{"data":{"slug":"text-to-cad","name":"text-to-cad","tagline":"MIT agent CAD plugin — STEP/STL/3MF, DFM checks, drawings via local MCP","category":"agents","categoryName":"AI Agents","url":"https://www.texttocad.dev","github":"https://github.com/earthtojake/text-to-cad","pricing":"open-source","hook":"text-to-cad gives a coding agent a real CAD seat: describe a part, get STEP/GLB/STL/3MF out of a local build123d/Open CASCADE pipeline, then run manufacturability checks and engineering drawings before you ever open a CAD app.","whatsGood":"MIT (earthtojake/text-to-cad). Free path end to end: `claude plugin marketplace add earthtojake/text-to-cad` + `claude plugin install text-to-cad@earthtojake` (Codex, Cursor, Gemini, Grok Build plugins too), or `npx skills add earthtojake/text-to-cad` for skills-only agents. CAD runs through uv and the PyPI `cadgen` package (v0.7.14); the plugin starts a local MCP server (`cadgen mcp`) with an in-chat/browser CAD viewer. Skills cover CAD, off-the-shelf STEP parts, DXF, engineering drawings, URDF/SRDF/SDF robot files, DfAM/DFM checks, and G-code via OrcaSlicer. Useful when an agent has to hand you a printable or machinable file, not a screenshot of one. ★~16,955.","theCatch":"Runtime: needs uv and a network on first start (downloads the cadgen runtime); pin the cadgen version in your MCP config or updates land silently. Fabrication connectors (SendCutSend checks, Bambu Lab send) are optional skills — the core CAD/MCP path has no account wall, but anything you actually order is your spend. Stars grow fast (~184 a week) but look organic. Fills an empty CAD/fabrication seat — vs awwwards-mcp/open-design, which are visual/design, not solid geometry. Generated geometry still needs a human tolerance pass before you cut metal. For the raw Python CAD library under the hood, see build123d — this gem is the agent plugin/MCP seat on top of it.","verdict":"MIT local CAD MCP when an agent must ship STEP/STL with DFM checks — free through uv/cadgen; fab connectors are optional, your orders are not free.","addedAt":"2026-10-05","featured":false,"domain":"AI Agents","subSpecialty":"CAD","subcategory":"CAD","tags":["mcp","self-host","permissive","coding-agents","active","young-repo","fast-stars"],"capabilities":["cad","mcp","fabrication"],"surfaces":["MCP","Self-host"],"ecosystem":["Python","Multi-platform"],"licenseModel":"OSS/MIT","githubStars":21506,"starsPerWeek":834,"access":"free","archived":false,"repo":{"createdAt":"2026-04-22","pushedAt":"2026-10-19","license":"MIT","archived":false,"checkedAt":"2026-10-19"}},"related":[{"slug":"claude-code","name":"Claude Code","tagline":"Terminal-first coding agent with deep repository context"},{"slug":"cursor","name":"Cursor","tagline":"The AI-first code editor that understands your codebase"},{"slug":"devin","name":"Devin","tagline":"Autonomous AI engineer for defined engineering tasks"},{"slug":"stagehand","name":"Stagehand","tagline":"AI-native browser automation that mixes code and natural language"},{"slug":"browser-use","name":"Browser Use","tagline":"Open-source framework for LLM-driven browser agents"}],"links":{"self":"/api/gems/text-to-cad","html":"/gems/text-to-cad","markdown":"/gems/text-to-cad.md","category":"/api/gems?category=agents","categoryPage":"/stacks/agents"}}