Developer Creates Free, Open-Source Alternative to Adobe Apps

Atlanta-based developer Brandon Thomas has used the “Claude Opus 5.5” artificial intelligence model and the “Rust” programming language to create a free alternative to “Adobe Creative Suite.” According to Thomas, he has rebuilt 7 applications, including “Photoshop,” “Illustrator,” “Premiere,” “Lightroom,” “Acrobat Pro,” “After Effects,” and “InDesign.” The suite, called “Artcraft,” was released as open source on “GitHub” last week. Anyone can download the applications for free.

The suite includes “Photocraft,” “Vectorcraft,” “Filmcraft,” “Lightcraft,” “Printcraft,” “Effectcraft,” and “Designcraft.” These programs feature menus and workflows similar to those of the corresponding “Adobe” applications. The aim is to bring all creative software together in a single suite instead of offering separate free tools. Thomas plans to make the programs’ features fully match the originals within 1 month.

The programs can also be controlled using artificial intelligence. A JSON-based control channel and an MCP server allow AI to access menus and tools and create content directly. At the same time, critics have alleged that the project copies “Adobe” products, raising the possibility of legal action. The developer says he wrote the programs from scratch and did not use “Adobe” source code.

A brief test of “Photocraft” showed that the program works, but it still has many bugs and resembles an unfinished version of “Photoshop.” Although the tools were in the expected sections, the “Free Transform” feature used to modify a selected area sometimes failed to end the command and reverted the changes on its own. Nevertheless, for simple tasks, the program appeared easier to use than free alternatives such as “Photopea” and “Gimp.” Thomas said the applications are in early alpha and are not yet ready for use. He has also promised rewards to those who find bugs.

The main concern is that hundreds of thousands of lines of code were written in a short period by just 1 person with the help of artificial intelligence. According to the 2026 “State of Code Developer Survey,” which involved 1,100 professionals, 96% of developers do not fully trust AI-generated code. The risks include privacy issues, malicious code, and unsafe file handling. Users are therefore advised to exercise caution when downloading the programs and not to open important files in these applications until the source code has been reviewed.

The project has emerged at a time when dissatisfaction with “Adobe’s” subscription model continues. This year, the company agreed to a $150 million settlement (approximately 255 million manats) in a federal lawsuit filed in 2024 alleging that it kept consumers in subscription plans that did not suit them. Thomas describes himself as a professional with 15 years of experience working in payment systems, robotics, and optical automation. Whether “Artcraft” becomes a viable alternative depends on the completion of its missing features and other developers joining the project.