CAD Kernels

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Megathread for existing and emerging CAD kernels.

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Manifold

Type: Mesh based
Website: https://manifoldcad.org/docs/jsapi/
GitHub: https://github.com/elalish/manifold

Created: 2022
License: Apache 2.0
Language: C++
Formats: OBJ, STL, 3MF, glTF
Bindings: JavaScript, Python

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Parasolid

Type: b-Rep based
Website: https://www.siemens.com/en-us/products/plm-components/parasolid/

Created: 1986
License: Proprietary
Language: C++
Formats: x_t, x_b

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truck

Type: b-Rep based
Website: https://docs.rs/truck-modeling/
GitHub: https://github.com/ricosjp/truck

Created: 2020
License: Apache 2.0
Language: Rust
Formats: STEP
Bindings: Rust

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KittyCAD Geometry Engine

Type: b-Rep based
Website: https://zoo.dev/docs
GitHub: https://github.com/KittyCAD

Created: 2021
License: Proprietary
Language: Rust
Formats: STEP, STL, IGES, OBJ, GLTF, GLB, FBX, PLY
Bindings: JavaScript, Python, Rust, Go

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Sequioa

Type: Implicit field based
Website: https://www.ntop.com

Created: 2015
License: Proprietary
Language: C++
Formats: STEP, IGES, Parasolid, ACIS, STL, OBJ, 3MF, PLY, OFF

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ACIS

Type: b-Rep based
Website: https://www.spatial.com/products/3d-acis-modeling

Created: 1989
License: Proprietary
Language: C++
Formats: SAT, SAB

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OpenCASCADE

Type: b-Rep based
Website: https://dev.opencascade.org/doc/overview/html/
GitHub: https://github.com/Open-Cascade-SAS/OCCT

Created: 1999
License: LGPL 2.1
Language: C++
Formats: STEP, IGES, STL, BREP, VRML, glTF, OBJ
Bindings: Python, JavaScript

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Fornjot

Type: b-Rep based
Website: https://www.fornjot.app/
GitHub: https://github.com/hannobraun/fornjot

Created: 2021
License: 0BSD
Language: Rust
Formats: 3MF, OBJ, STL
Bindings: Rust

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C3D

Type: b-Rep based
Website: https://c3dlabs.com/

Created: 1995
License: Proprietary
Language: C++

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libfive

Type: Implicit field based
Website: https://libfive.com/
GitHub: https://github.com/libfive/libfive

Created: 2017
License: MPL 2.0
Language: C++
Formats: STL

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vcad

Type: b-Rep based
Website: https://vcad.io
GitHub: https://github.com/ecto/vcad

Created: 2026
License: Apache 2.0
Language: Rust
Formats: STEP, STL, GLB, DXF
Bindings: WASM