There are some very useful tools (and tips) that architects can use for free that I use and strongly recommend. Below are a few of them. Next month, I will share some insights on some of my favorite EA tools and present my arguments on why you need to have a variety of tools at your disposal to be an effective architect. Please write us if you know of other free tools that you recommend.1. Draw.io 

draw.io is a completely free online diagram editor built around Google Drive, that enables you to create flowcharts, UML, entity relation, network diagrams, ArchiMate drawings, mockups and more.2. yed live at yworks.com  yEd Live is a free diagram editor web application that runs in the browser and lets you quickly create, import, edit, and automatically arrange diagrams.3. MindMeister.com

MindMeister is the market-leader in collaborative, synchronous online mind mapping. The free software lets you share mind maps with an unlimited number of users and collaborate with them in real-time, ensuring that all participants are always on the same page. Whether you’re in a face-to-face meeting or thousands of miles apart, your team will communicate more efficiently and find all its valuable ideas stored in a centralized place. In addition, the Website provides 100s of thousands of Mind Maps various creators have posted on a wide range of topics, including many technical and certification topics.4. miro.com  Miro is a cloud-based collaboration tool for small to midsize businesses. The solution features a digital whiteboard that can be used for synchronous/asynchronous research, ideation, building customer journeys and user story maps, wireframing and a range of other collaborative activities.5. CapellaCapella is an open-source solution for model-based systems engineering (MBSE). Hosted at polarsys.org, this solution provides a process and tooling for graphical modeling of systems, hardware or software architectures, in accordance with the principles and recommendations defined by the Arcadia method. Check it out at: https://www.eclipse.org/capella/6. Archi®Located at https://www.archimatetool.com/, the Archi modeller is targeted toward all levels of Enterprise Architects and Enterprise Modellers. It offers an open source software solution to modelers who may be making their first steps in the ArchiMate language. Easily and intuitively create all ArchiMate elements and relations in all of the ArchiMate views.