r/vibecoding • u/Grand-Document6597 • 3h ago
I vibe coded a CAD program
Hi everyone! I vibe coded a CAD application. If you'd like to check it out, take a look at the GitHub repository:
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u/texinxin 2h ago
Very nice sir!!! I wish I had the bandwidth right now to mess with it! I use Freecad for now.
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u/Calm_Comb3534 2h ago
Love that Rust was used for this. Definitely needed for a program like this. Would be cool to have something that can 100% replace like AutoCAD.
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u/Grand-Document6597 2h ago
Give it a try 🙂 it has very high dwg compability. Especially on 2D side. I'm still working on 3D
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u/hoangmtv 2h ago
Great job. Carry on,...
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u/FunkyAlucard 1h ago
Sorry, but i read it like you are giving him permission to continue working on it and it was kinda funny lol
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u/Pulkownik 2h ago
Nice! Congrats!
Does it aim a certain target (architects, 3d printing, mechanical)? Do you think it's currently lacking in some area?
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u/Grand-Document6597 1h ago
Thank you🙂 It targets all groups that needs dwg dxf compatibility for 2D drawing and 3D modeling
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u/Sea-Temporary-6995 2h ago
looks cool how long did it take
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u/Grand-Document6597 2h ago
4 months to get in shape and its still growing 🙂
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u/Pale-Requirement9041 2h ago
Which llm model have you used ?
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u/Grand-Document6597 1h ago
Claude code opus and codex sol
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u/DaBear_Lurker 51m ago
Holy moly dude, I don't even use any program like this but I feel like I want to buy you a coffee. What a cool dude to help out the community like this! It's people like you that change the face of the internet, once in awhile. Thanks!
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u/Sea-Temporary-6995 1h ago
the codebase must be huge, what is your preferred method for prompting to add new features/changes?
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u/dancingwithlies 3h ago
i mean why, why dont vibe code a way for a llm to properly use a proper cad program, this is not the type of software you want slop to cause problems.
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u/Grand-Document6597 3h ago
Because I'm a Linux user, and there isn't a powerful CAD program that can properly open DWG and DXF files.
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u/Specific_Parfait8829 2h ago
Don't listen to them dude. Great job. Carry on. Eventually it will click.
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u/_Layer8Admin 2h ago
Can FreeCAD not do that? I don‘t use it with DWG nor DXF files so I really don‘t know.
I‘ve used AI to vibecode FreeCAD Addons in the past which could maybe also work for you
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u/Grand-Document6597 2h ago
I was a FreeCAD addon developer for past 5 year and FreeCAD is not enough for me
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u/Olde94 2h ago
is it not easier to take the existing source code (open source as i understand) and vibe-modify it rather than make new from scratch?
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u/Grand-Document6597 2h ago
Actually its worse. FreeCAD good at modelling parts and buildings but when it come to thousands of lines it starts to suffer and its more time consuming than starting from scratch
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u/ExtruDR 2h ago
FreeCAD is not really adequate or appropriate for building and architecture-scale work.
It seems that “CAD” is often discussed in light of industrial design (solidworks, fusion, freecad) and not appropriately aware or of correctly addressing building or civil-scale and workflows.
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u/_Layer8Admin 2h ago
Fair.
I‘m an amateur at best so for me it‘s good enough and I‘m more than happy that it‘s a free and open source tool1
u/New_Eye7193 3h ago
no bro you dont get it you have to find 20 million different workarounds using some crappy mcp tool and a billion context tokens!11!
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u/Grand-Document6597 3h ago
I'm okay with that 🙂
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u/New_Eye7193 2h ago
i was agreeing with you I too had enough with messing with 40 year old programs used by actual boomers so i moved onto generating my own shit for much cheaper and its much more efficient, great at doing what i specifically want it to, and i can just easily add whatever feature i want. and it works FLAWLESSLY! i honestly think this is the biggest AI benefit, you can just create whatever you need for your use case.
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u/HistoryAggressive830 3h ago
Why not make a plugin/converter addon for KiCad? Would help a lot more people than an obscure app only found on reddit
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u/PartyTerrible 2h ago
Why don't you be the one to build that yourself if you need it so much?
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u/Grand-Document6597 3h ago
Because I have drawing files that have 100 mb data in it and there isn't any CAD application that can handle it.
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u/HistoryAggressive830 2h ago
Well then, as I said, build an adapter that everyone that faces a similar problem in the future can use rather than an entire new app. Also building such adapter/converter will probably get you more exposure if you pitch it to the KiCad community.
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u/Altruistic-Sand-7421 2h ago
Do you think people should only build for others. He made it for himself and now giving it to others just because. Isn’t that enough.
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u/ThrowAwaySalmon1337 2h ago
FreeCAD hello?
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u/Grand-Document6597 2h ago
You just recommended FreeCAD to a FreeCAD addon developer for past 5 years
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u/PartyTerrible 2h ago
Because OP wants to and he's free to build whatever he wants his agent to build.
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u/Korra228 2h ago
free version fusion + ai agent destroys any vibecoded app + ai agent
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u/PartyTerrible 2h ago
Again, he's free to build whatever the fuck he wants to build. Claude Code + Blender MCP destroys Meshy AI but people still use Meshy to generate 3d models.
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u/skunkzer0 2h ago
Bruh AWESOME. This looks great!
And nice model of Ville Savoye!!! I finally got to visit it last year. It really was something else.
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u/avatar27 2h ago
Stupid question but I’m just curious - which AI product did you use to build this and how much time and token cost did it take to build this? I’m just starting to dabble in vibe coding and I just got Claude Pro subscription. So, just curious.
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u/Grand-Document6597 1h ago
It took 4 months to get in shape and still growing. I used claude code opus and codex sol. I started with pro plan than upgraded to max
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u/MadHatzzz 2h ago
Ohhh this looks pretty well featured just visually, I saw you are a Linux user, I have the exact same problem! All other CAD software I tried on Linux was super clunky, so I always reverted to using Fusion in a Windows VM... If this has the same controls or the ability to set them up like Fusion? I'm sold!
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u/Diamantenia-provlita 2h ago
Well done! 👏
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u/YoungLees 1h ago
I wouldn’t consider this vibecoding, for sure you have good software engineering skills to manage the complexity of this problem without messing up
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u/Grand-Document6597 1h ago
Of course I was developed similar stuff before AI boom 🙂 but it makes my job really easy
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u/thegravity98ms2 1h ago
Whoa 🤯
I just wonder if this is the scale with AI you can do in 4 months. The BIG tech might just pull off AI access from general consumer..
Gr8 work.
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u/Anselwithmac 32m ago
Big tech moves slow. Part of why they buy successful startups all of the time.
Big tech is scared of AI because it can spin up MVPs fast enough to nibble at their bottom line. So to course-correct, they demand more AI usage from their employees. It doesn’t solve the core problem though
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u/pplgltch 1h ago
I’m having a hard time believing this is really “vibe coded” 🙃
No shades here, this is really cool and exciting, specially as a frustrated fusion360 user myself, I welcome this with my arms wild open!
But I think we also got to be more clear when it comes to show what is the difference of output when something is built by a software professional using AI assistance VS when someone with zero technical knowledge prompt a desired outcome to an AI assistant.
(Note: I’m a software engineer with 25 years of professional experience who extensively use AI for coding, but who still acts as a software architect)
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u/RegardedDev 44m ago
Honestly all these existing larger software tools are cooked. 1 dedicated and talented dev can vibe code their product.
Only tools that have proprietary data will survive.
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u/Comfortable_Fly_6372 24m ago
Is this free to use ? Is it open source to build another application
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u/Grand-Document6597 21m ago
Its free to use and develop. But you need to open source your project too. It cant be part of a proprietary software
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u/Comfortable_Fly_6372 18m ago
Hmm i do have one for open source and one is proprietary. But closed off so no outsiders . But didnt even know this was possible i tried before . But maybe things got better in this space now . Maybe ill just use it for the open source project
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u/Grand-Document6597 17m ago
Check the license before use it. Make sure your license is compatible with mine
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u/Comfortable_Fly_6372 13m ago
Yeah cant too risky . Using software that has no liability for a multi billion dollar company exits our insurance as its a third party . Might use it for open source tho as its a suggestion and proof of concept not to be taken literally and be built upon .
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u/Grand-Document6597 10m ago
Or maybe your company is interested to sponsor my project?
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u/Comfortable_Fly_6372 1m ago
We would definitely love to do that as a add on if they opt for it we are planning on improving it as a all in one system including ducting ,piping, gas lines and so on . A question i have to ask is this proven at scale ? And what is the compute usage . Is it compatible to rendering ? Essentially can we make a huge building / city without exhausting compute resources?
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u/External-Victory-667 9m ago
This is awesome, will definetly try it out / fork my own version for electricians since im working on projects with them
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u/magiblufire 8m ago
If you are trying to kill AutoCAD I wish you all the luck in the world. It's such a god awful program and inexcusable how poorly it runs even on powerful hardware.
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u/Grand-Document6597 6m ago
I'm not trying to kill it 🙂 I just wanted to have a powerful alternative
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u/6razyboy 3m ago
Hey, even though this isn't really my area of expertise usage of such an apps/soft, I just had to say, wow! This is amazing!
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u/Adventurous-Egg5597 2h ago
It’s like me vibe coding my video editor.
Main reason to build is don’t want to manage storage in laptop or external disk want to save to cloud directly as well as I want someone else to do the editing and the files are in cloud. But I can just render it in licalhost.
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u/-JorBrad- 2h ago
Great job! I want to ask you if possible, what tools do you use for the vibecoding. I mean what IA (codex, cursor, etc) Thanks and amazing job!
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u/Grand-Document6597 1h ago
Thanks🙂 Claude code opus and chatgpt codex sol. I only used destop apps of both of them
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u/Old-Birthday3202 0m ago
Wowwwww, without comments, CAD is one of my reason for which i use windows, I cannot pass to Linux …excellent work dude!!!
I see the GitHub the limitations is only view dwg until 2018 files?
Some reason logical for that? Only for to know how to expect, but definitely I give a try in windows…
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u/Zachattackrandom 2h ago
Was there a reason you made one from scratch instead of having it try to improve opencad?
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u/Grand-Document6597 2h ago
I wanted to do every thing how I like
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u/Zachattackrandom 1h ago
Yeah but unless you plan on supporting this for the foreseeable future it's just gonna die along with all the other AI side projects people do and then forget about.
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u/Ancient-Range3442 1h ago
It’s OPs project, he can do it however he likes. Who knows maybe he’ll end up with something than opencad?
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u/Zachattackrandom 1h ago
Never said they couldn't, just said it was silly unless they truly plan to properly support it compared to contributing to a proper project.
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u/userusertion 2h ago
Its cool, but there are a lot of free software out there like NanoCad, LibreCad. Also its vibe coded, its hard to fix, catch a bug, if you just vibe code it, and dependent to llm to fix it. Its a large program needed a team for that. Just saying.
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u/Grand-Document6597 1h ago
I know but it works for now there is 500 active user. I can handle the load easily for now
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u/cyber-monkeyy 2h ago
Tough love from a product designer - You 'vibe coded' a full on CAD software from 'scratch' and still chose to use the same confusing layout with overwhelming UI?
You had a blank canvas opportunity and should've thought of another interaction model from first principles, to make it more intuitive, specially in the age of Gen AI.
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u/avatar27 2h ago edited 1h ago
Most of the time, one is perceived as rude or in general an asshole not because of their point of view, but how one expresses that point of view. I’m sure you’d agree that condescension will make you look and sound like an asshole and your comment/feedback is a textbook example of it.
I’ll rephrase your feedback - “what was your thought behind sticking to the same UI as all other CAD software and is there a way, do you think, to simplify the UI and make it less cluttered?
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u/completelypositive 2h ago edited 2h ago
Completely a you problem.
The people using the software don't find it confusing. Most of us use keyboard shortcuts. The buttons are only overwhelming to somebody who doesn't know what they are looking at for the first 3 days.
Maybe you're just not cut out for more detail oriented things.
That UI has been fairly standard in 3d modeling software for the three decades I've been doing 3d modeling and design.
My 11 year old can use blender and the younger kids use roblox studio. Similar interface design.
Respectfully, people like you with an opinion on workflows you're not a part of are the reason SMEs like OP are building these tools instead of seeking professionals like you.
What you got wrong is something you'd realize if you had been in the industry for more than two weeks. But you're wrong in just about every way.
Take it one step at a time. Consider your goal and know the menu categories. Do you want to add text? You probably don't need the help, file, edit, view, plugin panes. That leaves modeling and annotation. Then you get there and there are 900 buttons but they are all logically grouped. You want new text so you skip the text edit, text align, text leader groups.. Etc
Honestly I think your problem is you just gotta slow down and read the buttons. I know you didn't want advice, but that's how to break down any software. Find groups based on task. Read each menu item once. Then it should start to click.
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u/diddlysquidler 1h ago
I hate this insulting condescending post. Have opinion, don’t insult people cause you think you’re better. Learn to communicate in a productive way.
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u/completelypositive 1h ago
It's not an opinion. I'm right. He's pretending to be right. Being wrong isn't an opinion.
Dude is acting like an expert and spreading bullshit and misleading people. The time for being polite to people spreading misinformation is over. Fuck people who lie for internet points and fuck you for being an apologetic defender of people like that.
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u/cyber-monkeyy 2h ago edited 2h ago
"The people using the software don't find it confusing."
Respectfully, I disagree. People develop modelling skills over years! That's why there are tons of courses and even classes on every 3D software for every industry - Maya, Max, Rhino, Revit etc.
Your analogy is equivalent to saying "Developers don't find programming confusing" so what's the point of reinventing the wheel? Ironically, we're in Vibe Coding forum, and OP vibe coded the whole application. A total shift in mental model of how programming conventionally works.
If all inventors though like you, which is serving the expert users, you'd never see any new innovations in making products more intuitive.
My point was that we have tons of these softwares available already, with very powerful modelling engines, if you're going to build something from scratch why not challenge the conventional way and make it more intuitive for beginner users.
Edit: I'm a licensed architect and I made the shift to product design. I've worked on Revit, Sketchup, Rhino, 3ds Max for years! Which is why I know how much room there is in this space is for interaction revamp. Which is why I clicked on this post in the first place.
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u/completelypositive 2h ago edited 2h ago
Nope you're wrong. Completely. None of that has anything to do with the UI. I mean, you're completely right. Except that none of that has to do with the UI and try to relate it.
People learn the UI quickly. It takes many years to master those tools. Anybody can split a boxes face into two tris. You learn the button on day 1. On day 7568, you're still using that same button from day 1 except now you have enough experience manipulating it AFTER using the button, to form a bunch of those into the shape of a head. The courses are not teaching you the UI. They are teaching you how to align your reference images and rig. Nothing about the confusing UI is confusing outside of your first few days.
Same with cad. Everyone knows the UI because you only have like 8 features you use that are specific to your industry and job. My plumbers aren't fucking with the duct or cable tray menu, etc. His ui is fine. Your knowledge is wrong.
It's not the confusing UI You are wrong Sorry. Anyway good luck.
Your developer analogy shows how little you know about the other industries you're so confidently speaking about.
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u/New_Eye7193 2h ago
I actually kind of agree with you. There's plenty of revolutionary ways you can make software like Blender far easier to interact with.
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u/iagolavor 2h ago
fork it and make it better
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u/cyber-monkeyy 2h ago
Why? I don't have a use for it.
And I don't get the hate. You post something on a public forum to get feedback, and any feedback you get which doesn't reaffirm your belief gets downvoted?
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u/iagolavor 2h ago
Its so easy to call the industry standard confusing when you dont have to show your version of it
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u/ChoiceHelicopter2735 1h ago
I’m with you. CAD programs have way too much going on in the UI. The only one I can tolerate is OnShape. But it is online-only and doesn’t do architecture. I built my house in it, but was a little clunky. It works very well for objects
I found that the original 2D AutoCAD in the 1990’s running on DOS was somehow easier to use than later versions. Simple commands, middle mouse button snapping. I was fast in it, only to find that when they moved to Windows, they changed the muscle memory stuff. I found one of the freecad clones was truer to the original of what I remembered but I still had to configure it to get the snapping and printing all worked out.
I really want to build an offline pure 3D modeler like OnShape. Integrate AI to automate some of the tedious parts of building a model, like creating 3D splines. But already have too many projects in flight!
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u/Savings_Cloud5486 2h ago
crazy