ClawSCAD

AI-powered 3D CAD environment
OpenSCAD + Claude Code with checkpoint branching, auto-iteration, and multi-viewport support

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What is ClawSCAD?

ClawSCAD glues together OpenSCAD and Claude Code into a single desktop application. Tell Claude what to build, and it writes OpenSCAD code, renders it, validates the output, and auto-iterates until the model is correct — all while you watch in a live 3D viewport.

Every iteration is saved as an immutable checkpoint. You can click any checkpoint to go back, branch from it, and explore different design directions. Claude sees your full history and can reference any previous version.

Features

3D Viewport

• PBR rendering with environment-mapped reflections
• Orbit, pan, zoom (mouse + touch + keyboard)
• Wireframe, edge overlay, orthographic/perspective toggle
• 7 camera presets (Front/Back/Left/Right/Top/Bottom/Iso)
• Click any part to see dimensions, volume, weight, estimated print cost
• 6 customizable color swatches for instant model coloring
• Screenshot export
• Split viewport — open a second 3D view with independent camera

Checkpoint History

• Every .scad file is an immutable checkpoint in a branching tree
• Click any checkpoint to instantly load its model (cached in memory)
• Branch from any point — Claude creates new files, never overwrites
• Collapsible tree with box-drawing connectors
• Right-click context menu: rename, delete, collapse, view source, resume session
• Hover tooltips showing the change description

Source Editor

• Monaco editor with OpenSCAD syntax highlighting (Monarch grammar)
• Custom dark theme matching the app
• Find (Ctrl+F) and Replace (Ctrl+H)
• Read-only by default, toggle to edit mode
• OpenSCAD error markers (red squiggles on error lines)

Claude Code Integration

• Embedded terminal running Claude Code
• OpenSCAD MCP server auto-configured for every workspace
• CLAUDE.md with mandatory rules: never overwrite files, use colors, validate with MCP tools
• Auto-iteration: when a render fails, ClawSCAD writes errors to RENDER_ERRORS.md and nudges Claude to fix them
• Session management: browse, resume, or start new Claude sessions
• Dual terminal support (up to 2 Claude instances)
• Multi-window support (up to 4 projects, Claude sees all workspaces)

Export

• STL, 3MF, and PNG export buttons in the header
• 3MF export preserves per-part colors (when OpenSCAD supports it)
• Print cost estimation with configurable infill, material, and cost/kg

Install

git clone https://github.com/levkropp/ClawSCAD.git
cd ClawSCAD
npm install
npm start

Prerequisites:

• Node.js 18+
• OpenSCAD installed and in PATH (or set OPENSCAD_BINARY env var)
• Claude Code installed globally: npm install -g @anthropic-ai/claude-code

Usage

1. Launch ClawSCAD — it creates a workspace at ~/clawscad-workspace/
2. Claude Code starts in the terminal panel on the right
3. Tell Claude what to build: "Make a gear with 20 teeth and a shaft hole"
4. Claude writes a .scad file, ClawSCAD auto-renders it in the 3D viewport
5. If the render fails, ClawSCAD tells Claude to fix it automatically
6. Click any checkpoint in the History panel to go back and branch
7. Use the color swatches to try different colors instantly
8. Export to STL/3MF when you're happy with the design

Keyboard Shortcuts

Shortcut	Action
Ctrl+N	New viewport (split view)
Ctrl+F	Find in source editor
Ctrl+H	Find and replace
F5	Force re-render
1-7	Camera presets (when viewport focused)
R	Reset view
F	Zoom to fit
W	Toggle wireframe
E	Toggle edges
O	Toggle ortho/perspective
+/-	Zoom in/out
Escape	Deselect part

Architecture

ClawSCAD
├── main.js          Electron main process — multi-window, project state, render queue, MCP client
├── renderer.js      3D viewport (three.js), terminal (xterm.js), editor (Monaco), checkpoint tree
├── preload.js       IPC bridge between main and renderer
├── index.html       Layout
├── style.css        Dark theme
└── icon.png         App icon

• Rendering: OpenSCAD CLI (openscad -o output.3mf input.scad), tries 3MF first (preserves colors), falls back to STL
• 3D engine: three.js with MeshStandardMaterial, RoomEnvironment, EdgesGeometry, raycaster picking
• Terminal: xterm.js + node-pty, spawns claude directly
• Editor: Monaco with custom Monarch grammar for OpenSCAD
• MCP: Spawns openscad-mcp-server as a JSON-RPC subprocess for direct render/validate access

License

MIT — see LICENSE.

OpenSCAD (GPLv2+) and Claude Code (Apache 2.0) are launched as separate subprocesses. ClawSCAD does not incorporate or link against code from either project.