Linux CAD software with native DWG

AutoCAD has no Linux version, and many alternatives make you go through DXF, Wine or a virtual machine. LinceCAD is a 2D and 3D CAD program that runs natively on Linux x86_64 and opens and saves DWG directly. It is the same program as on Windows, written in Rust, with the same features.

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Linux packages

Ubuntu and Debian: .deb package for amd64. Install it with sudo apt install ./lince_<version>_amd64.deb and remove it with sudo apt remove lince.
Other distributions: .tar.gz archive for x86_64. Extract it and run ./lince from its folder, with nothing to install.
Snap Store: a snap package is in preparation. Installed from the store, the program updates with it.

The .deb package puts the program in /opt/lince, the lince command on the PATH and a launcher with an icon in the applications menu.

Each release publishes a SHA256SUMS.txt file; sha256sum -c SHA256SUMS.txt --ignore-missing checks the downloaded files.

Tested distributions

Distribution	Package
Ubuntu 22.04	`.deb`
Ubuntu 24.04	`.deb`
Debian 12	`.deb`
Fedora 43	`.tar.gz`

You need a graphical desktop (X11 or Wayland). A graphics driver with Vulkan or OpenGL is enough; to move large drawings smoothly, a Vulkan-capable graphics card is recommended. There is no RPM package and no ARM build: on Fedora and other distributions, use the .tar.gz.

DWG without going through DXF

LinceCAD reads and writes DWG on its own, without AutoCAD or any other program. It opens DWG from R14 to 2018 (the format used by AutoCAD 2018 to 2027) and saves to R14, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018. It also opens and saves DXF from R12 to 2018. The open document is the DWG itself, so objects the program does not edit, such as proxies or objects from vertical applications, are kept when saving.

What you can do on Linux

Full 2D drafting and editing, dimensions, text, tables, dynamic blocks, attributes and external references.
Layouts and plotting to vector PDF, SVG and PNG, and printing to system printers through CUPS.
3D solid modeling, a GPU-based 3D viewer and rendering.
AutoLISP, SCRIPT files, the Python API and the MCP server.
PDF to DWG conversion, raster image vectorization and OCR.
WMS, WMTS and WFS mapping, LAS/LAZ point clouds, digital terrain models and contour lines.

An 80 MB DWG with almost 490,000 entities opens in about 4 seconds on a current computer, thanks to GPU redrawing and multi-core processing.

Offices with Windows and Linux

Since it is the same program on both systems, a Linux computer and a Windows computer work with the same DWG files, the same commands and the same AutoLISP routines. The “About” window shows the system and the installed package, which helps when supporting several workstations.

License

The same as on Windows: a perpetual license per user, €200 during the launch offer and €400 afterwards, with a 30-day trial with every feature. It is activated online and tied to the computer; you can move it to another computer by releasing it from the previous one.

More details in the blog guide how to open and edit DWG on Linux, which also reviews the other options.

Frequently asked questions

Which Linux distributions does LinceCAD run on?

On Linux x86_64 with a graphical desktop (X11 or Wayland). It is tested on Ubuntu 22.04 and 24.04 and Debian 12 with the .deb package, and on Fedora 43 with the .tar.gz archive.

Do I need Wine or a virtual machine?

No. LinceCAD is a native Linux program: the same code as the Windows version, built for Linux.

Which package should I download?

On Ubuntu and Debian, the .deb package, installed with apt. On other distributions, the .tar.gz archive, which runs once extracted, with nothing to install.

Does it save DWG or only DXF?

It saves DWG to R14, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018, and DXF to R12, 2000, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2018.

Try LinceCAD on your distribution for 30 days. Download · Pricing · All features