Generate a Vicsek Fractal
Draw a Vicsek snowflake fractal. Runs entirely in your browser, so your data never leaves your device.
Output
The result appears here as you type.
How to use Generate a Vicsek Fractal
- 1. Set the iteration count. Choose Iterations for how many times the plus-shaped pattern subdivides further. A 4-iteration Vicsek fractal already shows the recognizable cross-shaped snowflake clearly.
- 2. Choose the diagonal variant. Toggle Diagonal (x-shape) to switch from the standard plus-shaped subdivision to an X-shaped one, changing the fractal's overall symmetry axis by 45 degrees.
- 3. Size and style the drawing. Set Width (px), Height (px), Line color, Background color and Line width to fit the plus or X-shaped silhouette at your chosen iteration count.
- 4. Review the rendered fractal. The tool draws the Vicsek fractal as an SVG, keeping five of nine sub-squares at each level to form a plus or X shape. Save it once the shape and colors look right.
When to use Generate a Vicsek Fractal
Generate a Vicsek Fractal draws the Vicsek snowflake, built by keeping the center and four corner (or edge) squares of a 3x3 grid at every subdivision level. It is closely related to the Sierpinski carpet but keeps a different subset of squares, producing a distinct plus-shaped or cross-shaped pattern.
- Comparing to the Sierpinski carpet's square selection. Both fractals subdivide into a 3x3 grid, but the Vicsek keeps a plus-shaped subset of squares while the carpet keeps everything except the center, and rendering both highlights that contrast.
- Teaching the box fractal by its formal name. The Vicsek fractal is sometimes called the box fractal in mathematical literature, and rendering it helps connect that alternate name to the actual cross-shaped construction.
- Exploring the diagonal X-shape variant. Toggling Diagonal (x-shape) rotates the pattern by 45 degrees, keeping the corner squares along the diagonals instead of the axes, useful for showing how orientation choices affect self-similar patterns.
- Designing a cross-shaped decorative motif. The Vicsek fractal's plus or X silhouette works well as a symmetric decorative icon or badge design, generated at a chosen iteration count for the desired fineness.
Examples
A 4-iteration Vicsek fractal
Output
An SVG drawing of the plus-shaped Vicsek snowflake.
The diagonal variant
Output
An SVG drawing of the x-shaped Vicsek fractal.
About the Generate a Vicsek Fractal tool
Generate a Vicsek Fractal runs as plain JavaScript in your browser tab, with no server behind it. Draw a Vicsek snowflake fractal. Whatever you put in stays on your device from start to finish.
The tool is part of EditSafely's Math Tools section, 234 single-purpose utilities built around the same idea: open the page, get the result, keep your data to yourself.
You can shape the output with 7 settings, including Iterations, Diagonal (x-shape), Width (px) and Height (px), and the result refreshes the moment you change one. 2 worked examples further down the page show exactly what the tool produces for real inputs.
That local-first design has practical benefits beyond privacy. The tool keeps working on a flaky connection once the page has loaded, results are instant because nothing round-trips to a server, and it is safe to use with confidential material.
Frequently asked questions
Does Generate a Vicsek Fractal cost anything?
Yes, it is completely free. All 2,658 tools on EditSafely work without an account, a subscription or usage limits.
Does the generator send anything to a server?
No data leaves your device. The whole tool is JavaScript that runs inside your browser tab, so there is no upload, no server-side processing and no log of what you did. If you disconnect from the internet after the page loads, it keeps working.
How do I get a different result?
Run the generator again. Each run is computed fresh on your device, and any options you change are applied to the next result immediately.
Do I need to sign up or install anything?
Nothing to install and no account needed. Open the page in any up-to-date browser, including on a phone or tablet, and the tool is ready.
Can I save what the tool produces?
Yes. Use the download or copy controls in the output panel to keep the rendered result once it looks the way you want.