Dune 3D is a parametric 3D CAD application developed by Lukas K. (creator of Horizon EDA) and licensed under GPLv3. According to official documentation at dune3d.org, it combines the Open CASCADE Technology (OCCT) solid B-Rep kernel for exact STEP/STL geometry, fillets, and chamfers with the proven SolveSpace 2D/3D geometric constraint solver and a clean, direct GTK4 hardware-accelerated viewport.
Full Pricing Breakdown
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Key Capabilities
Parametric Sketching & Constraint Solver
Solid B-Rep Operations (Open CASCADE)
Technical Audit
Compatibility & Interoperability
Trust & Support
The Pros
- Combines SolveSpace's fast, intuitive sketch constraint workflow with Open CASCADE's ability to compute true analytical fillets and chamfers.
- Modern, distraction-free GTK4 user interface with context-sensitive spacebar radial menus inherited from Horizon EDA.
- Allows importing external STEP models (such as PCBs from KiCad or Horizon EDA) and constraining sketch geometry directly against their 3D edges.
- Saves native projects in human-readable, Git-friendly JSON format (.d3ddoc) rather than opaque binary containers.
- 100% free and open-source under GPLv3 with zero cloud login, telemetry, or artificial export watermarks.
The Cons
- Focused on single-part and enclosure modeling rather than large multi-thousand-part kinematic assemblies.
- Does not include built-in Finite Element Analysis (FEA) or integrated CAM G-code post-processing workbenches.
- 2D production engineering drawing generation with GD&T title blocks is minimal compared to FreeCAD TechDraw.
- Smaller third-party plugin ecosystem than long-standing suites like FreeCAD or Blender.
- macOS builds require manual compilation or Homebrew community taps compared to official Windows/Linux Flatpak binaries.
CADGuide Verdict
Final Professional Conclusion
"Dune 3D bridges the gap between SolveSpace's rapid sketch-solving ergonomics and Open CASCADE's true B-Rep fillets and STEP interoperability, making it one of the most refreshing open-source 3D CAD tools for makers and hardware engineers."
Official & Product FAQ
Sourced from official vendor documentation, licensing terms, and product specifications
?What is Dune 3D used for?
According to official documentation at dune3d.org, Dune 3D is an open-source parametric 3D CAD software designed for sketching in 2D and 3D along workplanes to create mechanical parts, 3D-printed functional components, and electronic enclosures. See the Official Dune 3D Website.
?How does Dune 3D differ from SolveSpace and FreeCAD?
SolveSpace uses a custom nursery B-Rep/mesh kernel that lacks native edge fillets and chamfers, whereas Dune 3D pairs the SolveSpace constraint solver with the Open CASCADE (OCCT) solid kernel so users get SolveSpace-style sketching with true STEP fillets and chamfers. Read the Dune 3D Documentation.
?How much does Dune 3D cost?
Dune 3D is 100% free and open-source software distributed under the GNU General Public License v3.0 (GPLv3). There are no paid tiers or subscriptions. Check the Official GitHub Repository.
?What operating systems does Dune 3D support?
Dune 3D runs natively on Linux (distributed via Flathub and native packages) and 64-bit Windows, and can also be compiled on macOS.
?Which file formats does Dune 3D support?
Dune 3D saves native parametric documents as .d3ddoc (JSON), imports STEP models for 3D reference snapping, and exports watertight STL, 3MF, STEP, and 2D DXF/SVG projections.
?Who develops Dune 3D?
Dune 3D is created and maintained by Lukas K., the developer behind the open-source Horizon EDA electronics design suite.
