KetchUp: Open-Source 3D Modeling App for Woodworkers Offered as a SketchUp Alternative

KetchUp is a new free, open-source 3D modeling application designed for woodworking and furniture design projects. It can be used on Windows, macOS and Linux computers or directly in a desktop browser. Its creators present it as an alternative to the SketchUp 3D modeling program, and the app is written in the Rust programming language. It lets users plan a shelf, table, cabinet or workbench with exact measurements before building begins.

Main features

Users can sketch lines, rectangles, circles and freehand outlines. The Push/Pull tool turns flat faces into solid forms, and there are also tools for moving, scaling, offsetting and painting. Exact lengths can be typed in, while snapping to geometry and axes helps with drawing. Larger projects can be organized with groups, components and tags.

In the woodworking scenario, board outlines are drawn with rectangles and lines, then given thickness with Push/Pull. Dimensions and fit can be checked with the Tape Measure and Dimensions tools, and the model can be viewed from different angles.

Working with files

The model is autosaved locally in the browser on the device being used. To keep the work, users can download a portable .ketchup project file. Clearing browser data can remove autosaved work. There is no cloud storage and no account to set up.

The app can import SketchUp (.skp) geometry and export Wavefront OBJ (.obj) files. Imports run locally. SketchUp textures, scenes and some model features are not supported, and OBJ export includes geometry without materials.

Requirements

The browser version requires a desktop browser with hardware acceleration and WebGPU or WebGL2 support. A mouse and keyboard are intended for modeling. The source code is available on GitHub under the MIT license.