The top-level PGF and TikZ commands are invoked as TeX macros, but in contrast with PSTricks, the PGF/TikZ graphics themselves are described in a language that resembles MetaPost.

The PGF/TikZ interpreter can be used from the popular LaTeX and ConTeXt macro packages, and also directly from the original TeX.

[6] One of the major new features of this version was graph drawing using the graphdrawing package, which however requires LuaTeX.

[7] This version also added a new data visualization method and support for direct SVG output via the new dvisvgm driver.

[9] Export to TikZ is also available as extensions for Inkscape,[10] Blender,[11] MATLAB,[12] matplotlib,[13] Gnuplot,[14] Julia,[15] and R.[16] The circuit-macros package[17] of m4 macros exports circuit diagrams to TikZ using the dpic -g command line option.