Install on Windows

GigaCAD for Windows is in development and isn’t available to download yet. Until it is, use GigaCAD in your browser or with the command-line tool. This page describes how it will work.

GigaCAD for Windows puts your projects in a GigaCAD folder in your user folder, laid out like the web directory. Branches you check out are editable; everything else is read-only.

Requirements

Windows 10 version 1809 or later, or Windows 11, 64-bit. Nothing else: the app brings its own copy of everything it needs, including the giga command-line tool. SolidWorks isn’t required.

Run the installer

Download GigaCAD for Windows and run it. It installs for your user account only, so it doesn’t ask for an administrator, and it opens GigaCAD when it’s done. The installer isn’t code-signed yet, so Windows SmartScreen may say it protected your PC. To install anyway:

1. Choose More info.
2. Check that the app is GigaCAD-Setup, then choose Run anyway.

You only do this once. Updates install themselves.

Sign in with a device code

GigaCAD opens a sign-in window and your browser. Check that the browser shows the same code, then approve it. A short checklist then creates the GigaCAD folder and adds GigaCAD to the File Explorer right-click menu. If you already use giga in a terminal, the app uses the same sign-in.

The GigaCAD folder

Each project is at %USERPROFILE%\GigaCAD\<owner>\<project>. Root files sync both ways: edit one and a new revision is recorded. Branches holds a folder per branch. To download one you haven’t yet, right-click it and choose GigaCAD → Download. Releases keeps the latest release by default.

To edit a branch, right-click its folder and choose GigaCAD → Check Out. Each save becomes an autosave after a few seconds; use GigaCAD → Commit Version… to record a named version, and GigaCAD → Check In when you’re done. On Windows 11 the GigaCAD menu is under Show more options. The same actions are in the GigaCAD window, which opens from its icon in the notification area.

The command-line tool

In GigaCAD’s Settings, choose Install Command Line Tool to use giga in a new terminal without installing Node. See Command-line tool.

Uninstall

Quit GigaCAD from its notification-area icon, then uninstall it from Settings → Apps → Installed apps. That also removes the right-click menu. Your GigaCAD folder stays. Files in a read-only branch can be made editable from each file’s Properties.