SolveSpace is a free, open-source parametric 2D and 3D CAD tool that gives Linux users serious design power without a commercial license. If you need to install SolveSpace on Ubuntu 26.04, you have four clean paths: the Ubuntu APT repository, the Snap Store, Flathub via Flatpak, or a manual build from source. This guide walks through every method with exact commands, explains what each step does, and covers the most common errors you will run into. By the end, you will have SolveSpace running on Ubuntu 26.04 LTS and know exactly how to manage, update, or remove it when needed.

What Is SolveSpace and Why Should You Use It on Linux?

SolveSpace started in 2008 as commercial proprietary software created by Jonathan Westhues. Version 2.0 was released as free and open-source software under the GPL v3 license in 2013, and version 2.1 added native Linux and macOS support in 2016. As of 2026, the project is maintained by a community of volunteers and continues to receive active development.

At its core, SolveSpace is a constraint-based parametric modeler. That means instead of drawing shapes and adjusting them manually, you define relationships and dimensions, and the solver keeps your model consistent as you make changes. This is the same fundamental workflow used in commercial tools like SolidWorks or Fusion 360, but without the subscription cost.

Key Features That Make It Worth Installing

• 2D Sketch Modeling — parametric drawing of lines, circles, arcs, and cubic Bezier curves with datum points and reference lines
• 3D Solid Modeling — extrusion, rotation, revolution along a helix, and Boolean operations (union, difference, intersection)
• Assembly Support — link components in a special constraint-only mode to verify dimensional fit
• Mechanical Simulation — visualize planar or spatial linkages with pin, ball, and slide joints; export motion data as CSV
• G-code Export — generate toolpaths with cutter radius compensation for direct CNC workflows
• Broad File Format Support — import DXF/DWG (AutoCAD 2007); export to PDF, SVG, EPS, STEP, STL, Wavefront OBJ, HPGL, and DXF

SolveSpace uses its own .slvs file format for model storage, which is a plain text format that works well with version control systems like Git. For anyone doing 3D printing, laser cutting, or CNC work on Ubuntu, SolveSpace is one of the most practical and lightweight tools available.

Prerequisites

Before running any installation command, confirm you have the following in place:

• Ubuntu 26.04 LTS (Noble Numbat) installed and fully updated. Verify with:

  lsb_release -a

• A user account with sudo privileges
• An active internet connection
• Terminal access (press Ctrl + Alt + T to open the terminal)
• At least 200MB of free disk space for APT/Snap installs; up to 1GB if building from source

Run this command first to bring your system fully up to date before starting any installation method:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade -y

This updates the package index and upgrades any outdated packages on your system. Skipping this step is one of the most common reasons installations fail or produce dependency errors.

Step 1: Choose Your Installation Method

Ubuntu 26.04 LTS supports four ways to install SolveSpace. Each one suits a different use case.

If you are new to Linux, start with APT. If you want the latest upstream version, use Snap or Flatpak. If you contribute to the project or need unreleased features, build from source.

Step 2: Install SolveSpace via APT (Recommended for Beginners)

The APT method installs SolveSpace directly from Ubuntu’s official package repository. It is the fastest approach and integrates cleanly with your system’s package manager.

Step 2.1: Update the Package Index

sudo apt update

This refreshes the list of available packages and their versions from Ubuntu’s servers. Always run this before installing anything to avoid pulling outdated package metadata.

Step 2.2: Enable the Universe Repository

The solvespace package lives in Ubuntu’s universe repository, which contains community-maintained packages. On some Ubuntu 26.04 installations this repository may not be enabled by default.

sudo add-apt-repository universe
sudo apt update

The first command adds the universe repository to your sources list. The second command refreshes the package index to include packages from that repository.

Step 2.3: Install SolveSpace

sudo apt install solvespace

Ubuntu will resolve all required dependencies automatically and display the list of packages it plans to install. When prompted, type Y and press Enter to confirm.

Expected output (truncated):

Reading package lists... Done
Building dependency tree... Done
The following NEW packages will be installed:
  solvespace
0 upgraded, 1 newly installed, 0 to remove and 0 not upgraded.
Do you want to continue? [Y/n]

Step 2.4: Verify the Installation

solvespace --version

This prints the installed version number to the terminal. You can also check detailed package information with:

apt show solvespace

Note: The APT repository typically ships an older stable version of SolveSpace. If you need the latest release, use the Snap or Flatpak method instead.

Step 3: Install SolveSpace via Snap

The Snap method delivers the latest stable release and updates automatically in the background. Ubuntu 26.04 LTS ships with snapd pre-installed, so in most cases you can jump straight to the install command.

Step 3.1: Confirm Snapd Is Running

snap version

If the command returns a version number, snapd is active. If you get a “command not found” error, install snapd with:

sudo apt update && sudo apt install snapd

After installing snapd, log out and log back in (or reboot) so your system registers the Snap environment paths correctly.

Step 3.2: Install SolveSpace from the Snap Store

For the latest stable release:

sudo snap install solvespace

For bleeding-edge builds from the master branch (for testing only):

sudo snap install solvespace --edge

Warning: Edge channel builds are automatically released from the latest master commit. They may contain bugs and are not recommended for production use.

Step 3.3: Confirm the Snap Install

snap list solvespace

Expected output:

Name        Version  Rev  Tracking       Publisher    Notes
solvespace  3.x.x    xx   latest/stable  solvespace   -

Step 3.4: Grant File System Access (If Needed)

Snap packages run in a sandbox that restricts file system access. If SolveSpace cannot open or save files on external drives or non-home locations, run:

sudo snap connect solvespace:removable-media

This connects the removable-media interface, giving SolveSpace permission to read and write files outside your home directory.

Step 4: Install SolveSpace via Flatpak (Flathub)

Flatpak is a universal Linux packaging format that runs SolveSpace in an isolated sandbox. Unlike Snap, Flatpak is not pre-installed on Ubuntu 26.04 because Canonical promotes Snap as its preferred packaging system. You need to set it up manually before installing any Flatpak application.

Step 4.1: Install Flatpak

sudo apt install flatpak

Optionally, install the GNOME Software plugin for Flatpak so you can manage Flatpak apps through the graphical software center:

sudo apt install gnome-software-plugin-flatpak

Step 4.2: Add the Flathub Repository

Flathub is the main distribution platform for Flatpak applications. Register it as a remote source with:

flatpak remote-add --if-not-exists flathub https://flathub.org/repo/flathub.flatpakrepo

The --if-not-exists flag prevents an error if you run this command more than once. After adding Flathub, reboot your system:

sudo reboot

Rebooting ensures the Flatpak daemon picks up the new remote and your desktop environment registers the application launcher entries.

Step 4.3: Install SolveSpace from Flathub

flatpak install flathub com.solvespace.SolveSpace

Flatpak will download the application along with any required runtime libraries. Accept the prompts by typing Y when asked to confirm.

Step 4.4: Launch SolveSpace via Flatpak

flatpak run com.solvespace.SolveSpace

Or search for “SolveSpace” in your application menu after a session restart. To verify the installed version:

flatpak list | grep SolveSpace

Step 5: Build SolveSpace from Source (Advanced Users)

Building from source gives you access to the latest unreleased features and lets you apply custom patches. This method requires comfort with the terminal and basic build tooling.

Step 5.1: Install Build Dependencies

sudo apt install git build-essential cmake zlib1g-dev libpng-dev \
    libcairo2-dev libfreetype6-dev libjson-c-dev \
    libfontconfig1-dev libgtkmm-3.0-dev libpangomm-1.4-dev \
    libgl-dev libglu-dev libspnav-dev

This installs the C++ compiler toolchain, CMake build system, and all required libraries including GTK3 for the GUI, OpenGL for rendering, and support for optional Space Navigator input devices.

Step 5.2: Clone the Repository and Initialize Submodules

git clone https://github.com/solvespace/solvespace
cd solvespace
git submodule update --init

The git submodule update --init command downloads the required external libraries (like libdxfrw) that are tracked as Git submodules. Skipping this step causes the build to fail.

Step 5.3: Configure and Compile

mkdir build
cd build
cmake .. -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release -DENABLE_OPENMP=ON
make

The -DCMAKE_BUILD_TYPE=Release flag enables compiler optimizations for a faster runtime binary. The -DENABLE_OPENMP=ON flag enables multi-threaded processing for improved performance on multi-core CPUs.

The make command compiles the source code. Expect this to take several minutes depending on your hardware.

Step 5.4: Install the Compiled Binaries

sudo make install

This copies the compiled binaries to /usr/local/bin/. After installation, the graphical interface is available as solvespace and the command-line interface as solvespace-cli.

Step 6: Launch and Configure SolveSpace on Ubuntu 26.04

Once installed through any of the above methods, you can launch SolveSpace from the terminal or the application menu.

Launching from the Terminal

• APT or source build: solvespace
• Snap: solvespace
• Flatpak: flatpak run com.solvespace.SolveSpace

Launching from the Application Menu

Press the Super key, type “SolveSpace” in the search bar, and click the icon. It typically appears under the Graphics category. If the icon does not show up immediately after installation, run:

sudo update-desktop-database
sudo update-icon-caches /usr/share/icons/*

Basic First-Run Configuration

When SolveSpace opens for the first time, take a moment to set these preferences under Edit > Configuration:

• Export Scale Factor — set this to match your working unit (mm or inches)
• Grid Spacing — adjust to your typical sketch scale
• Chord Tolerance — controls mesh quality for STL exports; lower values produce finer meshes at the cost of larger file sizes

These settings persist between sessions and significantly affect the quality of files you export for 3D printing or CNC machining.

Step 7: How to Uninstall SolveSpace from Ubuntu 2626.04

When you need to remove SolveSpace, the process depends on which installation method you used.

Uninstall APT Version

sudo apt remove solvespace
sudo apt purge solvespace
sudo apt autoremove

apt remove removes the application binary. apt purge removes the application plus its configuration files. apt autoremove cleans up orphaned dependencies that were installed alongside SolveSpace but are no longer needed.

Uninstall Snap Version

sudo snap remove solvespace

Snap automatically removes the sandboxed application container and all its associated data.

Uninstall Flatpak Version

flatpak uninstall com.solvespace.SolveSpace
flatpak uninstall --unused

The second command removes leftover Flatpak runtime dependencies that are no longer used by any other application.

Uninstall a Source Build

Navigate back to your build directory and run:

sudo make uninstall

If make uninstall is not configured in the build system, remove the binary manually:

sudo rm /usr/local/bin/solvespace
sudo rm /usr/local/bin/solvespace-cli

Troubleshooting Common Installation Issues

Error 1: “Package ‘solvespace’ has no installation candidate”

This error means the universe repository is not enabled on your system.

Fix:

sudo add-apt-repository universe
sudo apt update
sudo apt install solvespace

Error 2: SolveSpace Snap Cannot Open Files Outside Home Directory

The Snap sandbox blocks access to external paths by default.

Fix:

sudo snap connect solvespace:removable-media

After running this, restart SolveSpace and try opening the file again.

Error 3: Flatpak App Does Not Appear in the Application Menu

This happens when the desktop database has not been updated after the Flatpak installation.

Fix:

sudo update-desktop-database
sudo update-icon-caches /usr/share/icons/*

Log out and log back in afterward.

Error 4: cmake Fails with “Could NOT find GTKmm”

This means one or more GTK development libraries are missing from your system.

Fix:

sudo apt install libgtkmm-3.0-dev libpangomm-1.4-dev

After installing these packages, re-run cmake .. from the build directory.

Error 5: Wrong or Outdated Version Installed via APT

The Ubuntu repository ships an older stable version that may not match the latest upstream release.

Fix:

Check the available version with:

apt-cache policy solvespace

If the repository version is too old for your needs, remove it and switch to Snap or Flatpak for the most current release.

Congratulations! You have successfully installed SolveSpace. Thanks for using this tutorial for installing SolveSpace open-source parametric CAD tool on Fedora 43 Linux system. For additional help or useful information, we recommend you check the official SolveSpace website.