Overview
Adobe Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and Microsoft Excel are professional creative software packages that are expensive and come with high monthly subscriptions.
ArtCraft, an ambitious project, is developing a collection of free, open-source applications designed to replicate some of these popular creative programs.
What Is ArtCraft?
ArtCraft’s Crafting Apps project is building software to replicate the workflows of Adobe, Microsoft, Autodesk, and other creative applications. But they are writing the applications from scratch in Rust, a programming language known for performance and memory safety.
ArtCraft reportedly uses Claude Opus 5.5 by Anthropic as an AI coding assistant to help develop its applications. The AI can help generate code, build features, and debug problems.
This is not just AI or a single developer. For example, the Photocraft project currently has 333 contributors and, in three weeks, has already had 13 releases. The combination of a growing team and AI assistance has made the development EXTREMELY fast.
Current Projects
The project currently includes thirteen applications. Here is a quick look at the lineup:
- PhotoCraft — A photo and image editor designed to compete with Adobe Photoshop
- VectorCraft — A vector graphics application aimed at Adobe Illustrator users
- FilmCraft — A video editor intended to provide an alternative to Adobe Premiere Pro
- LightCraft — A photo management and RAW development tool comparable to Adobe Lightroom
- EffectCraft — A motion graphics and visual effects application targeting Adobe After Effects
- DesignCraft — A page layout and publishing tool intended to compete with Adobe InDesign
- PdfCraft — A PDF application designed for tasks associated with Adobe Acrobat
- WordCraft—Create and edit documents, including Word-compatible .docx files, A Microsoft Word alternative
- GridCraft—Work with spreadsheets, formulas, tables, and charts. A Microsoft Excel alternative
- DeckCraft—Create presentations, slides, and animations. A Microsoft PowerPoint alternative
- FigCraft — an alternative to Figma, a UI/UX design tool owned by Figma, Inc
- CADCraft — an alternative to AutoCAD for computer-aided design made by Autodesk
- SoundCraft — an alternative to Pro Tools for audio production made by Avid
The idea is to provide familiar free alternative tools to Adobe’s, Microsoft’s, and other products.
Why?
The cost! Subscription-based software costs can add up quickly.
ArtCraft applications are published as open-source projects using permissive licensing, including MIT and Apache 2.0. All of ArtCraft’s Crafting Apps are free to download and use, with no required subscription, according to the project’s official website.
That could make ArtCraft attractive to anyone who prefers having more control over the software they use.
Note: ArtCraft also has a hosted AI service for images and videos; paid plans are available, but a subscription is not mandatory.
Compatibility And Performance
ArtCraft is writing these programs to provide interfaces that are very similar to the original. The project is still in its early stages. So every feature made in the commercial program may not yet be included in the craft program. Anyone considering a switch should test the applications with copies of their actual working files before relying on them for important projects.
Still, the project is very new and moving extremely fast.
Windows, Apple, Linux!
The ArtCraft applications are being developed for Windows, macOS, and Linux, with browser-based versions also available for many of the programs. Windows users can choose standard MSI installers or portable packages. Mac users can download DMG packages, while Linux users have options such as AppImage, DEB, RPM, Flatpak, and compressed archives, depending on the application.
The applications are free and open source, and the official downloads are available through the ArtCraft website.
This Is Big For Linux
One of the biggest obstacles preventing switching to Linux has been the lack of support for popular professional software. Adobe does not offer native Linux versions of its flagship Creative Cloud applications, including Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, and After Effects. For those who depend on these tools, moving to Linux can mean giving up familiar software, or staying with Windows or macOS. By bringing these creative tools directly to Linux, ArtCraft could remove a significant reason not to switch to Linux.
Bottom Line
The ArtCraft Crafting Apps project has been publicly underway since September 30, 2026, so it has been going for less than a month. ArtCraft is an ambitious attempt to make professional-style creative software more accessible using AI. Its open-source approach and recreating familiar workflows make it worth watching.
Let me know your thoughts on the ArtCraft project in the comments.
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