Published Updated
Latest version 0.13.0, released 2026-10-28
gridcraft-0.13.0-windows-x64.msi · 38.0 MB
gridcraft-0.13.0-macos-universal.dmg · 80.9 MB
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-x86_64.AppImage · 45.8 MB
Windows
gridcraft-0.13.0-windows-arm64-portable.zip
SHA-256 dfad485e8eef819a649c39f0ba0223c5315a9194ed8bbed113ae02547a0341df
gridcraft-0.13.0-windows-arm64.msi
SHA-256 970ecf0816eb4b9f0cf5dcb031ccd41fb31ad7720a3d58e7e0f6eed52d4e0ea6
gridcraft-0.13.0-windows-x64-portable.zip
SHA-256 ff184e31ceb9284cbbb6c7ade71ac968d930c0dab1ca9de1147a1358a83bd8fd
gridcraft-0.13.0-windows-x86-portable.zip
SHA-256 769879eb79b193df02436215146f1c1fcacd82439358657b28e98565da13fb3d
gridcraft-0.13.0-windows-x86.msi
SHA-256 f84bcac2ebcd36a8bcf3916f0e4e64c494b247a8fff76a8705f06fc8f88fa9af
macOS
gridcraft-cli-0.13.0-macos-universal.zip
SHA-256 3db52969cf7621fdfdaebd123f72d5b1de343f63d3b52ec5a4a964f5605986ac
Linux
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-aarch64.AppImage
SHA-256 33f3d28a237bea204203ef0576f835facfa7e10910ce502886bf8f5b434cbb7b
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-aarch64.deb
SHA-256 9c43b7c868f5bf177c1979062e00f5b02e47749da8258ce1d08d163b50851993
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-aarch64.flatpak
SHA-256 73775940c8a4f36e71660e34a4d3839901817d08156c70507682783b386473d8
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-aarch64.pkg.tar.zst
SHA-256 6f71af44f5d9671cf631483fadbb871631e59fb1cdf206a107b88674c7f80621
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-aarch64.rpm
SHA-256 1abde4eb6baf818a534a1b06c4e1de7f43f43e05fe33de448e6ebfb379606af2
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-aarch64.tar.gz
SHA-256 ecbef0d833caea65f6879714e037753578344bbc3ad7ad71da0f59449fc2aa6d
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-riscv64.deb
SHA-256 44b13bd698da0e0788306dc1bb0c979fdac07683dfce27235f5e132fd1aa37d0
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-riscv64.rpm
SHA-256 de5850aab39797ec4342c8f1a4da772af9c86c293c2242fdae5d0d80fef1f3bb
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-riscv64.tar.gz
SHA-256 bec5a465c22e4b1f11d4d279e03378f99b53af939d2251576220d7127f5a704b
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-x86_64.deb
SHA-256 8fd9afde8f9bc2d18bb49934d295fea2d8465cb92f912ad652b2362615fcdd72
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-x86_64.flatpak
SHA-256 f40412d5bc4f39c577d2a7b202ac5707e0648150f019697649d4031d4db02db8
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-x86_64.pkg.tar.zst
SHA-256 74bcce809f037ed88ba044ac0bed3aff5903872ce96d25e6e3ac21f99bf0b62d
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-x86_64.rpm
SHA-256 1d33d39e2bd0906d5e38a07206d23cb7411f126cd031df2fed0d545506603274
gridcraft-0.13.0-linux-x86_64.tar.gz
SHA-256 20c6c56ec1ffd6bbcffee6cdee58cf6b5cadd2f4a04a4360dd7cc64d53ad97e5
FreeBSD
gridcraft-0.13.0-freebsd-x86_64.tar.gz
SHA-256 7b7b044d93fbe52927be640543401b60283c58ba27f04e8ac13d5b5293f89026
Web
gridcraft-web-0.13.0.zip
SHA-256 e232edde1898459f13568ca7b1f3feecb4037f0cbb8f6aec86de1a3c096af5dc
Every button downloads the official file from the project's GitHub release. GenGrades does not host or change it.
How to installAll versions and release notes on GitHubAll checksums (SHA256SUMS.txt)
In one or two sentences, before anything else.
GridCraft is a free, open-source spreadsheet app from the ArtCraft team that rebuilds the Microsoft Excel workflow from scratch in pure Rust. It uses XLSX as its native format and runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and in the browser.
What it can do, one sentence each, and whether we actually tested it.
Excel's ribbon, formula bar, Name Box, sheet tabs, keyboard shortcuts, fill handle, point-mode formula entry with coloured references, Format Cells and Paste Special.
Ribbon access keys (keytips) have initial support on the Home tab only; full mouse-free navigation is still to be implemented.
Styles, themes, formulas including dynamic arrays, tables, conditional formats, validation, comments, hyperlinks, charts, pictures, sparklines, PivotTables and print settings round-trip through XLSX. CSV and TSV work too.
Excel 97-2003 .xls files open with their values, formulas and number formats, but not their formatting and objects. XLSB and ODS worksheet data import as saved values instead of formulas.
A dependency-graph calculation engine with dynamic arrays and spilling, more than 500 worksheet functions plus LET, LAMBDA, MAP, REDUCE, SCAN, BYROW, BYCOL and MAKEARRAY, structured table references and Excel's full number-format language.
PivotTables with a field list, filters, layouts, date grouping and show-values-as, saved to and read from XLSX.
The project's gap list says its PivotTables have not been checked in real Excel.
Seventeen chart types with a Chart Design tab and a Format pane; selecting a chart outlines its source data. Sparklines are supported too.
The gap list says several chart kinds and options (stock, combo, histogram and others) don't yet survive an XLSX round trip.
Sort and AutoFilter, Flash Fill, data validation, outlining and subtotals, and conditional formatting with colour scales and data bars.
Page Break Preview, print settings, PDF export and printing.
Every ribbon button, menu item, dialog, keystroke and mouse gesture is a command that an AI agent can run through an MCP server, the gridcraft-cli tool or a JSON control channel.
The people it helps and the problems it solves, and where it ranks.
Built for
Problems it solves
What the project's documentation says you can do with it.
Case 1
Input
A household `budget.xlsx`: add a column with an `XLOOKUP` or `LET` formula, colour overspent categories with a conditional format, and save.
What the docs say
The README says XLSX is the native format and that formulas including dynamic arrays, tables and conditional formats round-trip. Caveat: the project's gap list says nobody has yet confirmed that Excel opens GridCraft's saved files without a repair prompt across a real-world set of files, so keep the original.
Case 2
Input
A sheet of orders with Region, Product, Channel and Revenue columns: insert a PivotTable with Region in rows, Product in columns, Revenue as values and Channel as a report filter, then add a clustered column chart.
What the docs say
The README shows PivotTables with a field list, filters, layouts, date grouping and show-values-as, saved to and read from XLSX, and seventeen chart types. Caveat: the gap list says the PivotTables are unverified in real Excel and some chart kinds and options don't survive an XLSX round trip.
Case 3
Input
`claude mcp add gridcraft -- gridcraft-cli mcp` for a headless MCP server, or `gridcraft-cli cat budget.xlsx --range B4:F15` to print a range as a text table.
What the docs say
The README lists MCP tools such as read_range, write_range, set_cell, evaluate_formula, format_range, insert_chart, create_table, sort_range, filter and execute_command, which reaches every GridCraft command. Caveat: on macOS the command-line tool is a separate download, and GridCraft is alpha, so check what an agent changed before you rely on the file.
What it does badly, with the evidence, and what we could not settle.
Weak
GridCraft is alpha software, and its own team estimates it is about 50% ready for real work.
Evidence: The README's roadmap says the core workflow works end to end, but depth, fidelity and file compatibility are still rough.
Anyone who has to send .xlsx files back to Excel users and can't risk a repair prompt or lost content should not rely on GridCraft yet.
Evidence: The gap list says nobody has confirmed that Excel opens what GridCraft saves without a repair prompt, and that slicers, timelines, the data model and query tables attached to tables are dropped on save.
Very large workbooks don't open, and recalculation uses one processor core.
Evidence: The gap list says workbooks of about 100 MB don't open (#175) and recalculation is single-threaded. The README lists very large workbooks and multi-threaded recalc as next up.
Several chart kinds and options don't survive a round trip.
Evidence: The gap list says stock, combo, histogram, box, waterfall, funnel, treemap and sunburst charts, axis scaling, label options, error bars and per-point formatting are still missing from what survives XLSX.
VBA macros are dropped, .xls support is partial, and password-protected workbooks lose their password on save.
Evidence: The gap list says VBA is out of scope and dropped on open (#6). .xls files open without fonts, fills, borders, charts, pictures or comments and are never written. Password-encrypted .xlsx files open with their password but are saved without it.
Some calculation bugs are still open.
Evidence: The gap list names 15-significant-digit equality, spill updates after structural edits and cleared blockers, 3-D span deletion and qualified names after a sheet rename (#57, #133, #139, #140, #134).
Only part of the interface is translated into Simplified Chinese.
Evidence: The roadmap says the ribbon labels, about 12% of the interface text, are translated into Simplified Chinese; dialogs and messages stay in English.
Uncertain
Whether Excel opens the files GridCraft saves without a repair prompt.
Why unsure: The project's round-trip tests cover its own files only, it hasn't run a real-world XLSX corpus.
Whether Chinese text shows correctly in cells and in PDF exports.
Why unsure: The gap list says CJK text falls back to system fonts, a report about Chinese text (#142) awaits confirmation, and non-Latin text in PDF is listed as missing.
Whether PivotTables saved by GridCraft behave the same in Excel.
Why unsure: The gap list says PivotTable round trips are unverified in real Excel, and slicers, timelines and calculated items are missing.
The facts, each with its source and the date we checked it.
| Spec | Value | Note and source |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 0 USD | Free and open source Source: github.comchecked |
| License | MIT OR Apache-2.0 | Dual-licensed, at your option; the ArtCraft name and logos are not covered Source: github.comchecked |
| Written in | Rust | One codebase for desktop and the web; no subscription, licence server or telemetry Source: github.comchecked |
| Development stage | Alpha | The project estimates it is about 50% ready for real work Source: github.comchecked |
| File formats | XLSX (native), CSV, TSV | Opens .xls with values, formulas and number formats; imports XLSB and ODS worksheet data as saved values Source: github.comchecked |
| Worksheet functions | 513 of 523 | Excel's worksheet functions covered, by the project's own count Source: github.comchecked |
| Platforms | Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD, web | Windows x64, arm64 and 32-bit; macOS universal; Linux x86_64, aarch64 and riscv64 Source: github.comchecked |
| Minimum system | macOS 11, Windows 10 | The ARM64 Windows build targets Windows 11; Linux builds need glibc 2.35 or newer Source: github.comchecked |
| Code signing | Windows and macOS builds signed | Windows installers and executables are code-signed; the macOS app is signed and notarized; SHA256SUMS.txt lists a checksum for every file Source: github.comchecked |
| Agent access | MCP server, CLI, JSON control channel | The MCP server runs headless or bridged to a running window Source: github.comchecked |
Answer first, then why, an example, the limits and what to do next.
GridCraft is free and open source, dual-licensed under MIT or Apache-2.0 at your option.
Why
The README says there is no subscription, no licence server and no telemetry.
Next step
Download it from the box at the top of this page; every button links straight to the official file on GitHub.
GridCraft's official builds come from the project's own GitHub releases, and the Windows and macOS builds are signed.
Why
The README says the Windows installers and executables are code-signed and the macOS app is signed and notarized. Every release also has a SHA256SUMS.txt file with a checksum for each file. The release notes add that links in cells open only http, https and mailto addresses, after a confirmation.
Limits
The release docs say the FreeBSD build is not signed, so check it against SHA256SUMS.txt.
GridCraft opens and saves .xlsx files natively, and it opens older .xls workbooks with their values, formulas and number formats.
Limits
Per the project's gap list, .xls formatting, charts and pictures aren't read yet and .xls is never written, XLSB and ODS import saved values only, VBA macros are dropped on open, password-protected .xlsx files are saved without their password, and slicers, timelines and the data model are dropped on save.
Next step
Keep the original workbook, and check important files in Excel before you send them back.
GridCraft runs on macOS, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, and also in a web browser.
Why
The macOS build is universal, for both Apple silicon and Intel Macs, and the release docs give macOS 11 as the minimum. Linux gets AppImage, Flatpak, .deb, .rpm and tarball builds for x86_64 and ARM64.
Limits
The gap list says there is no iOS, iPadOS or Android version.
To update GridCraft, download the newest release and install it; on Windows the new installer upgrades the existing installation.
Why
The project's release docs say the Windows installer keeps your desktop-shortcut choice on upgrades, and each Linux AppImage carries update information, so AppImageUpdate or AppImageLauncher fetch only the changed parts of the newest release.
Limits
The README doesn't describe an automatic updater inside the app.
Next step
ArtCraft Launcher can install and update several Craft apps in one place.
GridCraft copies Excel's ribbon and covers 513 of its 523 worksheet functions, but its own team rates it alpha and about 50% ready for real work.
Why
The README lists what comes next: XLSX fidelity on real-world files, very large workbooks and multi-threaded recalc, chart depth, text in every script, and .xls import.
Limits
The gap list adds no Power Query or data model, no co-authoring, no VBA and no mobile apps.
Next step
Try it on copies of your own workbooks before relying on it.
Step by step for each system, plus the fixes the project documents for common problems.
gridcraft-<version>-windows-x64.msi, straight from the project's GitHub release..msi file and follow the installer. It offers an optional desktop shortcut, unchecked on a new installation. The installer and the program are code-signed.windows-arm64 or windows-x86 installer under Other downloads instead.gridcraft-<version>-windows-x64-portable.zip, from Other downloads, unzip it and run gridcraft.exe.If something goes wrong
atio6axx.dll). To try another graphics backend, open PowerShell in the folder that holds the program and run $env:WGPU_BACKEND = "vulkan", then & .\gridcraft.exe. Afterwards, Remove-Item Env:WGPU_BACKEND restores the default. Setting gl can bring the driver crash back, and vulkan can bring back a crash in some Intel UHD Graphics drivers (igvk64.dll, #120).graphics:. WGPU_BACKEND still overrides it (and then nothing else is tried), for example $env:WGPU_BACKEND = "gl" or "dx12".dxcompiler.dll or dxil.dll that another program put on PATH can no longer stop it (#339). For troubleshooting, $env:WGPU_DX12_COMPILER = "dxc" (or "auto") selects wgpu's DXC handling again.gridcraft.log in %APPDATA%\GridCraft\logs. Each start moves the previous log to gridcraft.1.log and that one to gridcraft.2.log, so the log of a run that crashed survives the next start.gridcraft-<version>-macos-universal.dmg, one build for both Apple silicon and Intel Macs. The release docs give macOS 11 as the minimum.gridcraft-cli-<version>-macos-universal.zip under Other downloads is also signed and notarized.If something goes wrong
gridcraft.log in ~/Library/Application Support/GridCraft/logs.gridcraft-<version>-linux-x86_64.AppImage for most PCs, or the aarch64 file for ARM64 machines.chmod +x gridcraft-<version>-linux-x86_64.AppImage, then ./gridcraft-<version>-linux-x86_64.AppImage.sudo apt install ./gridcraft-<version>-linux-x86_64.deb.sudo dnf install ./gridcraft-<version>-linux-x86_64.rpm. The README lists the .rpm for openSUSE too.flatpak install --user gridcraft-<version>-linux-x86_64.flatpak..tar.gz) can be unpacked anywhere. The release docs say the Linux builds are made on Ubuntu 22.04 and need glibc 2.35 or newer.If something goes wrong
gridcraft.log in ~/.config/gridcraft/logs (or $XDG_CONFIG_HOME/gridcraft/logs when that is set).gridcraft-<version>-freebsd-x86_64.tar.gz from Other downloads in the box at the top of this page. The release docs say it is built on FreeBSD 14.bin/ and share/ folders meant to go under /usr/local. As root, run tar -xzf gridcraft-<version>-freebsd-x86_64.tar.gz --strip-components 1 -C /usr/local.gridcraft. This build is not signed, so check the file against SHA256SUMS.txt from the same release.gridcraft-web-<version>.zip from Other downloads in the box at the top of this page._headers and .htaccess files.GridCraft copies Excel's ribbon, formula bar, Name Box, sheet tabs, fill handle and keyboard shortcuts. Its calculation engine handles dynamic arrays and spilling, more than 500 worksheet functions, LET, LAMBDA, MAP, REDUCE and other array helpers, structured table references and Excel's number-format language. It also has sort and AutoFilter, Flash Fill, data validation, outlining and subtotals, conditional formatting with colour scales and data bars, PivotTables with filters and date grouping, seventeen chart types, sparklines, Page Break Preview, PDF export and printing.
XLSX is the native format, and the README says styles, formulas, tables, conditional formats, validation, comments, charts, sparklines, PivotTables and print settings round-trip. CSV and TSV work too. Excel 97-2003 .xls files open with their values, formulas and number formats, and XLSB and ODS worksheet data can be imported as saved values.
Every button, menu item, dialog and keystroke is a command that an AI agent can run through an MCP server, the command-line tool or a JSON control channel. The project states that there is no subscription, no licence server and no telemetry.
GridCraft is in alpha. The project says the core workflow works end to end, but depth, fidelity and file compatibility are still rough. It counts 513 of Excel's 523 worksheet functions and estimates it is about 50% ready for real work. Next on its list are XLSX fidelity on real-world files, very large workbooks and multi-threaded recalculation, chart depth, text in every script and .xls import.
Its published list of gaps is specific. Nobody has yet confirmed that Excel opens GridCraft's saved files without a repair prompt across a real-world set of files. Workbooks of around 100 MB don't open, several chart kinds and options are lost on a round trip, slicers, timelines and the data model are dropped on save, and VBA macros are out of scope. Only the ribbon labels are translated into Simplified Chinese.
GridCraft is a clean-room reimplementation. It is independent and not affiliated with Microsoft; Excel's name is used only to describe the workflow it is compatible with.
GridCraft is one of the Crafting Apps from the ArtCraft team: free, open-source creative tools, each written from scratch in Rust and each able to stand on its own. The family includes PhotoCraft for image editing, FilmCraft for video and PdfCraft for PDFs.
GridCraft is dual-licensed under MIT or Apache-2.0. Its builds come from the project's GitHub releases: code-signed installers for Windows, a signed and notarized app for macOS, several Linux package formats, a FreeBSD tarball and a web version you can host yourself. GridCraft bundles no fonts; it uses the fonts installed on your system.
Sources
Changelog
Word processor
WordCraft is a free, open-source word processor from the ArtCraft team that rebuilds the Microsoft Word workflow from scratch in pure Rust. It opens and saves .docx files and runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and in the browser.
Latest version 0.12.0, released 2026-10-28Apache-2.0
PDF reader and editor
PdfCraft is a free, open-source PDF app from the ArtCraft team (GitHub: storytold), a clean-room rebuild of Adobe Acrobat in Rust. It reads, searches, organizes, combines, splits and password-protects PDFs and handles comments and forms, with no account or telemetry, on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and the web. The project calls it alpha.
Latest version 0.15.0, released 2026-10-28Apache-2.0
Presentations
DeckCraft is a free, open-source presentation app from the ArtCraft team (GitHub: storytold) that rebuilds Microsoft PowerPoint from scratch in Rust. It makes and presents slide decks, opens and saves PowerPoint .pptx files, and runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and in the browser. The project calls it alpha software.
Latest version 0.12.0, released 2026-10-28Apache-2.0
Vector graphics
VectorCraft is a free, open-source vector illustration app from the ArtCraft team that reimplements the Adobe Illustrator workflow from scratch in pure Rust. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD and in a web browser, and its README describes it as alpha software under active development.
Latest version 0.18.0, released 2026-10-28Apache-2.0
Audio editor
SoundCraft is a free, open-source digital audio workstation (DAW) from the ArtCraft team: a clean-room rewrite of Avid Pro Tools in pure Rust for recording, editing and mixing audio. It runs on Windows, macOS, Linux and FreeBSD, and in a web browser.
Latest version 0.14.0, released 2026-10-28Apache-2.0
Photo editor
PhotoCraft is a free, open-source Photoshop clone from the ArtCraft team (storytold): a clean-room reimplementation of Adobe Photoshop, written from scratch in pure Rust with help from Anthropic's AI model Claude Opus 5.5. It opens and saves layered PSD files and runs on Windows, macOS, Linux, FreeBSD and in the browser, but the project calls it early alpha.
Latest version 0.17.0, released 2026-10-28Apache-2.0