This website is biased toward ReShiki, because its maintainer also maintains ReShiki. Please be careful.
BondForge
BondForge is a desktop application for drawing chemical structures, reaction schemes, and annotated figures.
Open source. 29 of 65 checklist features confirmed.
Main canvas
Default MOL import collapses into overlapping labels in both appearances.
Default drawings
Caffeine
Paclitaxel
Cholesterol in 3D
- Default SMILES imports collapse to overlapping labels in canvas and SVG.
- Default dark canvas has very low contrast black bonds.
- Paclitaxel and cholesterol outputs retain connectivity but lose assigned tetrahedral stereochemistry.
- Cholesterol 3D model rotates; initial view requires zooming out.
- Cholesterol PNG defaults to 158 by 142 pixels at 72 dpi.
- MOL fallback also produces collapsed, overlapping labels for caffeine and paclitaxel.
Facts
- GitHub stars
- 1 stars on 6 Nov 2026
- First commit
- 7 Apr 2026
- Repository activity
- 24 commits, 2 contributors, last push 11 Apr 2026
- Version we tested
- commit b68de22
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows
- License
- GNU GPL version 3 or later.
- Price
- Free
- Relies on
- RDKit, OPSIN. Custom Qt drawing scene; OPSIN is optional.
- Draws with
- Qt QGraphicsView/QGraphicsScene with QPainter; QSvgGenerator and QPdfWriter for vector exports
- Chemistry from
- RDKit; optional OPSIN for name-to-structure
- Interface
- PySide6 (Qt for Python)
- Main language
- Python
- Other languages
- C++: RDKit chemistry backend
- Renderer
- Original: BondForge molecular renderer
- Third-party licenses
- Includes LGPL-3.0 PySide6/Qt and BSD-3-Clause RDKit/NumPy; optional naming uses MIT-licensed py2opsin/OPSIN.
- Download
- 0.1 MB
- Installed
- 1.4 GB
- Pre-alpha source code; supplied metadata has no tagged release or packaged downloads.
- Name-to-structure needs the optional naming dependency and a Java runtime.
- Documentation overstates rich text, journal formatting and several file-format workflows.
In use
Screenshots from our test of this version.
Wedge, hash and wavy bonds
Exported solid and hashed wedge bonds.
Ring tools
Exported six-membered aromatic ring.
Reaction arrows
Exported forward and equilibrium arrows.
Curved mechanism arrows
Exported curved pair and radical arrows.
Formula and mass
Properties panel showing molecular formula, molecular weight, and exact mass.
Property estimates
Properties panel showing logP, TPSA, and other molecular values.
3D model view
BondForge 3D viewer displaying a molecular model.
SVG export
SVG exports showing solid and hashed wedge bonds.
Features
- Tested by running it
- Seen in the app
- The manual says yes
- Partly, with the reason shown
- Not supported
- Not established, which is not the same as no
Select a mark for its proof. A filled mark opens our screenshot, or the manual if the check left nothing to picture. A ring opens the manual.
Drawing structures
- Yes, tested by running it: Single, double, triple tools produced ethane, ethene, and ethyne. Opens the cited page.Single, double and triple bondsSingle, double, triple tools produced ethane, ethene, and ethyne.github.com
- Partly: Solid and hashed wedges export correctly; no wavy tool visible. Opens the screenshot.Wedge, hash and wavy bondsSolid and hashed wedges export correctly; no wavy tool visible.github.com
- No: Dative data renders as ordinary lines; specialist bond rendering is absent. Opens the cited page.Dative, hydrogen and quadruple bondsDative data renders as ordinary lines; specialist bond rendering is absent.github.com
- Partly: Double bonds are always centered; left/right positioning is unavailable. Opens the cited page.Choose double-bond sideDouble bonds are always centered; left/right positioning is unavailable.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Aromatic six-membered ring inserted; sizes three through eight visible. Opens the screenshot.Ring toolsAromatic six-membered ring inserted; sizes three through eight visible.github.com
- Not establishedChair and Haworth rings
- Partly: Repeated clicks extend zigzags; dragging creates only one bond. Opens the cited page.Chain toolRepeated clicks extend zigzags; dragging creates only one bond.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Inserted built-in IgG antibody template and exported SVG. Opens the cited page.Template libraryInserted built-in IgG antibody template and exported SVG.github.com
- Not establishedSave your own templates
- Not establishedGroup abbreviations
- Partly: Elements and charges display; stored isotopes are not drawn. Opens the cited page.Charges, isotopes and atom labelsElements and charges display; stored isotopes are not drawn.github.com
- Not establishedRadicals and lone pairs
- Yes, according to the manual. Opens the cited page.Keyboard drawinggithub.com
- No: Documented Select event forwarding uses no-op placeholder handlers. Opens the cited page.Lasso select and transformsDocumented Select event forwarding uses no-op placeholder handlers.github.com
- Not establishedTilt drawings in perspective
Reactions and mechanisms
- Yes, tested by running it: Forward and equilibrium arrows drawn and exported distinctly. Opens the screenshot.Reaction arrowsForward and equilibrium arrows drawn and exported distinctly.github.com
- Partly: Pair/radical curves export; no curvature editing controls found. Opens the screenshot.Curved mechanism arrowsPair/radical curves export; no curvature editing controls found.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: RXN export infers reactants/products from the first forward arrow. Opens the cited page.Machine-readable reactionsRXN export infers reactants/products from the first forward arrow.github.com
- Partly: Sequential numbering only; UI cannot pair corresponding reactant/product atoms. Opens the cited page.Atom mappingSequential numbering only; UI cannot pair corresponding reactant/product atoms.github.com
- Not establishedOrbitals and symbols
Figures and layout
- Partly: Captions support model fonts; documented HTML formatting becomes plain text. Opens the cited page.Rich text captionsCaptions support model fonts; documented HTML formatting becomes plain text.github.com
- Not establishedShapes, brackets and curves
- Not establishedAlign and distribute
- Not establishedGroup and ungroup
- Yes, according to the manual: RDKit regenerates 2D coordinates with uniform bond lengths. Opens the cited page.2D structure cleanupRDKit regenerates 2D coordinates with uniform bond lengths.github.com
- Partly: Presets rescale geometry; documented font, linewidth and new-bond defaults remain unapplied. Opens the cited page.Journal drawing stylesPresets rescale geometry; documented font, linewidth and new-bond defaults remain unapplied.github.com
- Not establishedReusable custom styles
- No: Drawing colors are hard-coded; selection changes are automatic. Opens the cited page.Color controlDrawing colors are hard-coded; selection changes are automatic.github.com
- Partly: Fixed blue atom-selection rings; no persistent highlighting controls. Opens the cited page.Color highlightingFixed blue atom-selection rings; no persistent highlighting controls.github.com
- Partly: Fixed single Letter page; no page-size or multipage controls. Opens the cited page.Page layout and multipageFixed single Letter page; no page-size or multipage controls.github.com
- Not establishedImported pictures
- Not establishedTLC plates and tables
Chemistry intelligence
- Yes, according to the manual: MOL/SMILES file operations display sanitization errors. Opens the cited page.Structure checkingMOL/SMILES file operations display sanitization errors.github.com
- Not establishedR/S and E/Z labels
- Yes, tested by running it: Fixture imports update molecular formula, molecular weight, and exact mass. Opens the screenshot.Formula and massFixture imports update molecular formula, molecular weight, and exact mass.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Imported structures show logP, TPSA, hydrogen bonding, and ring counts. Opens the screenshot.Property estimatesImported structures show logP, TPSA, hydrogen bonding, and ring counts.github.com
- No: Ethanol fails: OPSIN unavailable; optional dependency version cannot resolve. Opens the cited page.Name to structureEthanol fails: OPSIN unavailable; optional dependency version cannot resolve.github.com
- No: Planned for a later release. Opens the cited page.Structure to namePlanned for a later release.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Heuristic 1H and 13C predictions intended for teaching. Opens the cited page.NMR predictionHeuristic 1H and 13C predictions intended for teaching.github.com
- Not establishedR-groups and query structures
- Not establishedPolymers and repeat units
- Yes, tested by running it: IgG inserted; Sequence Editor and HELM export commands visible. Opens the cited page.Peptides and nucleic acidsIgG inserted; Sequence Editor and HELM export commands visible.github.com
- Not establishedImage to structure
- No: PubChem search is listed for future v1.0. Opens the cited page.Online structure lookupPubChem search is listed for future v1.0.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Cholesterol generated from SMILES; zoom and drag rotation work. Opens the screenshot.3D model viewCholesterol generated from SMILES; zoom and drag rotation work.github.com
- Not establishedCrystal structures
Files and exchange
- No: CDXML import reports: Failed to parse MOL block. Opens the cited page.CDXML import and exportCDXML import reports: Failed to parse MOL block.github.com
- No: Legacy CDX support is described as future best-effort work. Opens the cited page.CDX import and exportLegacy CDX support is described as future best-effort work.github.com
- Partly: MOL read/write; SDF opens via All files; stereochemistry lost. Opens the cited page.MOL and SDFMOL read/write; SDF opens via All files; stereochemistry lost.github.com
- Partly: Import/export works; cholesterol loses all eight assigned stereocenters. Opens the cited page.SMILESImport/export works; cholesterol loses all eight assigned stereocenters.github.com
- Not established: Adapter docstring mentions InChI without implementing an InChI workflow.InChIAdapter docstring mentions InChI without implementing an InChI workflow.
- Yes, according to the manual: Export only; README's read/write claim exceeds implemented support. Opens the cited page.RXN filesExport only; README's read/write claim exceeds implemented support.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: SVG files written; fixture depictions overlap at default scale. Opens the screenshot.SVG exportSVG files written; fixture depictions overlap at default scale.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Default PDF written as one US Letter page. Opens the cited page.PDF exportDefault PDF written as one US Letter page.github.com
- Partly: PNG writes at 72 dpi; no resolution control shown. Opens the cited page.High-resolution PNGPNG writes at 72 dpi; no resolution control shown.github.com
- Not establishedPaste to and from ChemDraw
- Not establishedEditable in Word or PowerPoint
- Not establishedWindows Office OLE
APIs and automation
- Not establishedPython API
- Not establishedJavaScript or TypeScript API
- No: Console entry point only launches the desktop GUI. Opens the cited page.Command-line toolConsole entry point only launches the desktop GUI.github.com
- Not establishedAI agent control
- Not establishedBuilt-in AI assistant
Embedding and extension
- No: Plugin API is listed for future v1.0. Opens the cited page.PluginsPlugin API is listed for future v1.0.github.com
- Not established: Standalone Qt application; no documented editor embedding interface found.Embed in your own appStandalone Qt application; no documented editor embedding interface found.github.com