Some other open source 3D CAD tools:
Code-based
- CadQuery - https://github.com/CadQuery/cadquery/
- build123d - https://github.com/gumyr/build123d
- OpenSCAD - https://openscad.cloud/openscad/
GUI (browser-based)
- Cadmium (abandoned, cool idea) - https://mattferraro.dev/posts/cadmium
Truck (Rust CAD Kernel) - https://github.com/ricosjp/truck
libfive - https://libfive.com
guile scheme, bindings in Rust and Python
personally exited to check it out for real constructive-solid modeling, as opposed to emulating that workflow over OpenCascade's (fickle but otherwise lovely) BREP modeling (ie. edges & faces) via build123d (which has been great but is increasingly vibe-coded :/)
discussed previously: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12319406
a real constructive solid library (as opposed to emulation via modeling), with
FreeCAD: https://freecad.org
I would not suggest anyone use FreeCAD. The UX is the worst I've seen for any software. Finding any functionality is next to impossible.
The UI has an awkward learning curve and some tools are weird, but it has become a rather solid CAD. Don't discount it in its current state, despite its warts.
Brl-cad https://brlcad.org/
Cadova - https://github.com/tomasf/Cadova
SolveSpace - https://github.com/solvespace/solvespace
JSCAD (formerly OpenJSCAD) https://openjscad.xyz/
Awesome because you can build a model, expose the parameters, and allow web users to generate a model to fit their parameters.
vcad was started in 2026 and has great ambitions: https://docs.vcad.io
I've been "vibe coding" with OpenSCAD with good results! OpenSCAD will automatically detect changes in the current open file and reload it, so I can use VS Code (with the OpenSCAD extension) to vibe code with Claude, and watch the changes appear on the OpenSCAD screen
Got any example results/chat sessions? I've had little luck with LLMs for 3d modeling
I've had better luck telling it to use CadQuery. Here's an example where I stumbled around a bit, but was successful in creating a cat food container (Sheba Perfect Portions) dispenser
https://claude.ai/share/ebce7c8e-4e5a-42ec-8ee9-cf066f68858f
KiCad - https://www.kicad.org/
that's for PCB design, it's not a 3D CAD tool
Okay, but unless you choose to download the Windows executable, compiling from source is very difficult. Many people won't accept the Snap option on an otherwise open-source platform.
This project improves on SolveSpace, but it does this by requiring dozens of mutually conflicting libraries. I create CAD videos, but for my students I decided against this project after seeing how difficult it was to compile.
A FlatPak installer might help with this installation issue.
Again, the Windows executable gets around these issues, for people still willing to put up with Windows.
Without context, it sounds like an FPS adaptation of a Dune game.
Yep, or a 3D adaptation of an RTS game.
How much vibe coding is involved in this?
Dune3d comes off like a reskin of SolveSpace. SolveSpace is pretty awesome, so that's not a knock, per se. I'll leave it to somebody with more experience to fill in what value Dune3D adds beyond SolveSpace.
I found the UI far more approachable in Dune 3D than any other 3D CAD program I've tried and as the readme notes, Dune 3D imports STEP files and does fillets/chamfers which SolveSpace does not (in the current version)
There was a recent video on it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1VNpC0nwF4
If someone knows of a general introduction to 3D CAD which focuses on vendor-neutral descriptions of terminology and concepts, I'd be very interested --- I've done the tutorial for Dune 3D twice now (which is farther than I've gotten in any other 3D CAD tool), but keep getting hung up on subtleties/specifics which I have trouble describing for want of the correct terminology/understanding:
https://github.com/dune3d/dune3d/discussions/118
When I tried to write up the usage of a far simpler program, one of the things which I tried to do was define all terminology as it was brought up:
https://willadams.gitbook.io/design-into-3d/2d-drawing
are there any tutorials for 3D CAD which attempt definitions along the way in this fashion?
The documentation addresses that[0]. Basically, Dune 3D uses solvespace's solver, but it can do fillets and chamfers, and has a slightly more approachable user interface.
0: https://docs.dune3d.org/en/latest/why-another-3d-cad.html
Also check out modelrift.com which is based on openscad foundation. See the dynamic customizer which allows to edit any model parameter, re-render and get .stl: https://modelrift.com/models/customizable-liquid-funnel - it works _completely_ in your browser by using WASM
I have used this for throwing together some models for 3D printing. I've found it very intuitive, though I'm not sure how ergonomic it would be for complex assemblies.
I really like the space-key based command access and default shortcuts for all the commands.
Would love to see a quick video demo showcasing the features, look and feel of the software. The same team made horizon eda, and I wasn't able to find videos on youtube about it that were newer than 2022, so I never gave it a shot either.
Just watched this the other day: https://youtu.be/T1VNpC0nwF4?si=T9XDd2_2sY0BaBFZ
So this is a smudge of like 4 projects? Huh. Definitely interested, but I wonder about the longevity of the system. That's one thing about the code cad systems I like: it's pretty easy to port code from one to another.
Another simple GTK4 app for the ecosystem, nice.
In case anyone is wondering, Dune3D as a flatpak is about 33mb. FreeCAD is 354mb. I enjoy having simple solutions that get simple things done. Will definitely give Dune3D a try.
FreeCAD is the worst. Thanks for building this!
(I seem to be cast in the role of FreeCAD advocate on HN these days, but here goes!)
For years I agreed with you - I tried FreeCAD multiple times, different versions, always sucked.
Then I watched this video [0] and discovered that v1.1 is different - and that it's good enough for solid reliable hobby usage. It's still a touch frustrating in a few areas (text, for example) but I've now switched over to it completely.
I've forced myself to git gud with FreeCAD. It's better. Way better than it used to be. It's also still a very complex and user unfriendly application with a long road ahead of it.
You can make it work. You can also save yourself a lot of headache by using other CAD tools. Personally I value "Freedom" so I will continue to use it despite the difficulties but that may not be the right path for others.
I agree. freeCAD has become a tool that I just use without thinking about it. Earlier versions always made me question my choice and try out other software.
I really, really want that to be true, but my experience trying to adopt it has been really painful.
Even selecting things in the UI has sucked. I went in and increased the selection radius or whatever, that helped. But really, should I need to do this as a new user?
Getting the constraints to behave is like pulling teeth.
It also kind of sucks that you have to have really sparse sketches that only contain one closed figure. I gather you can create a "master sketch" and selectively project geometry into other sketches. But the last few times I've tried the app, I haven't gotten far enough into my sketches before rage quitting to validate the technique.
Right now I am back F360 with their hobby license wanting to escape their regular messing with the terms and conditions.
FreeCAD would benefit from effective
(1) agile Product Management,
(2) Product Design & continuous user-research,
(3) Improvements to test-driven development (TDD),
(4) transparent & open outcome-based roadmap,
(5) a vision to make the application easy to use for newbies in a maker-space, and (this is specific to my use-case),
(6) Improvements to the CAM module to make it easy to use this for CNC routers, and designing objects with sloped/curved surfaces.
- FreeCAD site: https://www.freecad.org/
- FreeCAD code: https://github.com/FreeCAD/FreeCAD
- FreeCAD forum: https://forum.freecad.org/
To echo others' comments: FreeCAD has improved significantly since v1.0, so I'm hoping this attracts quality & stability-minded develeopers, and a frequent release cadence.
I found FreeCAD fine but it takes me a while to remember how to use it each time (since I don't use it frequently...)
Recent freecad is pretty decent. My main complaint these days is the performance of the geometry engine.
I’ve tried FreeCAD multiple times, but I’m just too used to Rhino 3D. Unfortunately, it’s rather expensive. Anyone need a slightly used, low-mileage, one owner soul?
Its not often you see 'fillets and chamfers' are tip-line features in the readme for CAD packages. But good on you for building something.
Well, implementing fillets and chamfers is no easy task, so it's well deserved to be there.
Source: been there, done that.
> Its not often you see 'fillets and chamfers' are tip-line features in the readme for CAD packages.
Well the readme states the following:
Solvespace on the other hand gets the workflow part right, but falls short by not importing STEP and the geometry kernel not supporting chamfers and fillets.
So I assume that's where that comes from.
fillets and chamfers are at the same time both ridiculously difficult and ridiculously important.
It has been one of the main complaints about openscad for some time