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FreeCAD/FreeCAD

FreeCAD Issues Second Release Candidate for Version 26.3 and Weekly Development Build

FreeCAD

FreeCAD, the open-source parametric 3D modeler widely used in mechanical engineering and related fields, has released the second release candidate for its upcoming 26.3 version alongside a new weekly development build. The 26.3rc2 focuses on fixing blockers reported from the first candidate, while the weekly build provides the latest experimental features and bug fixes for testing.

About FreeCAD

FreeCAD is a general-purpose, feature-based parametric 3D modeler designed primarily for computer-aided design (CAD), mechanical computer-aided engineering (MCAE), and related applications. It is widely used by developers, engineers, and hobbyists for creating detailed 3D models with parametric components, allowing for easy editing and iteration. As an open-source project, FreeCAD encourages community involvement in testing, bug reporting, and development.

FreeCAD 26.3 Release Candidate 2 (RC2)

On October 18, 2026, FreeCAD published the second release candidate (RC2) for version 26.3. This release candidate builds upon the first RC by incorporating fixes for issues reported by testers, including critical blockers. The FreeCAD team explicitly thanks the community members who filed reports, emphasizing that release candidates are intended to identify and resolve such problems before the final release.

Key Points of 26.3rc2

  • Addresses bugs and blockers reported since RC1, improving stability.
  • Users who tested RC1 are encouraged to verify that their reported issues are resolved and to check for any new problems.
  • New testers are invited to try this build as it is more stable than RC1.
  • The user interface strings are frozen, meaning translators should finalize their work.
  • Some default settings and behaviors have changed, so users should review the release notes before opening older documents with this build.
  • The release is not recommended for production use; backups of work are advised.
  • The FreeCAD community is encouraged to continue reporting regressions, especially those affecting functionality present in version 1.1 but not in 26.3.

The developers also invite contributors to help by fixing open issues labeled as blockers or by reviewing and testing pull requests. Weekly merge meetings occur on Mondays, providing a forum for patch discussions.

Detailed release notes and the list of changes since RC1 are available on the FreeCAD wiki and GitHub respectively:

Weekly Development Build - 2026.10.14

Alongside the RC2, FreeCAD also released a weekly development build on October 14, 2026. These weekly builds provide the latest code changes, including bug fixes, regressions, and newly implemented features, for users interested in testing bleeding-edge developments.

How to Use the Weekly Build

  1. Download the appropriate package for your operating system.
  2. Unpack the bundle to any folder.
  3. Launch the application:
    • Windows: Run \bin\freecad.exe in the extracted directory.
    • macOS: Launch /FreeCAD.app in the extracted directory.
    • Linux: Run the *.AppImage file.

These builds are explicitly not recommended for production environments due to their experimental nature.

Changes Since Last Weekly

Users can review the changes made since the previous weekly build through the GitHub comparison page:

Community Involvement

FreeCAD thrives on community participation for testing and development. The project encourages users to report issues, test release candidates, and contribute code or reviews. An optional telemetry addon is available to help the team make data-driven decisions about future changes.

For ongoing development discussions and patch submissions, FreeCAD holds weekly merge meetings and maintains an organized issue and pull request workflow on GitHub.

Conclusion

The FreeCAD 26.3 RC2 represents a significant step toward the final release by addressing critical issues found in earlier candidates. Meanwhile, the weekly development builds offer a window into the project's active development and invite community testing of the latest features. Users and developers interested in parametric 3D modeling and CAD are encouraged to participate in testing and reporting to help improve the software's stability and functionality.

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