Dear Archicad developers and community,
I am writing to express a growing concern within the architectural and design community regarding the lack of native Archicad support for Linux. As professionals who rely heavily on robust and efficient tools, the absence of Linux compatibility in Archicad's offerings is increasingly becoming a significant limitation. Let me elaborate with a few points:
The Rising Tide of Linux Adoption
Linux has seen a notable increase in desktop market share, reaching 4.45% globally as of July 2024, up from 3.12% the previous year . This growth is not just in numbers but also in the diversity of its user base, which now includes a substantial portion of developers and professionals seeking stable and secure operating systems. (https://www.zdnet.com/article/5-factors-steadily-fueling-linuxs-desktop-rise/)
Enhanced Privacy and Stability
One of the primary reasons for this shift is Linux's superior approach to user privacy and system stability. Unlike other operating systems, Linux does not engage in intrusive data collection practices, offering users greater control over their information. Moreover, its open-source nature allows for continuous community-driven improvements, resulting in a more secure and reliable environment.
Advancements in Development Tools
The development landscape on Linux has matured significantly. With Microsoft's .NET now fully supported on Linux distributions like Ubuntu 24.04, developers can build and run applications seamlessly across platforms. This cross-platform compatibility reduces the barriers for software like Archicad to operate efficiently on Linux systems.
Challenges with Windows 11
Conversely, Windows 11 has introduced several challenges that are prompting users to seek alternatives:
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Privacy Concerns: Features like the Recall AI tool, which captures screenshots of user activity, have raised significant privacy issues .
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Hardware Limitations: Strict hardware requirements have rendered many functional PCs incompatible with Windows 11, leading to increased electronic waste and unnecessary financial burdens on users .
Linux Powers the Architecture of the Internet and Industry Tools
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Linux is already dominant in infrastructure: Most servers, cloud services (AWS, Azure, Google Cloud), and render farms rely on Linux. Architects and visualizers who work with networked rendering (e.g., Blender, V-Ray, Houdini) often use Linux-based environments.
- All of the top 500 supercomputers run Linux (https://www.stackscale.com/blog/most-powerful-supercomputers-linux/)
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Why should the desktop environment be the outlier? Offering Archicad on Linux would allow better integration with these workflows.
Cross-Platform Engine Use Is Already Industry Standard
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Many modern creative tools (Unreal Engine, Blender, Unity, Godot, etc.) are cross-platform and run on Linux.
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By not offering Linux support, Archicad is an outlier compared to software like:
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Blender: Fully open-source, Linux-native
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Autodesk Maya / Houdini: Have Linux support in VFX pipelines
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DaVinci Resolve: Professional video editing, Linux-native
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Professionals in architecture, VFX, and design increasingly use Linux as a unified OS to run all their tools efficiently.
macOS Support Already Shows UNIX Compatibility
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Archicad already runs on macOS, which is a UNIX-certified OS.
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This means a large portion of the underlying codebase is already POSIX-compliant or portable to Linux.
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Supporting macOS but not Linux ignores a large, growing, and more open UNIX-based platform.
WINE and Virtualization Are Not Professional Solutions
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Many Linux users attempt to run Archicad through WINE or Windows VMs, but this leads to:
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Reduced performance (especially GPU acceleration)
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Incompatibility with licensing systems
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Unreliable behavior on updates
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Native support is the only sustainable, production-grade solution.
Security and Offline Functionality
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Linux systems are highly secure, particularly valuable in firms handling sensitive client data or operating in air-gapped environments.
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Linux offers easier offline installation and dependency control without forced updates or telemetry.
Education and Emerging Talent
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Linux is becoming more popular in universities and architecture schools, especially in Europe and Asia.
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Many students use tools like Rhino, Blender, and QCAD on Linux and look for employment with firms using modern, open tech stacks.
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Not supporting Linux may alienate a new generation of architects.
Additionally:
Which components of Archicad currently depend on Windows- or macOS-only frameworks?
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Is it UI rendering (e.g., relying on proprietary Windows/macOS GUI toolkits)?
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Licensing infrastructure?
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Graphics APIs such as DirectX instead of cross-platform ones like OpenGL or Vulkan?
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Third-party dependencies or middleware that lack Linux support?
Understanding this would help the user and developer community appreciate the complexity involved and, importantly, assess how we might collaboratively help.
Is there any way the community could contribute to this effort?
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If a Linux version is not currently feasible internally, could Graphisoft consider open-sourcing select non-core components, or facilitating a community-driven feasibility study or prototype?
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Could Graphisoft publish a technical roadmap or host a discussion with interested professionals and developers?
Given that Linux is an open ecosystem, and many architectural firms are filled with skilled IT and CAD professionals, there is potential for volunteer contributions or joint initiatives, especially if the hurdles are clearly defined.
We understand such a move would be non-trivial, but openness and community engagement would go a long way toward both goodwill and innovation.
Looking forward to your response and hopeful for a positive dialogue.
Best regards,
Maximilian Richter
Operating system used: Windows
