Run OpenSCAD in your browser - no install required

OpenSCAD online tools are useful when you need an OpenSCAD web editor with no installation: a work laptop, a Chromebook, a tablet, or a friend's PC. This page is the writing space - test a snippet, tweak a module, paste generated code, or build a small parametric part directly in the browser.

That's what this playground is for. The full OpenSCAD engine runs in your browser via WebAssembly. You get a code editor, a live preview you can orbit, and one-click export of both your .scad source and a rendered STL. No account, no queue, no server-side rendering - the same engine that powers the desktop app, running on your hardware.

Just need to preview an existing file? Try the OpenSCAD Viewer instead.

What you can do here

Write code from scratch or paste in an existing script. The editor ships with a small sample so you can hit Render and see the pipeline work before writing a line. Typical uses:

  • Testing a module or snippet before adding it to a bigger desktop project.
  • Tweaking parameters on a downloaded .scad file when you're away from your main machine.
  • Learning OpenSCAD basics - primitives, translate, rotate, difference, union - with instant visual feedback.
  • Rendering quick one-off parts to STL: spacers, washers, simple brackets, test cubes.
  • Sanity-checking generated code from our SVG to OpenSCAD and DXF to OpenSCAD converters.

Privacy: your code stays on your device

Everything renders locally in your browser. Your code is never sent to our servers - relevant if you're prototyping commercial designs or client work in SCAD. The flip side of local rendering: complex models with high $fn values, big minkowski() operations, or heavy boolean trees can take a while on slower hardware, the same way they would in the desktop app. If a render times out, drop $fn, simplify the booleans, and add detail back gradually.

Browser playground vs desktop OpenSCAD

The desktop app is still the right home for serious multi-file projects - it has the customizer panel, broad library setup, font handling, and faster rendering on big models. Think of the playground as the scratchpad: fastest possible loop from "I wonder if this works" to a spinning preview, anywhere you happen to be.

OpenSCAD online FAQ

Can I use OpenSCAD without installing it?

Yes - this playground runs the real OpenSCAD engine in your browser through WebAssembly. Write code, render previews, and export STL files with nothing installed.

Can I download an STL from the browser version?

Yes. Render the model first, then use the STL button. The export comes from the same render the preview shows.

Does this support OpenSCAD libraries like BOSL2?

Yes for BOSL2 paths such as include <BOSL2/std.scad>, plus common threads.scad paths used by printable screw-thread models. The playground loads BOSL2 in the browser when your code references it, and bundles threads.scad the same way the OpenSCAD Viewer does. Other external libraries still need to be inlined or opened in the desktop app.

Why is my render slow or timing out?

Same reasons desktop renders crawl: high $fn, minkowski(), nested booleans on dense meshes. Lower the detail, render, then step it back up. Browser rendering also depends on your device - phones take noticeably longer than desktops.