Onshape
Browser-based parametric 3D mechanical CAD and product design platform.
Liked for quick, intuitive modeling that lets newcomers start working right away12, for running in the browser, including on Linux,34 and for documents that can be scripted with FeatureScript.56 The main complaint is trouble with designs that have very many polygons7, and one engineer returning to CAD found it humbling to learn.8
Why people recommend it
Ease of use · 3
Commenters say common operations take a couple of clicks and they could start working immediately.
“in things like OnShape I can do it with two clicks”
“I tried OnShape and just started working.”
Show 1 more
“Get a CAD program like Onshape (I love Onshape).”
Browser-based · 3
It runs in the browser, which lets a Linux user do simple CAD without booting a Windows VM.
“Onshape is web based, but is actually programmable behind the scenes (and all documents are scripts under the hood).”
“Even for CAD, if it is simple enough, I'll do it in Onshape rather than booting up my Windows VM.”
Show 1 more
“Even empty it feels more laggy then onshape on same device / browser.”
Scriptable · 3
Documents are scripts under the hood, and users write custom FeatureScript features and plugins.
“Onshape is web based, but is actually programmable behind the scenes (and all documents are scripts under the hood).”
“custom FeatureScript in Onshape (3D mechanical CAD software)”
Show 1 more
“I didn't know OnShape had such a feature. Will check it out!”
Caveats and dissent
High polygon counts · 1
One user struggled to build a detailed map model because it had too many polygons.
“I struggled a lot with OnShape and Fusion360 trying to do this because there were too many polygons.”
Learning curve · 1
A software engineer getting back into robotics said he was humbled by tools like Onshape.
Often compared with
Who recommends it in their own words
Threads where it came up
- Show HN: Nasscad – local-first 3D CAD for browser and Windows 1 mention
- OpenSCAD the Programmers Solid 3D CAD Modeller 1 mention
- Show HN: I'm a 15 Year Old Wannabe Engineer, This Is a Cycloidal Gearbox I Built 1 mention
- After three months on Linux, I don't miss Windows at all 1 mention
- CAD in Codex 1 mention
- Build123d: A Python CAD programming library 1 mention
Data: onshape.json. Quotes are verbatim; the verdict and theme labels are written by a model from these comments, and every clause links to its sources.
All comments 11
“Even empty it feels more laggy then onshape on same device / browser.”
“in things like OnShape I can do it with two clicks”
“I tried OnShape and just started working.”
“Even for CAD, if it is simple enough, I'll do it in Onshape rather than booting up my Windows VM.”
“I’ve been humbled by new tools like Onshape.”
“I didn't know OnShape had such a feature. Will check it out!”
“custom FeatureScript in Onshape (3D mechanical CAD software)”
“Get a CAD program like Onshape (I love Onshape).”
“I struggled a lot with OnShape and Fusion360 trying to do this because there were too many polygons.”
“time I grow up and use something like Fusion360 seems like or onshape”
“Onshape is web based, but is actually programmable behind the scenes (and all documents are scripts under the hood).”