OpenSCAD
Free software for creating solid 3D CAD objects from script files, aimed at programmers rather than interactive modeling.
What it does and how it connects
OpenSCAD is free software for creating solid 3D CAD objects from script files. It is aimed at programmers rather than interactive modeling: the user writes a script describing the object and OpenSCAD renders the 3D model from it, like a 3D compiler.
It runs on Linux, Unix, Windows, and macOS, and provides constructive solid geometry and extrusion of 2D outlines, with a tutorial, user manual, cheat sheet, and libraries of ready-made building blocks. Designs are shared on Printables, Thingiverse, and MakerWorld per the homepage.
The current stable release is 2021.01, from February 2021, and the project is developed in the open on GitHub, with discussion on IRC and Mastodon. The license is GPL-2.0-or-later.
What engineers report
When you use the copy button, it only copies the color name, not the "xkcd:" prefix, and not quotes around the whole thing.
2026-11-06Read the original
Alternatives
Compare side by side- FreeCAD
FreeCAD is a GUI parametric 3D modeler with sketching, drawings, FEA, and CAM workbenches, rather than a script-only modeler.
- CadQuery
CadQuery is a Python module for building parametric 3D models with scripts on the OpenCascade kernel, with workplanes and export to STEP, STL, and 3MF.
- build123d
build123d is a Python BREP modeling framework on the Open Cascade kernel with algebra and builder modes and explicit geometry classes.
- SolidWorks
SolidWorks is a commercial parametric 2D and 3D CAD product with integrated simulation, data management, and manufacturing tools.
Sources
Not verified
- Related Error Index entries: no entry with software OpenSCAD was verified.
Last verified November 6, 2026. Listings are informational. The evidence score measures public, verifiable evidence and is not an endorsement or a compatibility claim.