qewer33

qewer33 / ratscad

Public

CAD for the terminal

79
2
85% credibility
Found May 19, 2026 at 93 stars -- GitGems finds repos before they trend. Get early access to the next one.
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AI Analysis
Rust
AI Summary

ratscad is a terminal-based CAD editor that lets you write OpenSCAD code while seeing a live 3D preview of your design right next to it. It features a tabbed code editor with syntax highlighting, automatic rebuilding when you type, mouse and keyboard controls for rotating and zooming your 3D view, and a small axis indicator showing which way is up. The app runs inside a special terminal called Ratty, which supports inline 3D graphics. It's designed for developers and makers who prefer working in the terminal and want instant visual feedback while designing 3D models.

How It Works

1
🔍 You discover ratscad

You hear about a CAD tool that runs entirely in your terminal with a live 3D preview right next to your code.

2
📦 You install the tools

You download ratscad and make sure OpenSCAD is on your computer - OpenSCAD does the heavy lifting of turning your code into 3D shapes.

3
🚀 You launch the app

You open ratscad in a special terminal called Ratty, and a split-screen appears with a code editor on one side and an empty 3D preview on the other.

4
✏️ You write your design

You type CAD code in the editor - as you type, the 3D preview updates automatically in real-time so you see your changes instantly.

5
🔄 You rotate and zoom your creation

You click and drag inside the 3D preview to spin your design around, or scroll to zoom in and out for a closer look.

6
You work with multiple files
📂
Open existing files

You open a file picker to load a design you worked on before.

🆕
Start something new

You create a fresh empty tab to begin a brand new design.

🎉 Your design comes to life

You've created a 3D model with instant visual feedback - no switching between apps, just code on the left and your shape on the right.

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Star Growth

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AI-Generated Review

What is ratscad?

ratscad is a terminal-based IDE for OpenSCAD that renders live 3D previews directly in your terminal window. Built in Rust using Ratatui, it leverages the Ratty Graphics Protocol to display hardware-accelerated meshes inline, letting you write parametric CAD code and see your model update in real-time without launching a heavyweight GUI. The interface gives you a tabbed code editor with syntax highlighting, a split-pane preview, and keyboard-driven navigation.

Why is it gaining traction?

The hook is obvious: 3D CAD in a terminal. If you spend your day in the command line, this removes the context switch to a full desktop application. The live preview updates as you type (with smart debouncing), and the mouse-driven camera makes rotating and zooming feel natural. The per-document build cache means tab switching is instant. It's a niche tool, but it solves a real pain point for developers who want to stay in their terminal environment.

Who should use this?

OpenSCAD power users who prefer CLI workflows. Hardware hackers iterating on parametric enclosures, makers building custom mounting brackets, or developers integrating CAD into scripted pipelines. If you need full constraint-based modeling or professional rendering, look elsewhere. But if you want to edit SCAD files without leaving your terminal, this is the only game in town.

Verdict

With a credibility score of 0.85% and only 79 stars, ratscad is early-stage and experimental. The Ratty dependency limits compatibility to a specific terminal emulator, and documentation is sparse. That said, the core functionality works, and the architecture is solid. Worth installing if you're a terminal-native OpenSCAD user, but don't bet production workflows on it yet. Watch the project for future maturity.

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