CADCraft vs LibreCAD
Two open-source 2D drafting applications, compared on licence, platforms, file formats and stage.
CADCraft is an open-source computer-aided design and drafting app written in pure Rust, currently in early development, and it is not AutoCAD. LibreCAD is a free, open-source 2D CAD application for Windows, macOS and Linux. Both are 2D tools. The useful question is which one covers the file formats, platforms and licence terms your work needs, and this page sets those out from public sources.
Comparison at a glance
public descriptions| Question | CADCraft | LibreCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Public product position | Open-source computer-aided design and drafting in pure Rust (official page). | Free, open-source CAD application, described on its site as an open source 2D-CAD application. |
| Scope | 2D drafting. 3D modelling is not built yet (gaps list). | 2D CAD (librecad.org). |
| Licence | MIT or Apache-2.0 (repository README). | GPLv2 (librecad.org). |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, plus a WebAssembly web build (README). | Windows, macOS and Linux (librecad.org). |
| Maturity as stated | Early development. The roadmap labels it pre-alpha (ROADMAP.md, reviewed 2026-10-10). | Calls itself "a feature-packed and mature 2D-CAD application" (librecad.org). |
| DWG files | Opens DWG R13 to 2018. Saving to DWG drops content CADCraft does not model. Not verified on real files. | Not stated on the page we read. Check the LibreCAD manual. |
| DXF files | Reads DXF from R12 to 2018 and writes it. The write version range differs between the official page and the README. | Not stated on the page we read. Check the LibreCAD manual. |
| Automation | MCP server, JSON control channel, cadcraft-cli and script text (README). | Not stated on the page we read. |
| Interface languages | 13 listed in the README, English among them. | Over 30 languages, according to librecad.org. |
Evidence and method
checked 2026-10-16Sources. For CADCraft we read the official product page, the repository README, ROADMAP, the gaps list and the file-format notes. For LibreCAD we read its official site at librecad.org, which has no detailed file-format list. Rows that its site does not cover say "not stated" instead of guessing.
Method. We compared what each project says about itself. We did not install either application, open a drawing in either one, or run a benchmark.
What to verify
- The LibreCAD manual for DXF and DWG support and the exact versions it reads and writes.
- The release notes of each project for the version you plan to use.
- Your own drawing, opened and saved in both applications, compared with the original for text, dimensions and layers.
- Platform support for your operating system and CPU type, using the release files listed by each project.
Questions readers ask
Is CADCraft related to LibreCAD?
Neither project's pages say so. LibreCAD is licensed under GPLv2 and describes itself as an open source 2D-CAD application. CADCraft is licensed under MIT or Apache-2.0 and comes from the ArtCraft team. Neither page we read names the other.
Which one is more mature?
This guide does not rank them. LibreCAD's site calls itself a feature-packed and mature 2D-CAD application. CADCraft's roadmap calls itself pre-alpha. Read the release notes of each before you choose.
Do both run on Linux?
Yes. LibreCAD's site lists Windows, macOS and Linux. CADCraft's v0.5.0 release includes Linux builds, along with FreeBSD and a web build.
Limits and what this page does not claim
This page does not declare a winner, a benchmark result or a ranking of features. It does not claim that either project is endorsed by the other, and it is not endorsed by ArtCraft or the LibreCAD team. LibreCAD's site states that all trademarks referenced there are the properties of their respective owners.