GstarCAD 2026 for Linux: Enhanced Features & Performance

Gstarsoft has unveiled GstarCAD 2026 for Linux, a significant update that elevates CAD functionality for Linux users.

Following continuous iterations, this version now offers over 880 commands—covering more than 95% of those in the Windows version—and matches the Windows edition’s performance in handling large drawings and complex operations under the same hardware conditions. Focused on “Fresh Look, Smarter Design, Faster Speed Powered by Core,” the release introduces new features and improves key operations to deliver a smoother, more efficient design workflow.

Revamped Interface: Themes & Icons, Tab Bars, and Ribbon

New Interface Themes & Icons

GstarCAD 2026 for Linux features a refreshed interface with an updated design style and icons. It supports both dark and light themes, with dialog colors adapting to the selected theme. By default, the software uses the 2D Drafting workspace, which has a clearer, more streamlined command layout. Users can switch workspaces via the settings menu in the bottom-right corner.

Upgraded File & Layout Tab Bar

Both the file tab bar and layout tab bar have been upgraded for improved usability:

List buttons added to both tab bars for quick switching, creating, opening, saving, or closing.
Enhanced right-click menus with additional options.
Clearer display of file status, such as read-only and modified.
Support for floating drawing windows across multiple monitors.
Layout tab bar can incline with the status bar to save screen space.

Ribbon Improvement

Ribbon’s expanded panels can now be pinned in place, allowing frequently used tools to remain visible without collapsing.

Optimized Core Workflows

Enhanced Selection

The software now supports lasso selection, enabling the creation of irregular selection sets for easier handling of objects in complex drawings. Window selection is expanded with Fence, Window Polygon, and Crossing Polygon options. Additionally, the PICKAUTO system variable is optimized to align with the Windows version.

Improved Undo

Continuous zooming, panning, and layer operations can now be undone in a single step, simplifying workflows and cutting down on repetitive actions. Support for the UNDOCTL system variable ensures full compatibility with the Windows version.

Fixed OLE Display

Curves and text in OLE objects are now rendered as vectors, resolving distortion issues that occurred during zooming.

Significant Performance & Stability Gains

GstarCAD 2026 for Linux delivers notably improved performance. Testing with over 2,100 drawings shows substantial speedups across common operations:

Stability is also enhanced: known issues—such as failures to open drawings via double-click when file paths are too long, and annotation inconsistencies in certain drawings—are addressed, ensuring more reliable, uninterrupted design work.

Operation	GstarCAD 2025 for Linux Avg. Time	GstarCAD 2026 for Linux Avg. Time	Improvement
File Opening	3.2 s	1.4 s	55% faster
Copy	10.1 s	6.2 s	38% faster
Paste	14.8 s	7.18 s	51% faster
Trim	2.97 s	0.81 s	72% faster
Hatch	8.35 s	2.94 s	65% faster

New Features for Smarter Design

Table Data Formats

The software now supports data formats in tables. Users can set data formats directly within table styles, and right-clicking a selected table cell provides quick access to data format settings.

Annotative Text

Annotative text is now supported, allowing text objects to be assigned as annotative with a specified scale—ensuring text remains proportionate and legible across different viewport scales.

Break at Point

The new BREAKATPOINT command breaks a selected object into two at a specified point. Unlike the traditional BREAK command, there is no need to specify a second point or create a gap, making single-point object splitting more efficient (especially for use with commands or scripts).

New WMF Output

With the new WMFOUT command, users can save selected objects as Windows Metafile (WMF) files, facilitating compatibility with other software that uses WMF format.

DWF Double-Click Opening

DWF drawings (*.dwf, *. dwfx) can now be opened directly by double-clicking, via drag-and-drop into the command line, or through the OPEN command—simplifying access to DWF files.

-RENAME Command

The new -RENAME command allows renaming of specified items (e.g., blocks, layers, dimension styles) via command line prompts, streamlining the organization of drawing elements.