Software prototyping tools are used to quickly create software prototypes simulating key aspects of the final product, while ignoring others (like textual and media content, interactivity, real implementation). The article only includes dedicated applications, not paper tools, UI libraries or popular software repurposed for prototyping.
Contents
General-purpose
These tools have the broadest feature set, namely some level of visual fidelity, interactivity and any sort of prototyping aid (built-in widgets, masters, library support, etc.)
Some clarifications on the vocabulary:
Wireframing
These tools are mainly used to create "wireframes" or "zonings", i.e. simple prototypes with low interactivity (often only link between pages) and visual fidelity.
Animation
The following tools focus on animation, often for mobile, and often by importing previously made static assets. Those with an * indicate you can either import or make assets within the tool.