PhotoCraft: an open-source image editor, reviewed
The image editor you already know how to use. Built in pure Rust with native GPU rendering. Opens layered PSD/PSB files, supports 16 adjustment layers, and runs 100% locally on your machine.
6 PhotoCraft Architectural Pillars
Familiar by Design
Standard tool palettes, brush dynamics, layers panel, history states, and keybindings you already know from two decades of Photoshop muscle memory.
Native GPU Canvas (No Electron)
Direct hardware rendering via Metal, Vulkan, DirectX 12, and WebGPU. Sub-millisecond brush responsiveness with zero JavaScript frame drops.
Real Layered PSD & PSB Files
Reads and writes multi-layer PSD and PSB files byte-for-byte. In official benchmark suites, 134 of 135 complex test files roundtrip flawlessly.
16 Adjustment Layers & 70+ Filters
Non-destructive curves, levels, channel mixers, selective color, gradient maps, and high-pass sharpening running in real-time GPU compute.
On-Device Neural Selection
AI object and subject selection models execute 100% locally on your machine. Your photos and client artwork are never uploaded to remote cloud servers.
Serious Color & ICC Soft Proofing
8-bit, 16-bit integer, and 32-bit floating-point depth in RGB, CMYK, Lab, and Grayscale. Full color profile transformations and print soft-proofing.
PhotoCraft vs Adobe Photoshop
| Feature / Metric | PhotoCraft (v0.7.0) | Adobe Photoshop |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing Model | 100% Free & Open Source (GPL-3) | $239.88/yr subscription |
| Multi-Layer PSD/PSB Support | Native roundtrip (134/135 test files) | Native standard format |
| Adjustment Layers | 16 real-time GPU adjustment layers | Full suite of adjustment layers |
| Color Depth & Spaces | 8, 16, 32-bit (RGB, CMYK, Lab, Gray) | 8, 16, 32-bit (RGB, CMYK, Lab) |
| Privacy & Telemetry | Zero cloud calls, on-device AI only | Cloud syncing, Adobe telemetry |
| Memory Footprint | < 120 MB idle (Pure Rust) | 1.5 GB - 3 GB+ with background daemons |
| Platforms | macOS, Windows, Linux, FreeBSD, Web | macOS, Windows, iPad |
Supported Platforms & Install Options
PhotoCraft builds are standalone binaries with zero dependencies. Requires a modern GPU supporting Metal, Vulkan, DirectX 12, or WebGPU.