Guide · Agent skill
How to use the cli-anything-freecad agent skill for FreeCAD
Updated · written with AI from the project's own documentation and checked against our catalogue data
cli-anything-freecad is an agent skill that teaches an AI agent to drive the FreeCAD parametric 3D modeler through a command-line tool, without opening the FreeCAD window. This guide explains what an agent skill is, how to install this one, how to ask for work in plain language, and what to check before trusting the output. By the end you will be able to set up the skill and run a basic modeling and export task.
FreeCAD CLI HarnessHKUDS/CLI-Anything · Apache-2.0 Download the skill Quick start
- 1Install FreeCAD. Install FreeCAD and confirm that freecadcmd is available on your PATH.
- 2Get the skill files. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it under Settings, Capabilities, Skills in the Claude apps.
- 3Install the CLI package. From the repository root, run pip install -e freecad/agent-harness so the cli-anything-freecad command is available.
- 4Make a request. Describe the part, sketch or drawing you want in plain language, including dimensions, units and the output format.
- 5Check the output. Open the exported file or preview images and check the dimensions against your requirements before using them.
What the skill lets the agent do
The skill is a command-line harness for FreeCAD with 258 commands across 17 groups. The groups cover the main FreeCAD workbenches, including Part, Sketcher, PartDesign, Assembly, Mesh, TechDraw, Draft, FEM, CAM/CNC, Surface, Spreadsheet, Measure and Materials, plus Import and Export.
Typical tasks include creating primitives such as boxes and cylinders, running boolean cut operations, building constrained 2D sketches, adding pads, pockets, fillets and patterns, and exporting models headlessly to formats such as STEP, IGES, STL, OBJ, DXF, PDF, glTF and 3MF.
- Part: primitives, boolean operations, mirror, loft and sweep
- Sketcher: geometry, constraints and editing
- PartDesign: pad, pocket, groove, fillet, chamfer, patterns, hole and datum planes
- TechDraw: views, dimensions and PDF or SVG output
- Export: 17 formats; Import: 13 formats
Install the skill with a ZIP file or the Claude apps
Option one is a file install. Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ for your user account, or into a project's .claude/skills/ folder if you want the skill limited to one project. The skill folder contains a SKILL.md file.
Option two is the Claude apps. Upload the ZIP under Settings, then Capabilities, then Skills.
The skill folder is only the instructions. The actual CLI tool is installed separately from the agent-harness folder, as described in the next section.
- User-wide: ~/.claude/skills/
- Single project: your project's .claude/skills/ folder
- Claude apps: Settings → Capabilities → Skills
Install FreeCAD and the cli-anything-freecad package
Two things must be present before the skill can work. First, FreeCAD must be installed, and the freecadcmd command must be available on your PATH. The skill cannot run without it. Second, you need Python with pip so you can install the cli-anything-freecad package from the freecad/agent-harness folder of the HKUDS/CLI-Anything repository.
The source documents the install as a pip install in editable mode pointed at that folder. Run it from the root of the repository.
pip install -e freecad/agent-harnessAsk for FreeCAD work in plain language
You do not need to type commands yourself. Once the skill is installed, describe the result you want, for example 'make a 20 by 15 by 5 mm box with a 3 mm hole through the middle and export it as STEP'. The agent chooses the matching commands. Be specific about dimensions, units, the plane for sketches, and the output format.
If you want the agent to use the JSON output mode and a saved project file, say so. The skill's documented pattern is to pass --json for machine-readable output and -p with a project file path.
- Give dimensions with units (for example, 10 mm radius)
- Name the output format and file name you want
- Ask for a project file so you can continue the work later
Examples of commands the agent can run
These examples come from the skill's documentation. They show what the agent runs behind the scenes, and you can run them yourself to check the tool works. The -p flag points to a project file, and --json returns JSON output.
Creating a box and a cylinder, then cutting one from the other, looks like this in the source.
- Create a new project: document new with -o to set the output file
- Preview capture: preview capture --recipe quick writes hero.png, front.png, top.png and right.png
- Motion: motion render-video renders a video from a motion keyframe sequence
cli-anything-freecad --json -p p.json part add box -P length=20 -P width=15 -P height=5 && cli-anything-freecad --json -p p.json part add cylinder -P radius=3 -P height=10 --position 10,7.5,0 && cli-anything-freecad --json -p p.json part boolean cut 0 1Safety notes: scripts and network access
The skill runs scripts. Its commands execute the FreeCAD tool and the cli-anything-freecad Python package on your machine, and they read and write project and export files at the paths you or the agent give them. Review the commands before you approve them, especially where the agent writes to a path outside your project.
The skill does not use the network, according to the listing. The software itself does not validate that generated geometry is correct for manufacturing. Do not use outputs for safety-critical parts without independent engineering checks.
- Runs scripts: yes
- Uses network: no
- Output is not a manufacturing check; verify dimensions and fit yourself
What people use it for
- Scripting repeatable parametric modeling tasks, such as generating a family of parts with different dimensions
- Building an automated pipeline that exports STEP or STL files headlessly
- Learning parametric CAD by reading the command examples as they run
- Generating TechDraw views with dimensions and PDF or SVG output
Frequently asked questions
How do I install the cli-anything-freecad skill?
Download the skill ZIP from this page and unzip it into ~/.claude/skills/ or a project's .claude/skills/ folder, or upload it in the Claude apps under Settings, Capabilities, Skills. You also need to install the CLI package with pip install -e freecad/agent-harness from the repository.
Do I need FreeCAD installed to use this skill?
Yes. FreeCAD must be installed and the freecadcmd command must be in your PATH. The skill cannot work without it.
Is cli-anything-freecad free?
The skill is listed under the Apache-2.0 licence in the HKUDS/CLI-Anything repository. Check the licence file in that repository for the terms that apply to your use.
What file formats can it export?
The skill's description lists headless export to STEP, IGES, STL, OBJ, DXF, PDF, glTF and 3MF, and the Export group covers 17 formats in total.
Can I use it without the command line?
Not directly. The skill is command-line driven, so you interact with it through an AI agent that runs the commands for you, or through the terminal yourself.
What are the alternatives to this skill?
The source does not compare it with other tools, so this guide makes no claims about alternatives. If you want a graphical CAD experience, use the FreeCAD interface itself instead of this skill.
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Our verdict
Use this skill if you are comfortable with a terminal and want an AI agent to script repeatable FreeCAD modeling and headless exports to formats like STEP and STL. Pick something else if you need a graphical design environment, or if you need the output checked for manufacturing or safety-critical use.
Download the skill