Page layout & publishing · v0.7.1 · Pre-alpha

DesignCraft: a free, open-source InDesign alternative

DesignCraft is the page layout app of the Crafting Apps: an open-source, clean-room take on Adobe InDesign. It has spreads and parent pages, threaded multi-column text with wrap, a Knuth–Plass paragraph composer with hyphenation, swatches including CMYK, IDML import and export, and PDF/X-4 output.

Open DesignCraft online Download v0.7.1 DesignCraft on GitHub

The online version is the official web build from the v0.7.1 release (2026-10-12). It runs locally in your browser; a desktop browser with WebGPU or WebGL2 works best.

DesignCraft laying out a magazine spread with threaded three-column text and a pull quote — Screenshot: DesignCraft README, github.com/storytold/designcraft (MIT/Apache-2.0).

What DesignCraft can do

Familiar layout

InDesign's tools, panels and shortcuts: spreads, parent pages, frames, guides and folios.

Beautiful type

A Knuth–Plass paragraph composer plus a single-line composer, dictionary hyphenation, and paragraph and character styles.

Threading and wrap

One story flows through linked frames and columns and wraps around pull quotes and images.

Print-ready PDF

Export PDF/X-4 and PDF/A-2b, with named and CMYK process swatches.

IDML in and out

Bring InDesign layouts over through IDML and send them back.

Agent-native

Every menu item, tool gesture and dialog can be driven over a JSON control channel and an MCP server.

DesignCraft vs Adobe InDesign

Price: DesignCraft: free, open source. InDesign: paid Adobe product.
Platforms: Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and the browser.
Files: Native documented format, IDML import/export, PDF (PDF/X-4, PDF/A-2b), PNG export
Maturity: Pre-alpha. Upstream lists DesignCraft as pre-alpha. The included sample magazine shows what works today.
Account & privacy: No sign-in, no telemetry, works offline.

How to download and install DesignCraft

Open the official DesignCraft GitHub releases or getartcraft.com/apps/designcraft.
Windows: run designcraft-0.7.1-windows-x64.msi (or the portable zip; ARM64 and x86 builds exist).
macOS: open designcraft-0.7.1-macos-universal.dmg, which is signed and notarized for Apple Silicon and Intel.
Linux: use the AppImage, or the .deb, .rpm or Flatpak for your distro.
Optionally verify the file against SHA256SUMS.txt in the same release.

Prefer not to install? Use DesignCraft online.

DesignCraft FAQ

Can DesignCraft open InDesign files?

It imports and exports IDML, InDesign's interchange format. Native .indd files are not supported.

Is DesignCraft free?

Yes. DesignCraft is free and open source under MIT OR Apache-2.0. There is no subscription, no account and no telemetry.

Can I use DesignCraft online?

Yes. DesignCraft compiles to WebAssembly, and this site hosts the official v0.7.1 web build at artcraftsuite.org/app/designcraft/. It runs entirely in your browser, and files you open are not uploaded.

Where can I download DesignCraft safely?

Only from getartcraft.com/apps/designcraft or the Releases page of github.com/storytold/designcraft. Avoid look-alike GitHub repos that offer a "local zip" or password-protected archive: they are not the official project.

Does DesignCraft run on Windows, Mac and Linux?

Yes. Releases include Windows installers and portable zips (x64, x86, ARM64), a universal macOS DMG, Linux AppImage, deb, rpm and Flatpak (x86_64 and aarch64), FreeBSD builds and the web version.

Who makes DesignCraft?

DesignCraft is one of the ArtCraft Crafting Apps, developed in the open at github.com/storytold/designcraft. It is a clean-room project and is not affiliated with Adobe.