Top 5 CAD Software to Have on Linux

Making technical drawings or 3D models on Linux calls for CAD (computer-aided design) software. Some Linux CAD apps draw in 2D, while others build 3D models whose dimensions you can change later.

This list covers five free tools and the kind of work each one fits.

What Makes a CAD App Fit Linux?

Computer-aided design (CAD) software creates or edits technical drawings and models. A Linux CAD app can make a 2D drawing or a parametric 3D model.

Some tools instead generate solids from code, so choose by what you need to draw and revise.

I chose five tools by how they represent geometry, because the job matters more than a universal ranking.

Tool	Start here when you need	Modeling approach	Boundary to know
FreeCAD	Parametric mechanical parts	Features and dimensions remain editable	A broad 3D modeler, not a dedicated 2D-only drafting app
LibreCAD	2D technical drawings	Direct drafting with drawing entities and layers	It is not a 3D solid modeler
OpenSCAD	Repeatable solid models described in code	Script defines the geometry	Not a mouse-first drafting workflow
SolveSpace	Constraint-driven sketches and parts	Dimensions and constraints govern geometry	Choose it for its focused parametric workflow
BRL-CAD	Constructive solid geometry and analysis	Solids are combined with Boolean operations	Its modeling representation differs from feature-history tools

Each project presents its software as free to use or free and open source. These pages do not compare paid support contracts, so the table records the software terms rather than a subscription plan.

Software	Project cost and license
FreeCAD	Open source with no licensing fees
LibreCAD	Free software with no required payment
OpenSCAD	Free software under the GNU General Public License version 2
SolveSpace	Free software under the GNU General Public License version 3
BRL-CAD	Free and open source under Open Source Initiative-approved terms

1. FreeCAD for Parametric Mechanical Design

Parametric modeling keeps design dimensions and feature relationships editable, so changing one value can update dependent geometry in FreeCAD.

Choose FreeCAD for a mechanical part whose dimensions may change, and check the official downloads page for its Linux builds. It lists stable release 1.1.4 and AppImages for x86_64 and aarch64.

The Linux installation guide covers setup, and the AppImage walkthrough explains that package format.

FreeCAD’s features page shows a model beside its technical drawing, which connects the 3D object to its documentation.

The FreeCAD Part workbench view shows an array model beside its object tree. Its property panel shows the array counts that produce the repeated geometry.

The visible array settings connect the repeated geometry to its editable model objects.

2. LibreCAD for 2D Technical Drafting

LibreCAD is the direct pick when your deliverable is a 2D drawing rather than a 3D solid. Its official site describes a free, open-source CAD application for Linux.

The feature list covers DWG/DXF input, plus DXF and vector-file exports.

A Linux.org poster asked for a “simple intuitive 2D drafting program for Linux.” That request points to LibreCAD’s scope, not OpenSCAD’s code-first modeling, and the distinction matters before you spend time learning a tool.

LibreCAD’s official page pairs its 2D description with an image of the drawing interface.

Your deliverable	Does LibreCAD fit?
Dimensioned 2D drawing	Yes, this is the tool’s focus
3D solid with editable feature history	No, compare FreeCAD or SolveSpace instead

LibreCAD’s Linux installation manual warns that distro packages may lag the current release, so compare your package version with the project’s download information when a specific feature matters.

3. OpenSCAD for Script-Defined Solids

OpenSCAD builds a solid 3D model from a text script. You edit the description and render a preview, so the same parameters can define a family of related parts without redrawing each one by hand.

OpenSCAD’s official page describes Linux support and shows the script editor beside its rendered model.

If you want to describe geometry with code, start with OpenSCAD’s user manual and the separate Linux download options. If you want to draw a measured 2D line with drafting tools instead, LibreCAD is the closer fit.

For package setup, follow the LinuxForDevices OpenSCAD installation guide.

4. SolveSpace for Constraint-Driven Parts

SolveSpace is a parametric 2D and 3D CAD tool built around geometric constraints. A horizontal constraint, for example, keeps a sketch line horizontal as you revise its dimensions.

You can extrude or revolve the sketch into a solid, and assembly constraints can connect parts.

The official downloads page lists stable release 3.2 for Linux and says the release adds an optional Qt front end for Linux. Check that page for the package route available on your distribution.

The dimension callouts on SolveSpace’s official page show the constraint-driven approach on a part, not a freeform sculpting workflow.

• Use SolveSpace when a sketch should remain controlled by dimensions and constraints.
• It can extrude or revolve a sketch and export geometry such as STEP or STL.
• For a large multi-workbench engineering workflow, compare FreeCAD’s broader feature set before choosing.

5. BRL-CAD for Constructive Solid Geometry

Constructive solid geometry (CSG) defines a solid by combining simpler shapes with Boolean operations. BRL-CAD’s project describes a hybrid CSG and boundary representation (B-rep) kernel, alongside interactive geometry editing and geometric analysis.

BRL-CAD supports Linux and is free, open-source software. Its official tutorials begin with primitive shapes and then introduce Boolean expressions, so this pick suits readers who want that geometry model rather than a sketch-and-feature sequence.

The BRL-CAD format guide contrasts subtracting a cone from a cylinder with joining boundary surfaces to make the same shape.

Representation	How it describes a model	When it helps
CSG	Combines primitive solids with Boolean operations	Useful when the part is naturally expressed as unions or cuts
B-rep	Describes a solid through its boundary surfaces	Useful when the surface geometry and boundaries are central to the model

BRL-CAD is a focused recommendation, not a default replacement for every other item here. Its distinctive CSG workflow is the reason to choose it, while the interface and file handoff should be checked against the rest of your toolchain.

Match the Export to the Next Tool

A model that looks correct in one application may still arrive in a form the next tool cannot edit. Pick the export format by what the next tool must do with the model.

Format	What it carries	Good next step
Drawing Exchange Format (DXF)	2D drawing geometry	Continue drafting or share a technical drawing
Standard for the Exchange of Product model data (STEP)	3D CAD geometry for exchange between modelers	Open the part in another CAD tool and check its geometry
STL	A triangle mesh of a 3D surface	Slice the model for 3D printing, then send the job to a printer workflow

LibreCAD’s feature list identifies DXF as a read/write format. SolveSpace’s export list includes DXF and STEP exports, plus STL mesh output. The BRL-CAD format guide explains how CSG and B-rep describe solids differently.

Carry One Sample Through the Handoff

Before committing a project to a new modeler, take one representative part through the edit you expect to make next. That check tells you more than a product label because it tests the actual drawing or geometry your next application must receive.

1. Choose a small drawing or part and save it in the format the next person or program needs.
2. If it is a printable model, prepare the exported mesh with the LinuxForDevices Cura installation guide.
3. When the model is ready to print, use the OctoPrint setup guide for the printer-control step.

CAD Software Questions

For a printable part, verify the mesh in a slicer before sending it to a printer. The Cura guide is the next step after your CAD choice.