PhotoCraft vs Photoshop
PhotoCraft deliberately mirrors Photoshop's menus, shortcuts, panels and tools so it feels familiar. But the project says plainly it is early alpha and not yet a Photoshop replacement for daily professional work.
What PhotoCraft already has
- Layers, masks, adjustment layers (16), layer styles, type, vectors, brushes
- 70+ live-preview filters, smart objects with smart filters
- PSD/PSB read and write (134/135 test files round-trip, per official site)
- 8/16/32-bit; RGB, CMYK, Lab, Grayscale; ICC color management, soft proofing
- On-device subject/object selection
- Headless CLI and MCP server for scripts and AI agents
What is missing (per the README)
- AI / generative features
- Some tools (around 20)
- Advanced typography
- Photoshop plug-in compatibility
Who should try it
Linux users, people who want free offline editing of PSDs, and developers who want a scriptable editor. Pros relying on Generative Fill or plug-ins should keep Photoshop for now.
FAQ
Is PhotoCraft free?
Yes. PhotoCraft is free and open source under the Apache License 2.0.
Is PhotoCraft made by Adobe?
No. It is an independent, clean-room reimplementation by the ArtCraft team (GitHub org storytold). It is not affiliated with Adobe.
Can PhotoCraft open PSD files?
Yes. It opens and saves layered PSD and PSB files. The official site reports 134 of 135 real-world test files round-trip byte for byte.
Last updated 2026-10-12. Facts from the official repo and official site.