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FreeCAD Development Splits: Praised UI Gains Clash With Fundamental Usability Failures

Software & AppsApr 19, 2026score 0.646 posts · 0 replies across 6 instances
File incompatibility plagues FreeCAD development branches; @[email protected] noted that projects started on the 'link branch' fail to load with the 'main branch'. A sharp divide exists over the software's usability. Some, like @[email protected], praise the 'new UI improvements' and overall progress. Conversely, @[email protected] finds the basic user experience unacceptable, citing struggles with simple tasks like drawing a centered square. @[email protected] criticizes that new features often default to the opposite of old functionality. @[email protected] finds specific tools like 'Make Internal Faces' create awkward, purely additive workflows. The community acknowledges technical leaps in development but struggles with coherence. The primary failure points are broken development branch coordination and core usability deficits that frustrate advanced users despite surface-level UI gains.

Key points

OPPOSE
Basic task execution remains unusable.
@[email protected] explicitly stated the difficulty in centering a square makes the software unusable.
OPPOSE
New features break established workflows.
@[email protected] argued new functions frequently default to an opposite action compared to previous methods.
OPPOSE
Development branches lack file compatibility.
@[email protected] warned that projects on the 'link branch' are incompatible with the 'main branch'.
SUPPORT
UI improvements are receiving praise.
@[email protected] specifically mentioned the significant positive impact of the 'new UI improvements'.
MIXED
Adding features creates workflow limitations.
@[email protected] praised a feature but noted it causes 'awkward workflows' when used purely additively.

Source posts

@[email protected]
@cccpresser super cool. as much as I like a #FreeCAD detour, sometimes I just need something *now*
0 boosts · 0 favs · 0 replies · Apr 10, 2026
#freecad
@[email protected]
Introducing a new functionality that replaces the old functionality, and defaulting that new functionality to the opposite of the what the old functionality did … Yes, #FreeCAD I’m looking at you. 🙃 #WireNotClosed
0 boosts · 0 favs · 0 replies · Apr 8, 2026
#wirenotclosed#freecad
@[email protected]
The new 'Make Internal Faces' in #FreeCAD is great, but it feels oddly limited. Here are some examples. This makes for awkward work flows where adding to the master sketch in purely additive ways causes faces to dissappear. I guess I should just ignore this feature and keep using SSB like before.
0 boosts · 0 favs · 1 replies · Apr 6, 2026
#freecad
@[email protected]
I really want to use #FreeCad, but when you can't even get it draw a fucking square centered at the origin... It's just not fucking worth dealing with famous FOSS UX.
0 boosts · 0 favs · 1 replies · Mar 27, 2026
#freecad
@[email protected]
#FreeCAD has really come a LONG way. This was relatively straightforward. The new UI improvements are certainly making a big difference!
2 boosts · 0 favs · 2 replies · Apr 18, 2026
#freecad
@[email protected]
@claudius Sadly I started a few projects on #freecad link branch which seems to have been abandoned. The files are not compatible with the main branch. But in General freecad development has done leaps in the last few years. Now if only the maintainers of some specialty workbenches could catch up...
0 boosts · 0 favs · 0 replies · Apr 18, 2026
#freecad