Feature chart
Everything formbar does.
Everything here is in the app today. No marketing fog: if it is on this page, you can use it.
● Ready · 59
Sketching
A fully parametric 2D sketcher. Draw roughly, then make it exact.
| Feature | What it means | Keys | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Line, rectangle, circle, arcThe basics, with typed lengths and sizes while you draw. | The basics, with typed lengths and sizes while you draw. | LRCA | Ready |
| Splines, polygons, slotsSmooth curves through points, regular polygons with a typed side count. | Smooth curves through points, regular polygons with a typed side count. | SN | Ready |
| ConstraintsCoincident, horizontal, vertical, parallel, perpendicular, tangent, equal, concentric, symmetric, midpoint, fixed, point-on-curve. | Coincident, horizontal, vertical, parallel, perpendicular, tangent, equal, concentric, symmetric, midpoint, fixed, point-on-curve. | · | Ready |
| DimensionsLength, distance, angle, radius and diameter, typed right on the geometry. | Length, distance, angle, radius and diameter, typed right on the geometry. | D | Ready |
| Auto-constraintsSnaps infer horizontal, vertical and coincident as you draw. | Snaps infer horizontal, vertical and coincident as you draw. | · | Ready |
| Fully-constrained coloursSee at a glance when a sketch is locked (0 DOF) and what is still free. | See at a glance when a sketch is locked (0 DOF) and what is still free. | · | Ready |
| Drag with the solver followingGrab any point and the constraints hold while you move it. | Grab any point and the constraints hold while you move it. | · | Ready |
| Trim, extend, splitClean up overlapping curves with a click. | Clean up overlapping curves with a click. | TK | Ready |
| Offset and mirrorParametric offsets and mirrors about a construction line. | Parametric offsets and mirrors about a construction line. | OI | Ready |
| Sketch fillet and chamferRound or bevel a sketch corner. Stays editable. | Round or bevel a sketch corner. Stays editable. | FH | Ready |
| Snapping, grid, typed coordinatesType 10,5 or @10,0 or 25<30 straight into the value field. | Type 10,5 or @10,0 or 25<30 straight into the value field. | G | Ready |
| Construction geometryHelper lines that guide but never become solid. | Helper lines that guide but never become solid. | X | Ready |
| Sketch on any planar faceSelect a face, press S and draw on it. | Select a face, press S and draw on it. | S | Ready |
| Project body edgesBring existing edges into the sketch to build from. | Bring existing edges into the sketch to build from. | P | Ready |
Solids
Turn sketches into real, printable bodies.
| Feature | What it means | Keys | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| ExtrudeNew body, add, cut or intersect. Pick the mode mid-drag. | New body, add, cut or intersect. Pick the mode mid-drag. | E | Ready |
| RevolveSpin a profile into a turned part. formbar finds the centre line. | Spin a profile into a turned part. formbar finds the centre line. | · | Ready |
| PrimitivesBox, cylinder, sphere, cone and torus. Drop, drag, done. | Box, cylinder, sphere, cone and torus. Drop, drag, done. | ⇧B⇧C⇧S | Ready |
| HolesSimple, counterbore, countersink or tapped, ISO M2–M20 or any diameter, through or blind. Typed positions. | Simple, counterbore, countersink or tapped, ISO M2–M20 or any diameter, through or blind. Typed positions. | ⇧H | Ready |
| ThreadsReal, printable ISO metric threads in holes and on shafts. Coarse or fine, left-hand too. | Real, printable ISO metric threads in holes and on shafts. Coarse or fine, left-hand too. | T | Ready |
| BooleansUnion, subtract and intersect between bodies. | Union, subtract and intersect between bodies. | · | Ready |
| Multiple bodiesName, hide, colour and combine bodies from the Items card. | Name, hide, colour and combine bodies from the Items card. | · | Ready |
| PatternsCircular or linear patterns of features or whole bodies. Count can be a parameter. | Circular or linear patterns of features or whole bodies. Count can be a parameter. | ⇧P | Ready |
| ShellHollow a body to a wall thickness, rounded edges included. Click the faces to leave open, drag or type the wall. | Hollow a body to a wall thickness, rounded edges included. Click the faces to leave open, drag or type the wall. | H | Ready |
| Loft and sweepBlend through profiles in the order you click them, holes included, or run a profile along a path. A ring makes a tube. | Blend through profiles in the order you click them, holes included, or run a profile along a path. A ring makes a tube. | · | Ready |
| Mirror bodiesMirror a whole body across XY, YZ, XZ or any flat face, as a copy or joined to it. | Mirror a whole body across XY, YZ, XZ or any flat face, as a copy or joined to it. | ⇧M | Ready |
Direct feel
The gesture is the tool. No dialogs on the common path.
| Feature | What it means | Keys | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Push/pull facesDrag a face to grow or cut the body. | Drag a face to grow or cut the body. | P | Ready |
| Edge pullPull an edge outward for a fillet, inward for a chamfer. | Pull an edge outward for a fillet, inward for a chamfer. | B | Ready |
| Move and rotate gizmoDrag arrows and rings, or type a distance along X, Y or Z. | Drag arrows and rings, or type a distance along X, Y or Z. | M | Ready |
| Inline valuesEvery drag accepts a typed number. Tab between values. | Every drag accepts a typed number. Tab between values. | · | Ready |
| Live previewYou see the result while you drag, before you commit. | You see the result while you drag, before you commit. | · | Ready |
| Contextual mini-toolbarSelect a face or edge and the right tools appear next to it. | Select a face or edge and the right tools appear next to it. | · | Ready |
History and parameters
Change your mind. The model follows.
| Feature | What it means | Keys | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Editable historyDouble-click any step to reopen it with its values. | Double-click any step to reopen it with its values. | · | Ready |
| Suppress, delete, reorderSwitch steps off, remove them, or drag them into a new order. | Switch steps off, remove them, or drag them into a new order. | · | Ready |
| Stable referencesHoles stay where they belong when you change an earlier size. | Holes stay where they belong when you change an earlier size. | · | Ready |
| Named parameters and formulaswidth = 2*t, sin(30), 1in. Change one number, everything updates. | width = 2*t, sin(30), 1in. Change one number, everything updates. | · | Ready |
| Clear failure feedbackA step that cannot work turns red, the last good part stays visible. | A step that cannot work turns red, the last good part stays visible. | · | Ready |
| Undo that always worksEvery edit, every time. | Every edit, every time. | Ctrl+Z | Ready |
| Autosave and crash recoveryformbar offers your work back after a crash. | formbar offers your work back after a crash. | · | Ready |
Files and printing
Get parts out into the real world.
| Feature | What it means | Keys | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Native .formbar filesPlain JSON. Git-friendly, diffable, readable. | Plain JSON. Git-friendly, diffable, readable. | · | Ready |
| STL and 3MF exportPrint-quality meshes, checked as they are written. | Print-quality meshes, checked as they are written. | · | Ready |
| STEP import and exportSwap parts with every other serious CAD tool. | Swap parts with every other serious CAD tool. | · | Ready |
| DXF and SVGImport vectors into a sketch, export sketches for laser and CNC. | Import vectors into a sketch, export sketches for laser and CNC. | · | Ready |
| Measure toolDistances, angles, areas, volume, mass and centre of mass. Click a value to copy it. | Distances, angles, areas, volume, mass and centre of mass. Click a value to copy it. | I | Ready |
| Section viewSlice the model along X, Y, Z or any flat face to see inside. Cut faces show as solid material. | Slice the model along X, Y, Z or any flat face to see inside. Cut faces show as solid material. | · | Ready |
| 2D drawingsFront, top, right and isometric views with hidden lines, centre lines, hole positions and sizes, to PDF and DXF. | Front, top, right and isometric views with hidden lines, centre lines, hole positions and sizes, to PDF and DXF. | · | Ready |
| STL as reference meshModel around a scanned or downloaded STL or OBJ. Shown see-through, never exported. | Model around a scanned or downloaded STL or OBJ. Shown see-through, never exported. | · | Ready |
AI agents
Hand over the boring parts to any MCP-capable agent.
| Feature | What it means | Keys | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Built-in MCP serverAny AI agent that speaks MCP can drive formbar's real parametric model. | Any AI agent that speaks MCP can drive formbar's real parametric model. | · | Ready |
| Editable resultsAgents produce .formbar files with full history, not dead meshes. | Agents produce .formbar files with full history, not dead meshes. | · | Ready |
| Print-readiness checkWatertight, manifold, wall thickness, fits the bed, rests flat. | Watertight, manifold, wall thickness, fits the bed, rests flat. | · | Ready |
| Renders for the agentAgents can look at what they built with formbar's own renderer. | Agents can look at what they built with formbar's own renderer. | · | Ready |
| Atomic editsA step that breaks the model is rolled back with the reason. | A step that breaks the model is rolled back with the reason. | · | Ready |
The app
Quiet, quick and the same everywhere.
| Feature | What it means | Keys | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| macOS, Windows and LinuxOne app, three platforms, same files. | One app, three platforms, same files. | · | Ready |
| Command palettePress Space or Ctrl+K and type a few letters of anything. | Press Space or Ctrl+K and type a few letters of anything. | Space | Ready |
| Single-letter shortcutsS sketch, E extrude, P push/pull, B edge. Never while typing. | S sketch, E extrude, P push/pull, B edge. Never while typing. | · | Ready |
| Light and dark themesFollows your system, or pick one. | Follows your system, or pick one. | · | Ready |
| View cube and view railClick a face of the cube to look straight at it. | Click a face of the cube to look straight at it. | · | Ready |
| Own OpenGL rendererCrisp edges, smooth orbit, sharp on HiDPI screens. | Crisp edges, smooth orbit, sharp on HiDPI screens. | · | Ready |
| Local-first, works offlineNo account, no cloud, no permanent internet connection. | No account, no cloud, no permanent internet connection. | · | Ready |
| A licence you ownPay once, use it on up to 3 computers, keep your version. 12 months of updates included. | Pay once, use it on up to 3 computers, keep your version. 12 months of updates included. | · | Ready |
Not planned, on purpose
Saying no keeps formbar simple. These belong in other, bigger tools.
- Surfacing and NURBS editing
- Sheet metal
- Assemblies with mates and motion
- Simulation, CAM and rendering
- Cloud accounts. Your files stay on your disk.