Skip to content

Instantly share code, notes, and snippets.

@loopj

loopj/fusion-to-freecad.md

Last active June 11, 2026 20:57
Show Gist options

  • Select an option

    Learn more about clone URLs
  • Save loopj/a549986ba000b1207e191443274fd0b8 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.

Select an option

Learn more about clone URLs
Save loopj/a549986ba000b1207e191443274fd0b8 to your computer and use it in GitHub Desktop.
Download ZIP
Fusion to FreeCAD Migration Guide
Raw
fusion-to-freecad.md

Fusion to FreeCAD Migration Guide

A WIP opinionated migration guide for people migrating from Autodesk Fusion to FreeCAD, updated as I learn.

Themes

The default theme and icons are hot garbage.

  • Install the OpenTheme theme addon from Tools -> Addon Manager
  • The Catpuccin theme is also nice, and in the Addon Manager

Icons

Workbenches

FreeCAD isn't just an MCAD program, it tries to be an "every CAD" program using something called workbenches. If you are just doing part/product design then I recommend hiding all the workbenches you are not using.

  • Go to Preferences -> Workbenches -> Available Workbenches and uncheck all the workbenches you are not using.

  • I like to change the workbench selector style to TabBar in Preferences -> Workbenches -> Workbench selector type

Tree View

  • Enable transparent panels View -> Overlay Docked Panel -> Toggle Transparent Panels

Toolbars

  • Holy shit FreeCAD has a lot of toolbars.
  • Go to View -> Toolbars and disable any you don't frequently use, then collapse the useful toolbars on to one line, it makes a huge difference
  • Disabling File, Edit and Help makes a big difference

Navigation (Pan / Zoom / Orbit)

  • I have a pending pull request to add a Fusion navigation style

  • In the mean time, Revit is the closest navigation style, you can change it in Preferences -> Display -> Navigation or by using the dropdown at the bottom of the screen

  • Choose Rotation Mode: Object center to get closer to Fusion's default behavior. Note that you have to start a rotation with the cursor not on the object for it to rotate around the object, and not the cursor's position on the object.

  • Choose Orbit Style: Turntable for constrained orbit like Fusion's default behavior.

Sketches

  • No grid is shown by default, you can enable a grid for sketches by default at Preferences -> Sketcher -> Grid
  • Alternatively, you can change this per-sketch in sketch settings Screenshot 2026-06-10 at 9 33 25 AM
  • Default behavior hides parts when a sketch is entered, which is super annoying. To fix this, uncheck Preferences -> Sketcher -> Display -> Hide all objects that depend on sketch

Terminology Mapping

  • Fusion's Components are named Parts
  • Extruding from a sketch profile is called Pad
  • Fusion's Shell operation is named Thickness

Rendering

Sign up for free to join this conversation on GitHub. Already have an account? Sign in to comment