FreeCAD 1.x: the "king" of open-source CAD
ยท 5 min read
FreeCAD 1.x is a rare case where a free CAD stops feeling like a hobby toy and turns into a practical engineering tool. After the 1.0 release (November 18, 2024), the project gained improvements that directly affect engineering usability: stronger parametric stability (mitigating the topological naming problem), a built-in Assembly Workbench, refreshed materials/appearance, and better UX. By late 2025, the first 1.1 release candidate had already appeared, so the 1.x line keeps moving.
Below is why FreeCAD can be called the "king" of open-source CAD, where it genuinely approaches commercial systems (SolidWorks, Inventor, Solid Edge, Creo, Fusion 360, NX), and where it still trails.