Is CADCraft really free?

Yes. CADCraft is open source under MIT OR Apache-2.0. There is no license fee, no subscription and no account needed, on the desktop or in the browser.

Is CADCraft made by Autodesk?

No. CADCraft is an independent, clean-room project by the ArtCraft team that recreates the AutoCAD-style workflow. It is not affiliated with Autodesk. AutoCAD is a trademark of Autodesk, Inc.

How do I download CADCraft?

Open the Download page and pick your platform. Windows uses an MSI installer, macOS a universal DMG and Linux a Flatpak or AppImage. You can also install CADCraft through the ArtCraft Launcher, which keeps it up to date.

Can CADCraft open DWG files?

Yes. It opens DWG R13 through 2018 and reads DXF R12 through 2018 (ASCII and binary). It saves DXF and DWG in R2000 format and exports PDF, SVG and PNG. Entities it does not support yet are not kept on save, so keep a copy of your originals.

Can I use CADCraft online without installing anything?

Yes. Open the Use Online page and the full app loads in your browser through WebAssembly. It uses WebGPU when available and falls back to WebGL2. Chrome or Edge on a desktop computer gives the best experience.

How do AI agents control CADCraft?

Through an MCP server (cadcraft-cli mcp), a JSON control channel on the running app, or the headless command-line tool. Agents can run commands, query entities, inspect the drawing and render images to check their work.

What programming language is CADCraft written in?

CADCraft is written entirely in Rust. It renders on the GPU through wgpu, which uses WebGPU or WebGL2 in the browser and native graphics APIs on the desktop.

Is CADCraft ready for production work?

It is in early, fast development. Many core drafting commands already work, but some AutoCAD features are missing (for example, SHX fonts are not read yet). Review the project's roadmap and gap list, and keep backups.

What is cadcraft.org?

CADCraft AI (cadcraft.org) is an independent guide to CADCraft: download and installation instructions, an online version, tutorials, user experience notes and a comparison with Autodesk AutoCAD. Downloads link to the official GitHub releases. Contact us at support@cadcraft.org.

CADCraft: free, open-source CAD for people and AI agents

Name: CADCraft
Author: ArtCraft

The AutoCAD-style drafting app from ArtCraft, rebuilt in pure Rust. Use it online now or download it free.

Use online Download free

CADCraft drawing a dimensioned mounting plate, with the command line, drafting tools and layer properties visible

License: MIT or Apache-2.0
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, Web
Files: DWG, DXF, PDF, SVG, PNG
Engine: Pure Rust, GPU rendered
Agents: MCP, JSON control, CLI
Release: v0.5.0, in active development

What is CADCraft?

CADCraft is a free, open-source computer-aided design and drafting application. It recreates the AutoCAD-style workflow that architects, engineers, students and makers already know, as a clean-room project written from scratch in Rust. There is no license fee, no subscription and no account to create. You can download CADCraft for Windows, macOS, Linux or FreeBSD, or run the very same app in your browser through WebAssembly.

If you have used AutoCAD, CADCraft feels familiar within minutes. You type LINE, CIRCLE, OFFSET or TRIM at the command line, pick points with object snaps, use polar tracking and ortho, and repeat the last command with Enter, Space or a right-click. Drawings are organized with layers, annotated with associative dimensions, multileaders, tables and hatches, and laid out in paper space for plotting to scale.

What makes CADCraft different is who else can use it. Every menu item, tool and prompt is also a command that an AI agent can call. An agent can type into the command line like a person, send structured JSON, inspect the drawing to check its own work and render an image of the result. That makes CADCraft one of the first CAD programs designed from day one for automation and AI-assisted drafting.

CADCraft AI at cadcraft.org is an independent guide to the project. Here you will find a step-by-step CADCraft download guide, a hosted copy of CADCraft online, beginner tutorials and an honest comparison with AutoCAD.

Download Use Online Tutorials vs AutoCAD

Features

Everything you expect from a 2D drafting tool

Draw anything from lines to splines

All the core drawing commands, with keyword prompts, command history, AutoComplete and aliases. Enter coordinates as x,y, @dx,dy, @distance<angle or #x,y, or simply point in a direction and type a distance.

Commands

LINEPLINECIRCLEARCRECTANGPOLYGONELLIPSESPLINEPOINTXLINERAYDONUTTEXTMTEXT

LINECIRCLEOFFSETTRIMFILLETHATCHDIMLINEARBLOCKPLOTZOOM

ArtCraft CADCraft: part of an open-source suite

CADCraft is developed by the ArtCraft team as one of its Crafting Apps, a family of open-source creative and technical tools rebuilt in Rust. That is why you will often see the project called ArtCraft CADCraft. The source code is public on GitHub, and every new CADCraft build is published on the project's releases page.

The ArtCraft Launcher installs CADCraft next to the other ArtCraft apps and keeps each one up to date. If you prefer, you can download a single CADCraft installer, a portable build or the self-hostable web version instead.

Developer: ArtCraft team
Source code: github.com/storytold/cadcraft
Installer: ArtCraft Launcher v0.3.2
Official page: getartcraft.com/apps/cadcraft

For AI agents

The AutoCAD-style app an AI agent can actually drive

Every menu item, tool and prompt in CADCraft is a command. Agents type at the command line like a person, call any command with JSON, inspect the drawing and render the result.

Connect Claude or any MCP client to CADCraft and ask it to draft a plate, dimension a part or convert a folder of DWG files. Because the agent can query entities and render screenshots, it checks its own work instead of guessing.

MCP server
Run cadcraft-cli mcp headless, or bridge it to the running app so Claude and other MCP clients can draw while you watch.
JSON control channel
Start the app with --control and send structured commands over a local socket.
Headless CLI
Script drawings, inspect files and batch-convert DWG/DXF to SVG or PNG in CI pipelines.

>cadcraft-cli mcp
>cadcraft-cli mcp --connect 127.0.0.1:7979
>cadcraft-cli run --sample --script 'CIRCLE 22,3 1\n' --save out.dxf --export out.png
>cadcraft-cli convert drawing.dwg drawing.svg

MCP tools

command_lineexecuteinspect_drawingquery_entitiesrenderscreenshotui_click

CADCraft vs AutoCAD

CADCraft vs AutoCAD at a glance

AutoCAD remains the industry standard. CADCraft is a free, open alternative for 2D drafting, automation and AI workflows. Choose CADCraft when cost, Linux support, browser access or agent automation matter most. Stay with AutoCAD when you need full DWG fidelity, 3D modeling, industry toolsets or vendor support.

	CADCraft	AutoCAD
Price	Free	Paid subscription (about $2,000/year list price)
Source code	Open source (MIT OR Apache-2.0)	Proprietary
Platforms	Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, web	Windows, macOS, web app
AI agent control	Built in: MCP, JSON control, headless CLI	Autodesk AI assistants; APIs like AutoLISP and .NET
DWG files	Opens R13-2018, saves R2000	Native DWG, full fidelity
Maturity	Early, fast development	Decades of production use, official support

Read the full comparison

Download CADCraft for free

Windows users get a 64-bit MSI installer, Mac users a universal DMG for Apple silicon and Intel, and Linux users a Flatpak with AppImage, .deb and .rpm alternatives. Every official release ships SHA-256 checksums so you can verify the file.

Read the step-by-step download & install guide