GitHub - ierror/synaps-cad: The AI-powered 3D CAD IDE — edit code, visualize in 3D, and reshape your designs with natural language.

SynapsCAD

The AI-powered 3D CAD IDE — edit code, visualize in 3D, and reshape your designs with natural language.

Vibe Code your 3D models!

⚠️ Early Prototype — Not all OpenSCAD code will compile correctly yet. Start with simple models and expect rough edges. Bug reports with code snippets that cause issues are very welcome!

See SynapsCAD in Action

▶ See it in action

Overview

A desktop 3D CAD application that combines an OpenSCAD code editor, a real-time 3D viewport, and an AI assistant. Write OpenSCAD code, compile it to 3D models, visualize them interactively, and use AI to modify your designs through natural language — including context from 3D click interactions.

Download

Pre-built binaries for Linux, macOS (Apple Silicon & Intel), and Windows are available on the Releases page.

macOS users: Since SynapsCAD is not signed with an Apple Developer certificate, macOS will block the app on first launch. To fix this, run:

sudo xattr -rd com.apple.quarantine /path/to/SynapsCAD.app

We don't pay for an Apple Developer account at this point — if you prefer, you can always build from source instead.

Building from Source

Prerequisites

• Rust (stable toolchain)
• An AI provider API key (e.g. ANTHROPIC_API_KEY) for the chat assistant

Quick Start

AI Provider Setup

SynapsCAD uses the genai crate to connect to AI providers — including local models via Ollama for fully offline, private usage (no API key needed). Set the API key for your chosen cloud provider as an environment variable:

export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="sk-..."
cargo run

When an env var is set, the UI shows it as active. You can also enter or override the key in ⚙ AI Settings within the app.

This opens a window with a 3D viewport on the right and a side panel on the left containing the code editor and AI chat.

Basic Workflow

1. Write or edit OpenSCAD code in the editor panel
2. Click Compile — SynapsCAD parses and evaluates the code using scad-rs and renders CSG geometry via csgrs
3. Ask the AI assistant to modify your model — it sees your current code and part labels, and can update the code automatically

Architecture Overview

SynapsCAD is a single-binary Rust application built on three main pillars:

Runtime Stack

Key Design Decisions

• Bevy owns the main thread. The Bevy app loop drives rendering and ECS systems. A separate Tokio runtime is stored as a Bevy Resource and used only for spawning async AI tasks.

• std::sync::mpsc bridges async to sync. Background tasks (compilation, AI streaming) send results through channels. Bevy systems poll with non-blocking try_recv() each frame, keeping the viewport responsive.

• Pure-Rust compilation pipeline. OpenSCAD code is parsed by scad-syntax, evaluated by a built-in AST walker, and rendered to triangle meshes via csgrs — no external tools or WASM required.

• Built-in mesh picking. Bevy 0.15's MeshPickingPlugin provides ray-cast picking via the observer pattern — no external picking crate needed.

System Pipeline

ui_layout_system          — render egui side panel (editor + chat)
    ↓
trigger_compilation_system — if code is dirty, spawn compilation in a thread
    ↓
poll_compilation_system    — check if compilation finished, load mesh
    ↓
ai_send_system             — if chat submitted, spawn AI request on tokio
    ↓
ai_receive_system          — poll AI response, update chat + code
    ↓
adjust_camera_viewport     — resize 3D viewport to account for side panel
    ↓
orbit_camera_system        — process mouse/keyboard input for 3D navigation
    ↓
zoom_to_fit_system         — auto-frame model after compilation

Keyboard Shortcuts

3D Viewport Navigation

SynapsCAD uses Blender-style camera controls:

Development

Running

cargo run          # launch the app
cargo clippy       # lint

Tests

cargo test                         # run all tests
cargo test test_text_              # run tests matching a pattern
cargo test -- --nocapture          # show println/eprintln output

Contact

@boerni@chaos.social

License

GPL v3