simplifying new kinds of contributions to Open Source projects, so happy to help with this one, if you are interested.

As a side note, if you implement a GitHub App, you can put it on the marketplace and set up paid plans, e.g. if folks want to use it for private repositories. I don't expect it to be a huge source of revenue, but you could funnel the money into your existing Open Collective. It wouldn't be too much work to set this up once you have a GitHub App anyway.

[dwelle]

Sounds great. Where do we start? 😄

• For the open on Excalidraw — you give us an text/plain or application/json url-accessible JSON file and we're good to go.
• For the update on GitHub, how's that gonna work? We communicate directly with GH? I guess that would require users supplying their access tokens? Or do you have some other workflow in mind? nvm, I forgot we're talking about OSS and PRs here :)

[gr2m]

I think the "open in Excalidraw" feature would be a good place to start, and would be useful beyond an integration with GitHub. I looked through open issues but haven't found any about a request to support opening Excalidraw with a URL query parameter which would load the external JSON file into the editor. I'd say we start with that? Is there any previous discussion / work on such a feature?

If not, could you or one of the maintainers create one with a few pointers on how you would get started to work on it? I'd be happy to try implementing it, or to support anyone who would like to do it themselves

[dwelle]

#2726

[wong2]

Can I help with this?

[dwelle]

@wong2 missed your comment. If you still want to work on this, lemme know.