Mockingbird is a fantastic in-browser tool for creating website wireframes

Sometimes you've got an idea in your head for a website or page layout, or even for an application. But then you need to somehow get it out of your head and actually look at it, or show it to someone. While drawing on the back of a napkin is a time-honored strategy, that is not always ideal because you can't edit your drawing later, and it may be difficult to share.

Mockingbird is like a digital version of the back of a napkin, but on steroids. It runs in-browser, and is powered by the magic of HTML5 (so it might work on an iPad). Mockingbird provides you with a rich toolbox of UI widgets like buttons, rectangles (both rounded and "regular") and image placeholders, as well as more Web-specific elements like a "search box" or vertical/horizontal navigation bars.

All you have to do is drag-and-drop the elements around the screen and resize them until it looks just right. I've tried it with one website mockup, and the result was pleasingly clear – it communicated exactly what I had in mind.

Mockingbird is a paid service (starting at $9/month) but you can use the tool itself even without an account – you just won't be able to save your work. That's not as bad as it sounds, because more often than not you may just want to relay a quick idea.

Tags: apps, developer, html5, mockingbird, web, website, websites, white board, whiteboard