ArtCraft

ArtCraft Launcher

One place to install, update and open every app in the Craft App Suite, rebuilt in pure Rust.
PhotoCraft, LightCraft, FilmCraft, DesignCraft, VectorCraft, PdfCraft, EffectCraft, WordCraft,
DeckCraft, GridCraft, CADCraft and SoundCraft: the right build for your computer, kept up to date.

100% Rust macOS · Windows · Linux · FreeBSD · Web License: MIT OR Apache-2.0 Status: early alpha

Join the ArtCraft community on Discord

Download ArtCraft Launcher · ArtCraft · The Craft App Suite

> [!NOTE] > **ArtCraft is a community of artists from all walks of life.** Painters, photographers, > filmmakers, illustrators, designers, animators, hobbyists, and people who picked up a pencil > last week. If you make things, you're one of us. **[Come say hi on Discord](https://discord.gg/artcraft).**

What it does · Features · Downloads · Build from source · Craft App Suite · Discord

ArtCraft Launcher on macOS in the grid view (dark theme): a card for each Craft App with its icon, status, version, release date and an Install or Open button, grouped into classic and new apps

The same apps in the table view (light theme), with columns for what each app is inspired by, its status, installed and latest versions, and release date
Switch between the grid and a sortable table.

## What it does The Craft apps each ship their own builds for every platform. ArtCraft Launcher saves you from hunting through a dozen release pages: it lists every app in the suite, shows which ones you have and which version, installs the right build for your operating system and processor, and tells you when an update is out. It is a small native app that can sit in your menu bar or system tray. ## Features

📦 Install in one click

Picks the right download for your OS and CPU (DMG, MSI, AppImage, .deb, .rpm and more), checks it against the release's SHA-256 checksums and installs it.

🔄 Stay up to date

Checks each app's GitHub releases and updates the ones you have. A notification tells you when there's something new.

🧭 Always at hand

Opens any Craft app from one window, or from the tray and menu-bar icon. Native egui, no Electron, no web view.
The web version shows the same catalog in the browser, with the latest download for each app. ## Interface languages The interface is in English, Brazilian Portuguese (Português (Brasil)), French (Français), German (Deutsch), Russian (Русский) or Simplified Chinese (简体中文). **Auto**, the default, follows the system or browser language; **Settings → Language** picks one and switches at once, and the choice is kept between runs. German locales (`de-DE`, `de-AT`, `de-CH`, `de_DE.UTF-8`…) select German, French ones (`fr-FR`, `fr-CA`…) French, and Portuguese ones (`pt-BR`, and `pt-PT` too, for now) Brazilian Portuguese. Simplified Chinese locales (`zh-CN`, `zh-SG`, `zh-Hans`, and POSIX forms such as `zh_CN.UTF-8`) select Chinese; Traditional Chinese ones don't. To try a language without changing the setting, start the desktop app with `ARTCRAFT_LAUNCHER_LOCALE=pt-BR`, or add `?lang=ru` to the web address. Chinese is drawn with the system's own Chinese font (PingFang on macOS, Microsoft YaHei on Windows, Noto Sans CJK or WenQuanYi on Linux and FreeBSD). Where there is none, and in the web version, the interface stays in English and Settings says why. Product names and release notes stay as published; text without a translation falls back to English. ## Where apps are installed ArtCraft Launcher installs each app where your system normally keeps applications, using the app's official release package, so an app installed by the launcher is the same as one you installed by hand (and the launcher finds apps you installed yourself): | System | Where | How | |---|---|---| | macOS | `/Applications/.app` | Copied from the signed, notarized release DMG | | Windows | `C:\Program Files\` | The release MSI, through Windows Installer (with Start menu entry and Apps & features entry) | | Linux | `/usr/bin`, `/usr/share/applications` | The release `.deb` (apt) or `.rpm` (dnf, zypper), with your system's password prompt. Without those, a Flatpak, or an AppImage in `~/Applications` | | FreeBSD | `/usr/local` | The release tree, with a password prompt (polkit); `~/.local` when polkit isn't installed | ArtCraft Launcher keeps itself current too: when a new version is out, **Update and restart** downloads it, verifies it, puts it where this copy is installed (the `.app`, the Windows Installer package or portable folder, the AppImage, or the `.deb`/`.rpm`) and reopens it. Updates use the same format an app was installed with. Every download is checked against the release's published SHA-256 before it is installed, and a running app is never replaced. ## Downloads Download the build for your computer from the [latest release](https://github.com/storytold/craft-launcher/releases/latest), or browse [all releases](https://github.com/storytold/craft-launcher/releases). Every release has a `SHA256SUMS.txt` to check the files against. `` is the version number, for example `0.1.0`. **Windows** (10 and 11) | File | What it is | |---|---| | `artcraft-launcher--windows-x64.msi` | Installer for most PCs (Intel and AMD, 64-bit). Installs for the current user, no admin rights needed | | `artcraft-launcher--windows-arm64.msi` | Installer for Windows on Arm (Snapdragon and other Arm PCs) | | `artcraft-launcher--windows-x86.msi` | Installer for 32-bit Windows | | `artcraft-launcher--windows-{x64,arm64,x86}-portable.zip` | No install: unzip and run `artcraft-launcher.exe`. Keeps its settings in the folder | **macOS** (11 Big Sur or later) | File | What it is | |---|---| | `artcraft-launcher--macos-universal.dmg` | Universal app for Apple silicon and Intel Macs, signed and notarized. Drag ArtCraft Launcher to Applications | **Linux** (x86_64 and aarch64; glibc 2.35 or newer, e.g. Ubuntu 22.04+, Debian 12+, Fedora 36+) | File | What it is | |---|---| | `artcraft-launcher--linux-{x86_64,aarch64}.AppImage` | Runs on almost any distro without installing; `chmod +x` and run. The `.AppImage.zsync` beside it lets AppImageUpdate fetch only what changed | | `artcraft-launcher--linux-{x86_64,aarch64}.deb` | Debian, Ubuntu, Mint, Pop!_OS: `sudo apt install ./artcraft-launcher-…deb` | | `artcraft-launcher--linux-{x86_64,aarch64}.rpm` | Fedora, openSUSE, RHEL: `sudo dnf install ./artcraft-launcher-…rpm` | | `artcraft-launcher--linux-{x86_64,aarch64}.flatpak` | Flatpak bundle: `flatpak install --user artcraft-launcher-…flatpak`. Inside the sandbox the launcher can download apps but has limited power to install them on the host; prefer the AppImage, .deb or .rpm | | `artcraft-launcher--linux-{x86_64,aarch64}.tar.gz` | Plain tree (`bin/`, `share/`) for everyone else and for scripts | RISC-V (riscv64): `artcraft-launcher--linux-riscv64.{deb,rpm,tar.gz}`, built against Ubuntu 24.04 (needs glibc 2.39+). The tray icon uses the StatusNotifierItem standard: KDE, Xfce, Cinnamon and most other desktops show it; on GNOME install the AppIndicator extension. **FreeBSD** (14, x86_64) | File | What it is | |---|---| | `artcraft-launcher--freebsd-x86_64.tar.gz` | A tree laid out like `/usr/local` | ```sh pkg install libxkbcommon wayland libX11 libXcursor libXrandr libXi libxcb mesa-libs vulkan-loader fontconfig freetype2 tar -xzf artcraft-launcher--freebsd-x86_64.tar.gz --strip-components 1 -C /usr/local artcraft-launcher ``` **Web (WebAssembly)** | File | What it is | |---|---| | `artcraft-launcher-web-.zip` | The catalog as a static site you can host anywhere; see [`packaging/web/README.md`](packaging/web/README.md) | ## Build from source You need a recent stable Rust (1.90 or newer). On Linux, install the windowing headers first (Debian/Ubuntu: `sudo apt install libxkbcommon-dev libwayland-dev libx11-dev libxrandr-dev libxi-dev libgl1-mesa-dev`). ```sh git clone https://github.com/storytold/craft-launcher cd craft-launcher cargo run --release -p artcraft-launcher # the desktop app cargo xtask ci # fmt, clippy, tests and the wasm check ``` The web version builds with [trunk](https://trunkrs.dev/): ```sh rustup target add wasm32-unknown-unknown cd apps/artcraft-launcher-web && trunk serve ``` ### Installing your own builds To install and update the Craft apps from checkouts on your machine instead of GitHub, clone them next to this repo (`../photocraft`, `../wordcraft`, …) and run: ```sh cargo xtask local sync # git pull every app, build and package each new version into ../local-mirror cargo xtask local serve # serve the builds and a release feed on http://127.0.0.1:8787/ ARTCRAFT_LAUNCHER_DOWNLOAD_BASE=http://127.0.0.1:8787/ cargo run --release -p artcraft-launcher --features local-mirror ``` Run `sync` again whenever you want updates, or let the server do it: `cargo xtask local serve --sync-every 1h` pulls and builds on that interval while it serves. An app is rebuilt when its checkout's version isn't in the mirror yet (`--rebuild` forces it), and the launcher's next check picks it up. Add `--every-commit` to build every new commit instead, as a dev version between releases (`0.4.0` builds as `0.4.1-dev.`), which the launcher offers as an update. While `ARTCRAFT_LAUNCHER_DOWNLOAD_BASE` is set (loopback addresses only), the launcher asks only the mirror, never GitHub. Only builds with the `local-mirror` feature read it; releases never have it. `cargo xtask local help` lists the options (`--only`, `--no-pull`, `--arch`, …). New contributors and AI agents: start with [`AGENTS.md`](AGENTS.md). Release packaging lives in [`packaging/`](packaging/) and [`.github/workflows/release.yml`](.github/workflows/release.yml). > [!IMPORTANT] > **Status:** ArtCraft Launcher is new and in early alpha. Expect rough edges, and please file > issues (include your OS and which app you were installing) or tell us on > [Discord](https://discord.gg/artcraft). ## The Craft App Suite ArtCraft Launcher installs the **Craft App Suite**: free, open-source creative tools from the [ArtCraft](https://getartcraft.com/) team, each written from scratch in Rust and each able to stand on its own. | | App | What it's for | Code | Learn more | |:-:|---|---|---|---| | | **PhotoCraft** | Image editing: layers, masks, type and real PSD files | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/photocraft) | [Website](https://getartcraft.com/apps/photocraft) | | | **VectorCraft** | Vector illustration | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/vectorcraft) | [Website](https://getartcraft.com/apps/vectorcraft) | | | **FilmCraft** | Video editing, color and sound | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/filmcraft) | [Website](https://getartcraft.com/apps/filmcraft) | | | **LightCraft** | Photo library and raw development | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/lightcraft) | [Website](https://getartcraft.com/apps/lightcraft) | | | **PdfCraft** | Reading, organizing and protecting PDFs | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/pdfcraft) | [Website](https://getartcraft.com/apps/pdfcraft) | | | **EffectCraft** | Motion graphics and visual effects | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/effectcraft) | [Website](https://getartcraft.com/apps/effectcraft) | | | **DesignCraft** | Page layout and publishing | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/designcraft) | [Website](https://getartcraft.com/apps/designcraft) | | | **GridCraft** | Spreadsheets and data | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/gridcraft) | [Website](https://getartcraft.com/apps/gridcraft) | | | **WordCraft** | Word processing and documents | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/wordcraft) | [Releases](https://github.com/storytold/wordcraft/releases) | | | **DeckCraft** | Presentations and slide decks | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/deckcraft) | [Releases](https://github.com/storytold/deckcraft/releases) | | | **CADCraft** | Computer-aided design | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/cadcraft) | [Releases](https://github.com/storytold/cadcraft/releases) | | | **SoundCraft** | Audio recording and editing | [GitHub](https://github.com/storytold/soundcraft) | [Releases](https://github.com/storytold/soundcraft/releases) | And [**ArtCraft**](https://getartcraft.com/) itself, our AI image and video studio for artists who want real control.

Join the ArtCraft community on Discord

Come make things with us

Our Discord is where artists of every kind hang out: people who paint, shoot, draw, cut film, set type, and people still figuring out what they like to make. Share what you're working on, ask for help, tell us what's broken, or tell us what you wish these tools could do. Whatever your medium and however long you've been at it, you're welcome here.

discord.gg/artcraft · getartcraft.com · The Craft App Suite · ArtCraft Launcher

--- ## Thanks The community built launchers for the Craft App Suite before we did, and ArtCraft Launcher learned a lot from them. Thank you to their authors: | Project | Author | What we learned from it | |---|---|---| | [ArtCraft Suite Updater](https://github.com/Lyraedan/ArtCraft-Suit-Updater) | [@Lyraedan](https://github.com/Lyraedan) | Noticing apps installed or removed outside the updater with a quiet background re-scan, detecting Arch and AUR installs through pacman, and a platform picker that lists the downloads for every OS | | [craftcenter](https://github.com/avokadosauce/craftcenter) | [@avokadosauce](https://github.com/avokadosauce) | Finding the latest release without spending API quota (the `releases/latest` redirect plus `SHA256SUMS.txt`), and verifying every file | | [CRAFTSPACE](https://github.com/emircesur/CRAFTSPACE) | [@emircesur](https://github.com/emircesur) | Adopting apps that were already installed, falling back gracefully when GitHub rate-limits, background update notifications | | [GetCraft](https://github.com/mbirnbach/getcraft) | [@mbirnbach](https://github.com/mbirnbach) | Picking the right download for each OS and CPU, recognising Windows Installer and macOS installs, a native Rust/egui launcher | | [CraftHub](https://github.com/CraftHubLauncher/CraftHub) | [CraftHubLauncher](https://github.com/CraftHubLauncher) | Strict checks on where downloads come from, clear rate-limit messages, never replacing an app while it runs | | [artcraft-suite](https://github.com/erikerikerik/artcraft-suite) | [@erikerikerik](https://github.com/erikerikerik) | ETag-cached release checks and installs that recover cleanly from interruptions | | [Craft Apps Launcher & Installer](https://github.com/ZifuM/Craft-apps-launcher-installer) | [@ZifuM](https://github.com/ZifuM) | Release-page fallbacks and starting AppImage apps with a clean environment | | [ArtCraft Launcher](https://github.com/EricVogt93/artcraft-launcher) | [@EricVogt93](https://github.com/EricVogt93) | Desktop integration for AppImages and a careful self-update design | | [LandingCraft](https://github.com/rallegretti/LandingCraft) | [@rallegretti](https://github.com/rallegretti) | Working with the Windows Installer directly and offering stable releases only | | [Craft Apps Manager](https://github.com/CryptoKey98/craft-apps-manager) | [@CryptoKey98](https://github.com/CryptoKey98) | Scheduled background update checks and per-app launch options | | [ArtCraft Hub Launcher](https://github.com/tinyplayerss/artcraft-hub-launcher) | [@tinyplayerss](https://github.com/tinyplayerss) | A friendly, one-window hub for the whole suite | | [CraftHub](https://github.com/MegaTheLEGEND/CraftHub) | [@MegaTheLEGEND](https://github.com/MegaTheLEGEND) | Serving the apps' web builds from a self-hosted launcher | ## License and credits ArtCraft Launcher is dual-licensed under [MIT](LICENSE-MIT) or [Apache-2.0](LICENSE-APACHE), at your option. Copyright (c) 2026 ArtCraft Team and the ArtCraft Launcher contributors. Required notices are in [NOTICE](NOTICE). Bundled fonts, icons, images and other assets keep their own open licenses; each one is listed with its author, source and license in [ATTRIBUTION.md](ATTRIBUTION.md). The app icons of the Craft apps (`assets/app-icons/`) are each app's own icon, copied unmodified from its repository and licensed like that app (MIT OR Apache-2.0). **The ArtCraft name, logo and "A" mark are not licensed under MIT or Apache-2.0.** They (everything in [`docs/brand/`](docs/brand/), plus the app icon in [`assets/app-icon/`](assets/app-icon/), the logo in the launcher's header and the "A" tray icon) are trademarks of the ArtCraft Team and are not covered by this license. They may be used only unmodified, and only as part of this repository and ArtCraft Launcher, under [`docs/brand/LICENSE-brand.txt`](docs/brand/LICENSE-brand.txt). Forks and modified versions must remove them. Adobe, Photoshop, Illustrator, Premiere Pro, Lightroom, Acrobat, After Effects and InDesign are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Adobe in the United States and/or other countries. Microsoft, Word, PowerPoint and Excel are trademarks of the Microsoft group of companies. Autodesk and AutoCAD are registered trademarks or trademarks of Autodesk, Inc. Avid and Pro Tools are trademarks or registered trademarks of Avid Technology, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. These names are used only to describe what each Craft App is for; the Craft App Suite is independent and is not affiliated with, sponsored by or endorsed by any of these companies.

ArtCraft
Made by the ArtCraft team and community.