Research Guides: Digital Humanities: Tools & Software

Types of Tools

Below you will find digital humanities tools grouped by type. Many DH projects involve a combination of visual, spatial, temporal, quantitative and qualitative representations. DH projects can involve standalone web sites or mobile apps, but they can also be discrete interactive components that exist alongside longer textual analysis.

This overview page gives top-level resources:

Content Management Systems
Web Design and Prototyping
Coding and Programming Resources
Project Management and Workflow
Equipment for Use and Checkout

Subpages include resources specific to:

Mapping and Timelines: GIS Apps and Sites
- Tools and guides for representing geographic space
- Interactive Timelines & Displays

Static Sites & Minimal Computing:
- Pros and cons for static sites
- Introduction to Minimal Computing movement

Storytelling:
- General tools
- 3D Modeling, Photogrammetry, AR, and VR
- Oral Histories and Podcasts
- Open Image and Multimedia Collections
- Easy Animations
- Interactive Timelines and Displays
Text Analysis:
- Text Corpora
- Text Mining
- Text Visualization
- Text and Video Annotation
Visualization:
- Visualization Apps and Tools

Content Management Systems

Facsimiles of historic handwritten letters superimposed over a black and white line map.

A screengrab from My Dear Little Nelly, created with Neatline.

Drupal
Drupal is an open source content management platform powering millions of websites and applications. It’s built, used, and supported by an active and diverse community of people around the world but does require significant set-up and skills.
HistoryPin
A collaborative tool to share images history across time and space, and place those memories on maps and timelines.
Manifold
Manifold is an open-source publishing platform built by scholars and publishers. It's responsive, accessible, intuitive, and customizable. Users can set up their own Manifold instances that they host locally, and members of the NYU community can publish their work for free on NYU’s Manifold instance.
Mukurtu
Mukurtu (MOOK-oo-too) is a grassroots project aiming to empower communities to manage, share, preserve, and exchange their digital heritage in culturally relevant and ethically-minded ways.
Omeka
Omeka is a free, flexible, and open source web-publishing platform for the display of library, museum, archives, and scholarly collections and exhibitions. Its “five-minute setup” makes launching an online exhibition as easy as launching a blog.
Omeka-Based: Curatescape
Curatescape is a set of tools for the Omeka CMS, including mobile apps for Android and iOS devices, for building walking tours and other history-organization type sites and exhibits.
Omeka-Based: Neatline
Neatline is an Omeka plug-in that allows scholars, students, and curators to tell stories with maps and timelines.
Omeka Everywhere
The Omeka Everywhere suite of tools allows institutions to create a rich and accessible online presence, and use the same content for unique in-gallery and mobile experiences for visitors.
Wordpress
Open-source blogging software that is free and easy-to-use. Can also be used to build websites with a variety of features, though not quite as versatile and robust as Drupal.

Web Design & Prototyping

HTML5Up
This site makes spiffy HTML5 site templates that are: Fully Responsive, Built on intelligent, HTML5 + CSS3, SuperCustomizable, and 100% Free under the Creative Commons.
Wordpress
Open-source blogging software that is free and easy-to-use. Can also be used to build websites with a variety of features, though not quite as versatile and robust as Drupal.

Coding & Programming Resources

LinkedIn Learning
LinkedIn Learning is an online video training library with over one hundred thousand expert-led videos and thousands of courses. NYU community members can use LinkedIn Learning in connection with their LinkedIn account to learn the latest tools, software, and techniques in business, digital media, design, photography, animation, development, and more. Access to LinkedIn Learning is available in the Academics and Worktabs of NYUHome as well as through this link.
Formerly Lynda.com, LinkedIn Learning provides the same services and access to resources via the LinkedIn platform.

This resource requires an NYU NetID and password

18 Top JavaScript Graph Visualization Libraries to Use in 2025
Current trends in JavaScript data visualization in a coherent list.
Code Academy
Learn to code interactively, for free.
DocNow
DocNow is a tool and a community developed around supporting the ethical collection, use, and preservation of social media content. The project is a collaborative effort between Shift Collective, the University of Maryland, and the University of Virginia.
Eloquent Javascript
Eloquent JavaScript dives deep into the JavaScript language to show you how to write beautiful, effective code. Author Marijn Haverbeke immerses you in example code from the start, while exercises and full-chapter projects give you hands-on experience with writing your own programs.
Hour of Code
A basic coding introduction for all ages and skill levels.
HTML5Up
This site makes spiffy HTML5 site templates that are: Fully Responsive, Built on intelligent, HTML5 + CSS3, SuperCustomizable, and 100% Free under the Creative Commons.
Trail: Learning the Java Language
The basics of Java, an object-oriented programming language.
A Programmer's Guide to Data Mining
A guide to using Python coding in relation to data mining.
Basic Web Scraping
Christopher Potts's introduction to Requests and Beautiful Soup libraries in Python 3.
Stack Exchange
Stack Exchange is a network of question and answer websites on topics in varied fields, each site covering a specific topic, where questions, answers, and users are subject to a reputation award process.
Stack Overflow
A language-independent collaboratively edited question and answer site for programmers.

Equipment for Use & Checkout

NYU Digital Studio
The Digital Studio, located in Bobst Library on Floor 5 (South), provides consultations, trainings, workshops and resources in support of teaching and learning. An NYU NetID is required for access.
LaGuardia Student Technology Center
The LaGuardia Student Technology Center offers reservable computer stations and A/V recording studios, collaboration space, 3D printing, and VR equipment.

Digital Humanities

Types of Tools

This overview page gives top-level resources:

Subpages include resources specific to:

Mapping and Timelines: GIS Apps and Sites

Static Sites & Minimal Computing:

Storytelling:

Text Analysis:

Visualization:

Content Management Systems

Web Design & Prototyping

Coding & Programming Resources

Equipment for Use & Checkout