FREE & OPEN-SOURCE BROWSER CAD
Use free, open-source parametric 3D CAD online. Sketch, set dimensions and build editable parts in your browser, with no installation or signup. Try a real example and keep a native backup on your device.
Ready to launch · first use downloads the CAD application
For precise modeling, use a desktop browser and mouse. Lessons and practice notes also work on your phone.
THE BROWSER WORKSPACE
SolidCraft Online is a browser-based workspace for the free, open-source SolidCraft parametric 3D CAD application. It lets you create dimensioned sketches, build solid parts and edit their construction history without installing a desktop application. This page provides a community-hosted editor, two editable practice models and guidance on saving your work.
It is a useful starting point for students learning sketch-to-solid modeling, makers testing a small part, or anyone trying SolidCraft before downloading it. This is an independent community integration. Development, source code and software licensing belong to the upstream SolidCraft project. About this guide
FROM SKETCH TO SOLID
Draw a rectangle or circle on a plane, then define its size with dimensions. Constraints describe relationships such as horizontal edges or equal lengths, so a sketch behaves predictably when you edit it. This is useful for measured parts such as spacers and mounting plates, where a visual approximation is not enough.
Sketching and constraints documentationExtrude a closed sketch into a solid and use the feature timeline to understand how the part was built. Parametric modeling keeps dimensions and construction steps editable. In the block example below, changing a single width rebuilds the part; you can compare the result and undo the change without drawing everything again.
Solid modeling documentationUse a dimensioned model as the starting point for a spacer, bracket or small prototype. Export an STL mesh for a separate slicer, then check units, wall thickness, clearances and print orientation there. Keep a native design as well: a printable mesh does not preserve the sketch dimensions and feature history you need for the next revision.
Import and export documentationA SMALL PART. A COMPLETE WORKFLOW.
01RECTANGLE / DIMENSIONS / EXTRUDE
40 × 30 × 10 mm
One rectangle, two dimensions, one extrusion. Change the width from 40 to 50 mm and see the solid rebuild.
Try this: Set the width to 50 mm in the practice panel. With the other dimensions unchanged, the volume becomes 15,000 mm³. Undo the edit and compare the two sizes.
Verified volume 12,000 mm³
02PROFILES / CIRCLES / EXTRUDE
60 × 40 × 5 mm · Ø6 mm
A plate with four through-holes. Inspect its sketch and feature history, then use it to explore profiles and extrusion.
Try this: Open the sketch and locate the four Ø6 mm circles inside the rectangular boundary. Compare the sketch with the finished solid to see how the inner profiles become through-holes.
Verified volume ≈11,434.61 mm³
Each practice starts a new design. The workspace asks how to handle an existing part before replacing it. Mounting-plate volume is an approximate browser measurement.
CREATE. CHANGE. COME BACK.
For a first session, use a desktop browser and a mouse. The parametric block is the shortest path through opening a model, changing a dimension and saving a file you can edit again. Follow these three steps before moving on to your own part.
Choose Start a new design for a blank document, or open the parametric block above. Wait for the first application download and the model to load. You can also open a native .solidcraft file in the workspace or use My designs to return to a saved browser copy.
In the block practice panel, change the width from 40 to 50 mm and apply it. Inspect the wider solid and its timeline, then try undo and redo. For your own model, create a sketch on a plane, draw and dimension a closed profile, finish the sketch and extrude it.
Save a browser copy for your next visit. Download a .solidcraft backup through the workspace’s file tools, then reopen it to verify that the part and history are present. Before trying another practice, use the workspace’s save, discard or cancel choice to handle the current design.
Saved designs belong to this browser profile and this workspace’s origin. Another browser or device cannot see them automatically. Clearing site data, private browsing or storage eviction can remove local copies. Our service does not upload your design files or provide cloud synchronization.
| Format | Use it for | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| Browser save | Continue in the same browser profile and workspace. | Local site storage; clearing site data can remove it. It is not cloud sync. |
| .solidcraft | Keep an editable backup or move a design to another device. | Native design with its modeling history. Reopen the download to check it. |
| STEP | Exchange solid geometry with another CAD tool. | An exchange copy; it does not carry the original SolidCraft feature history. |
| STL | Send a mesh to a separate 3D-printing slicer. | Check scale in the receiving tool. Keep the native file for future edits. |
Use the editor’s native file tools for downloads and exports. A later browser save does not update a file you already downloaded. For reliable handoff, download the latest copy and check its dimensions in the receiving application. Official file documentation
This workspace uses native file format 27. Older designs can be opened, but files saved here do not open in SolidCraft v0.15.x or earlier. Keep your original files before upgrading.
Read about local storage and analyticsCHOOSE YOUR WORKSPACE
Choose SolidCraft Online when you want to try parametric CAD without installing software or follow the examples on this page. Choose the desktop app when local folders or desktop integrations matter to your workflow. Both use SolidCraft’s modeling tools; a compatible native file is the way to move an editable design between them.
| Workflow | SolidCraft Online | SolidCraft desktop |
|---|---|---|
| Getting started | Open the workspace; no installer or account required. | Install the official app for Windows, macOS or Linux. |
| Files and backups | Browser storage plus downloaded native backups. | Open and save native files in your computer’s folders. |
| Typical use | Try CAD, follow lessons and edit small practice parts. | Work with local project folders and desktop integrations. |
| AI and automation | Manual CAD editing; no hosted AI chat or MCP connection here. | Configure supported MCP workflows with a compatible AI client. |
BEFORE YOU LAUNCH
Graphics support, browser storage and the size of your design affect the online experience. Start with one of the small practice models to check this device before moving your own project.
Start with an up-to-date desktop Chrome or Edge, hardware acceleration and a mouse. The editor needs WebGPU or WebGL2; support depends on the browser, GPU and driver together. A larger screen makes precise sketching easier. You can read these examples on a phone, but a desktop is the recommended modeling setup.
The first workspace launch needs an internet connection to download the CAD application. Once its application files are cached successfully, the workspace can reopen offline on that device. Browser cleanup can remove caches and saved designs, so verify offline startup on your device and keep downloaded native backups.
Good questions