I'm looking for an alternative to SketchUp for my Fedora system, as it's not available in the official repositories. I need a 3D modeling software that's easy to use and has a user-friendly interface.
Can anyone recommend a good alternative to SketchUp that works well on Fedora?
Thanks in advance for your suggestions!
For a SketchUp-like experience on Fedora, I highly recommend LibreCAD and FreeCAD. LibreCAD is more focused on 2D design, but it's a great stepping stone into 3D modeling. FreeCAD, on the other hand, is fantastic for 3D modeling and has a SketchUp vibe in terms of usability and interface. It's perfect for beginners and advanced users alike. Plus, it's open-source and available in Fedora's repositories, making it easy to install and update. I've used both for various projects, and they've been incredibly reliable and user-friendly.
Installing FreeCAD:
-
Open your terminal: You can do this by searching for "Terminal" in your Fedora applications menu or by pressing
Ctrl
+Alt
+T
. -
Update your package repositories (optional but recommended to ensure you get the latest version):
sudo dnf update
-
Install FreeCAD: Run the following command to install FreeCAD:
sudo dnf install freecad
Installing LibreCAD:
-
If your terminal is not already open, open it using the method described above.
-
Update your package repositories (if you haven't already done so):
sudo dnf update
-
Install LibreCAD: Run the following command to install LibreCAD:
sudo dnf install librecad
Verifying the Installation:
- After installing, you can verify that FreeCAD and LibreCAD are correctly installed by launching them from your Fedora applications menu or by executing
freecad
andlibrecad
in the terminal, respectively.
@sravan Thanks for your recommendation. I think I like FreeCAD!
Have you tried Blender? It's incredibly versatile and supports a wide range of 3D modeling tasks, from simple models to complex animations. It's a bit of a learning curve compared to SketchUp, but there's a wealth of tutorials online. It runs smoothly on Fedora, and you can install it directly from the Fedora repositories.
@abhijeet I heard a lot about it but haven't tried it yet. As you said, it has quite a bit of a learning curve. I'm kind of inclined toward FreeCAD because it looks a lot more closer to SketchUp than Blender.
You might want to check out BRL-CAD. It's another open-source option that's been around for a while. It's not as user-friendly as SketchUp at first glance, but it's very powerful once you get the hang of it. It's also compatible with Fedora, and you can find it in the official repositories. Great for more technical projects that require precision.
Tinkercad might be a good online alternative. It's not software you install on Fedora, but it runs in a browser and is incredibly user-friendly. It's designed for beginners, so it might lack some of the advanced features of SketchUp, but it's perfect for quick and simple projects.
If you're looking for something that feels a bit more like traditional drafting but with 3D capabilities, give QCAD a try. It's more focused on 2D, but it has some 3D features. It's another program that's available through Fedora's repositories, making it easy to install and keep updated.
Don't overlook Wings 3D. It's a bit more niche and focused on subdivision modeling, which is great for certain types of 3D projects, especially if you're into game design or need to create organic shapes. It's not directly available in Fedora's repositories, but you can download it from their website, and it runs well on Fedora.
if you're into architectural design, Sweet Home 3D might be worth a look. It's easier for creating room layouts and less complex structures, very user-friendly, and also available for Fedora. While not a direct competitor to SketchUp in terms of feature set, it's a great tool for quick architectural sketches and basic 3D modeling.
Thank you all for the recommendations! I decided to go with Sravan's suggestion and installed both FreeCAD and LibreCAD. The installation instructions were clear and easy to follow, and both applications are running smoothly on my Fedora system. I'm excited to dive into my projects with these tools. Thanks again for the helpful advice!