A new set of seven free creative apps is written in Rust

A team called ArtCraft is building seven creative computer programs from the ground up. All the tools are free to use, and their code is open for anyone to inspect and modify on GitHub.

The developers write every program in the Rust programming language. They do not package websites inside desktop containers, but instead compile the code straight into real desktop programs for macOS, Windows, and Linux.

The first tool in the set is Photo Craft, which edits pictures. It is in an early test stage, with setup files ready for download on computers and web browsers.

Another tool in an early test phase is Print Craft. People can use it on their desktop or in a web browser to view, arrange, merge, divide, and protect PDF documents.

Five other tools remain in active development. These include Vector Craft for line drawings, Film Craft for editing video, and Light Craft for cataloging and adjusting raw camera photos.

The remaining projects are Effect Craft, which handles animated graphics and visual effects, and Design Craft, which sets up page layouts for printing and publishing.

Except for the video editor Film Craft, every program in the group can run inside a modern web browser. The code is compiled to WebAssembly, which lets computer languages run fast inside web tabs.

The creators give the programs familiar tools, keys, and views so experienced artists do not need to learn new habits. The software also works entirely on local files, without sending data to outside cloud servers.

External tools and software agents can also direct each app automatically. Users can send commands through a text terminal, a JSON data channel, or a specialized server standard.

More programs are planned for the future. The project uses public chat channels on Discord to collect ideas, share progress updates, and test early builds with community members.