Overview
Tau supports multiple CAD kernels for different modeling approaches and workflows.
CAD Kernels Overview
Tau supports multiple CAD kernels. Specify the kernel when initializing the CAD machine or by loading an example that is tagged with the corresponding language.
| Kernel | kernelType | Language flag | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Replicad | "replicad" | replicad (default) | Parametric TS/JS API backed by OpenCascade.js. |
| OpenSCAD | "openscad" | openscad | WebAssembly build of OpenSCAD. Accepts standard .scad syntax. |
| Zoo (KCL) | "zoo" | zoo | KittyCAD Language for cloud-native CAD with AI integration. |
Current Limitations
OpenSCAD
- Only STL generation is wired; STEP export is a TODO.
- Error messages are raw stderr text.
Zoo (KCL)
- Requires internet connection for Zoo API access.
- API token required for full functionality.
Contributions welcome!