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OpenSCAD lets you build a 3D solid by writing a short script instead of dragging faces and handles in a conventional direct-modeling interface. For a useful first project, define a few dimensions as named variables, use primitives such as a cube and cylinder, combine them with constructive solid geometry (CSG), and change the variables to regenerate the object.
This guide follows the beginner progression in the official OpenSCAD documentation: install a stable release, create a primitive, parameterize its dimensions, subtract a hole, preview and render the result, and optionally export an STL file.
What OpenSCAD is and what “parametric” means
OpenSCAD is script-based solid-modeling software. Your file contains statements that describe geometry and operations; OpenSCAD evaluates those statements and displays the resulting solid. The model is therefore reproducible: the same script can be reopened, edited, and regenerated without rebuilding the shape manually.
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The building blocks
- Primitives are basic shapes such as cubes, cylinders, spheres, squares, and circles. The official CheatSheet lists the core primitives and their syntax.
- CSG operations construct a solid by combining or subtracting other solids.
union()combines shapes, whiledifference()removes subsequent shapes from the first shape. - Preview is a quick OpenCSG/OpenGL approximation for interactive work.
- Render calculates the exact geometry and can take longer, especially as a model becomes more complex.
The User Manual describes Preview and Render as OpenSCAD’s two main operating modes and documents the available export formats, including STL.
Install the right OpenSCAD build
Use the official Downloads page rather than copying a version number from an old tutorial. That page separates stable releases from development snapshots and lists packages for macOS, Windows, Linux, and other distribution options. Release versions, platform builds, and package availability change over time.
- Open the Downloads page.
- Find the stable release section for your operating system.
- Download the installer or package appropriate to that system and complete the normal installation.
- Launch OpenSCAD and create a new document.
Development snapshots can expose newer features, but they are not the default choice for a first lesson. Start with the stable channel so that menu names and behavior are less likely to change while you learn the language. The page may show a dated development snapshot; do not treat that snapshot as the stable release.
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Understand the editor and viewport
OpenSCAD separates the text editor from the 3D view. You write or paste the model script in the editor, then ask OpenSCAD to update the view. The viewport is where you inspect the resulting object; it is not the place where you directly pull vertices or faces into a new position.
Keep the script readable from the beginning. Put one concept on each line, use descriptive variable names, and add comments for choices that are not obvious. A semicolon terminates a statement, and braces group the children of operations such as union() and difference(). The Language Reference is the authoritative place to check syntax when you move beyond the examples here.
Create your first visible object
Begin with a single primitive so that you can verify the editor-to-viewport workflow before adding parameters or boolean operations.
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cube([30, 20, 10]);- Enter the line in a new OpenSCAD document.
- Run Preview with
F5. - Use the viewport controls to rotate or zoom until the rectangular solid is easy to inspect.
The three numbers describe the cube’s size along its three axes. At this stage the values are literal, so changing the dimensions means editing the line directly. That is adequate for a syntax check, but it is not yet a convenient parametric model.
Turn dimensions into parameters
Replace repeated literal dimensions with named values near the top of the file. The names make the design’s intent visible and give you one place to make changes.
// Main dimensions, in the units used by this file
width = 30;
depth = 20;
height = 10;
cube([width, depth, height]);Preview again after saving the file. Now change width from 30 to 40 and run Preview once more. The block becomes wider without changing the other two dimensions. This is the central beginner idea: the script is the design, and the named values are its adjustable inputs.
Choose parameters that express relationships
Parameterize dimensions that you expect to change or that several features must share. For a block with a centered hole, a hole diameter and a margin are more useful parameters than unrelated coordinates.
width = 30;
depth = 20;
height = 10;
hole_diameter = 8;
cube([width, depth, height]);Keep units consistent within a file. OpenSCAD accepts numeric values without forcing a particular real-world unit system; you decide whether your numbers represent millimeters, inches, or another unit and must keep that choice consistent when exporting or fabricating.
Use CSG to combine and cut solids
Most first OpenSCAD projects become useful when one solid is added to another or removed from it. These are CSG operations: the result is calculated from the relationship between shapes rather than from manually edited surfaces.
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Combine shapes with union()
A union() contains two or more child shapes and produces their combined volume. For example, this teaching model makes a rectangular base and a raised cylindrical boss.
base_width = 30;
base_depth = 20;
base_height = 6;
boss_radius = 5;
boss_height = 8;
union() {
cube([base_width, base_depth, base_height]);
translate([base_width / 2, base_depth / 2, base_height])
cylinder(r = boss_radius, h = boss_height);
}The translate() operation moves the cylinder before it is combined with the base. The cylinder is placed at the center of the base in the horizontal directions and starts at the base’s top surface. This is an instructional example, not a tested mechanical design.
Cut a hole with difference()
To remove material, put the solid you want to keep first and the cutting solid second inside difference(). A cutter that extends beyond the part is often easier to reason about than one that ends exactly at a face.
width = 30;
depth = 20;
height = 10;
hole_radius = 4;
difference() {
cube([width, depth, height]);
translate([width / 2, depth / 2, -1])
cylinder(r = hole_radius, h = height + 2);
}Remove the extra space before difference() if your editor inserts it; OpenSCAD ignores ordinary indentation, but consistent formatting makes nested operations easier to read. The cylinder begins slightly below the block and ends slightly above it, so the subtraction passes completely through the material.
Change hole_radius, width, or height, then preview again. The hole and the outer block update from the same named values. If you want a recess instead of a through-hole, make the cutting cylinder shorter and position it so that it stops inside the block.
Preview versus Render: when to use each
The official manual distinguishes the two modes. Preview is intended for fast iteration; Render performs the full geometry calculation.
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| Mode | Shortcut | What it does | Best use |
|---|---|---|---|
| Preview | F5 | Displays a fast, approximate OpenCSG/OpenGL result. Visual artifacts can appear. | Check placement, proportions, parameter changes, and the general shape while editing. |
| Render | F6 | Calculates exact geometry and may take longer for complex models. | Verify the final solid before exporting it. |
Use F5 after nearly every small edit. If a face flickers, overlaps, or shows an unexpected artifact in Preview, do not assume that the final geometry is wrong; Preview is approximate. Run F6 when the shape and dimensions are settled. A render that fails or produces an unexpected result usually points to a syntax error, an invalid operation, or geometry that needs closer inspection.
Read errors and debug systematically
Scripted modeling rewards small, reversible changes. When the viewport stops updating or an error appears, work through the following checks.
- Check punctuation. Look for a missing semicolon, parenthesis, brace, or comma. Compare function calls with the syntax in the Language Reference or CheatSheet.
- Confirm names. OpenSCAD variable names are case-sensitive. A value named
hole_radiusis different fromhole_Radius. - Preview a smaller section. Temporarily comment out complex branches or nested operations and confirm that the remaining primitive renders.
- Check operation order. In
difference(), the first child is the material retained; later children are subtracted. Reversing them changes the result. - Inspect coordinates. A cutter may be outside the object, or a translated feature may be positioned at an unexpected height. Return to simple values and move one axis at a time.
- Render only after the script previews cleanly. F6 is not a replacement for fixing syntax or logical mistakes; it simply performs a more complete calculation.
Keep a known-good primitive in the file while experimenting. If the primitive still appears but a new branch does not, the problem is localized to that branch. If nothing appears, check the error message and the most recent edit first.
Build a small parameterized spacer
A spacer is a useful teaching example because it demonstrates an outer solid, a through-hole, named dimensions, and a repeatable adjustment. It is not a guarantee of fit for a real assembly.
outer_width = 24;
outer_depth = 24;
outer_height = 12;
hole_radius = 5;
difference() {
cube([outer_width, outer_depth, outer_height]);
translate([outer_width / 2, outer_depth / 2, -1])
cylinder(r = hole_radius, h = outer_height + 2);
}- Preview the default dimensions with F5.
- Change
outer_heightand preview again to see the spacer become taller or shorter. - Change
hole_radiusand verify that the remaining wall is still visually large enough for your teaching example. - Change both outer dimensions while keeping the center calculation based on half their values; the hole remains centered.
- Run F6 when you are satisfied with the digital shape.
Notice why the center is expressed as outer_width / 2 and outer_depth / 2 instead of hard-coded coordinates. The relationship survives a size change. This kind of dependency is the practical value of parameterization.
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After a successful render, OpenSCAD can export the calculated solid as an STL file. STL is an available format documented in the User Manual and is commonly accepted by slicers and fabrication workflows.
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- Run Render with F6 and wait for the exact geometry calculation to finish.
- Use OpenSCAD’s export command and choose STL as the format.
- Save the file with a name that identifies the model and, if useful, its parameter set.
- If you intend to fabricate it, open the STL in a separate slicing or manufacturing workflow and inspect orientation, wall thickness, clearances, and support needs there.
Exporting an STL is optional; you do not need a 3D printer to complete the modeling lesson. An exported file is not automatically a tested or guaranteed-printable design. Physical results depend on the chosen process, material, machine, and the geometry’s manufacturing requirements.
Continue through the official learning path
Once primitives, variables, and CSG feel comfortable, follow the sequence in the official documentation rather than jumping randomly between examples.
Modules
Modules let you package a repeated shape or operation behind a meaningful name. A module can receive dimensions as arguments, which keeps a main design readable and makes repeated features consistent.
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Libraries provide reusable definitions. Learn how to include a library only after you understand the shapes it supplies, the arguments it expects, and how its coordinate system fits your model.
Control flow and loops
Conditional logic and loops are useful when features depend on a parameter or repeat across a row, grid, or ring. Start with a short loop and preview the result before combining it with multiple transforms and boolean operations.
Extrusion and lower-level geometry
Extrusion turns 2D profiles into 3D forms, while lower-level geometry operations give you finer control when primitives are not enough. These tools are easier to understand once you can already inspect a primitive, position it, and subtract it reliably.
A practical beginner checklist
- Install the current stable build from the official Downloads page.
- Create a primitive and confirm that F5 produces a visible preview.
- Move important dimensions into clearly named variables.
- Change one parameter at a time and observe the regenerated geometry.
- Use
union()to combine solids anddifference()to cut holes or recesses. - Keep cutters long enough to pass fully through a part when you intend a through-hole.
- Use Preview for speed, but use Render to calculate exact final geometry.
- Export STL only after a successful render, and treat fabrication as a separate validation step.
- Save working versions before major edits so you can return to a known-good script.
What your first finished model should demonstrate
A successful first parametric model is not measured by complexity. It should show that you can describe a solid in code, control its dimensions with named values, combine or subtract primitives, and regenerate the result after an edit. The spacer or block-with-hole examples meet that goal while leaving room for deliberate experimentation.
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When you can change the outer dimensions without manually repositioning the hole, distinguish a quick preview from an exact render, and produce an STL only when you need a fabrication handoff, you have learned the core workflow on which OpenSCAD’s later modules, libraries, loops, and extrusion techniques build.
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