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SketchEl 2
A standalone desktop application for drawing molecular structures and exporting vector diagrams.
Open source. 21 of 65 checklist features confirmed.
Main canvas
Only title bar changes; canvas and toolbars stay light.
Default drawings
Caffeine
Paclitaxel
No 3D view
Cholesterol in 3D
- Default heteroatom colors are oxygen red and nitrogen blue.
- Green R/S labels appear automatically on paclitaxel.
- Default SVGs use outlined labels and approximately 100-point bounds.
- MOL import preserves supplied 2D coordinates without cleanup.
- The 3D SDF projection has overlapping explicit hydrogen labels.
Facts
- GitHub stars
- 10 stars on 6 Nov 2026
- First commit
- 1 Jan 2017
- Repository activity
- 31 commits, 1 contributor, last push 12 Dec 2022
- Version we tested
- 0.1.0
- Runs on
- macOS, Windows, Linux
- License
- GNU General Public License version 3.
- Price
- Free
- Relies on
- WebMolKit Sketcher, WebMolKit. Mounts WebMolKit Sketcher; adds desktop file and clipboard integration.
- Draws with
- WebMolKit DrawMolecule/MetaVector; HTML Canvas 2D on screen and SVG for export
- Chemistry from
- WebMolKit
- Interface
- Electron with WebMolKit HTML/CSS widgets
- Main language
- TypeScript
- Other languages
- JavaScript: Electron desktop shell and menus
- Renderer
- Borrowed: WebMolKit DrawMolecule / ArrangeMolecule / MetaVector
- Third-party licenses
- Bundled 2021 WebMolKit uses GPL-3.0; its later Apache relicensing postdates this bundle.
- Download
- 1.2 MB
- Installed
- 593 MB
- No GitHub releases; source build required and current compatibility unverified.
- README reports testing only on Linux and macOS; Windows support is unverified.
- Bare-bones molecule editor with native/MOL saving and SVG export.
In use
Screenshots from our test of this version.
Single, double and triple bonds
Single and triple bonds, bond tools, and an aromatic ring.
Wedge, hash and wavy bonds
Solid wedge, hashed wedge, and wavy bonds on the canvas.
Ring tools
Six-membered and aromatic rings with ring tools.
Chair and Haworth rings
Chair ring drawing beside the template palette.
Template library
Chair drawing beside the fragment template palette.
Charges, isotopes and atom labels
Edit Atom dialog with symbol, charge, and isotope controls.
Radicals and lone pairs
Edit Atom dialog with an unpaired electron field.
Atom mapping
Edit Atom dialog with a mapping field.
R/S and E/Z labels
Green R and S labels on a molecular drawing.
MOL and SDF
A molecule displayed in a window titled simple-out.mol.
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: Drew all three orders; changed double to triple in dialog. Opens the screenshot.Single, double and triple bondsDrew all three orders; changed double to triple in dialog.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Drew solid wedge, hashed wedge, and wavy bonds. Opens the screenshot.Wedge, hash and wavy bondsDrew solid wedge, hashed wedge, and wavy bonds.github.com
- Partly: Quadruple and zero-order bonds; dative support unverified. Opens the cited page.Dative, hydrogen and quadruple bondsQuadruple and zero-order bonds; dative support unverified.github.com
- Not establishedChoose double-bond side
- Yes, tested by running it: Drew plain six-membered and aromatic rings. Opens the screenshot.Ring toolsDrew plain six-membered and aromatic rings.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Chair template previewed and committed. Opens the screenshot.Chair and Haworth ringsChair template previewed and committed.github.com
- Not establishedChain tool
- Yes, tested by running it: Inserted chair template; additional fragment libraries visible. Opens the screenshot.Template libraryInserted chair template; additional fragment libraries visible.github.com
- Not establishedSave your own templates
- Yes, according to the manual: Abbreviations retain underlying chemical fragments and can be expanded. Opens the cited page.Group abbreviationsAbbreviations retain underlying chemical fragments and can be expanded.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual. Opens the cited page.Charges, isotopes and atom labelsgithub.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Atom properties include the number of unpaired electrons. Opens the cited page.Radicals and lone pairsAtom properties include the number of unpaired electrons.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Point at an atom or bond, then use keyboard commands. Opens the cited page.Keyboard drawingPoint at an atom or bond, then use keyboard commands.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Lasso selection plus rotation, flipping, and scaling. Opens the cited page.Lasso select and transformsLasso selection plus rotation, flipping, and scaling.github.com
- Not establishedTilt drawings in perspective
Reactions and mechanisms
- No: No reaction-arrow command found in menus or tool banks. Opens the cited page.Reaction arrowsNo reaction-arrow command found in menus or tool banks.
- No: No electron-pushing arrow command found in menus or tool banks. Opens the cited page.Curved mechanism arrowsNo electron-pushing arrow command found in menus or tool banks.
- Not establishedMachine-readable reactions
- Partly: Manual mapping numbers on molecules; reaction workflow unverified. Opens the cited page.Atom mappingManual mapping numbers on molecules; reaction workflow unverified.github.com
- Not establishedOrbitals and symbols
Figures and layout
- Not establishedRich text captions
- Not establishedShapes, brackets and curves
- Not establishedAlign and distribute
- Not establishedGroup and ungroup
- Not established2D structure cleanup
- Not establishedJournal drawing styles
- Not establishedReusable custom styles
- Not establishedColor control
- Partly: Gray selection halos only; absent from SVG export. Opens the cited page.Color highlightingGray selection halos only; absent from SVG export.github.com
- Not establishedPage layout and multipage
- Not establishedImported pictures
- Not establishedTLC plates and tables
Chemistry intelligence
- Partly: Projected SDF shows red overlap marker; valence checking unverified. Opens the cited page.Structure checkingProjected SDF shows red overlap marker; valence checking unverified.github.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Green R/S labels appeared automatically on paclitaxel. Opens the screenshot.R/S and E/Z labelsGreen R/S labels appeared automatically on paclitaxel.github.com
- Partly: Formula-abbreviation attempt rejected selection; no mass command found. Opens the cited page.Formula and massFormula-abbreviation attempt rejected selection; no mass command found.github.com
- Not establishedProperty estimates
- No: Name paste rejected; no conversion command found. Opens the cited page.Name to structureName paste rejected; no conversion command found.
- No: No naming command found in menus, tool banks, or dialogs. Opens the cited page.Structure to nameNo naming command found in menus, tool banks, or dialogs.
- Not establishedNMR prediction
- Yes, according to the manual: Atom lists, exclusions, and other chemical query constraints. Opens the cited page.R-groups and query structuresAtom lists, exclusions, and other chemical query constraints.github.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Polymer units store connectivity beyond their drawn brackets. Opens the cited page.Polymers and repeat unitsPolymer units store connectivity beyond their drawn brackets.github.com
- Not establishedPeptides and nucleic acids
- Not establishedImage to structure
- Not establishedOnline structure lookup
- No: SDF opens flat; no 3D view command found. Opens the cited page.3D model viewSDF opens flat; no 3D view command found.
- Not establishedCrystal structures
Files and exchange
- No: CDXML paste rejected; opening test file left canvas empty. Opens the cited page.CDXML import and exportCDXML paste rejected; opening test file left canvas empty.
- Not establishedCDX import and export
- Partly: MOL read/write works; SDF opens; no SDF save format. Opens the screenshot.MOL and SDFMOL read/write works; SDF opens; no SDF save format.github.com
- No: Caffeine SMILES paste rejected as unrecognisable molecule. Opens the cited page.SMILESCaffeine SMILES paste rejected as unrecognisable molecule.
- Not establishedInChI
- Not establishedRXN files
- Yes, tested by running it: Default SVG exports saved for all three fixtures. Opens the cited page.SVG exportDefault SVG exports saved for all three fixtures.github.com
- No: File menu exposes SVG only; no print or PDF command. Opens the cited page.PDF exportFile menu exposes SVG only; no print or PDF command.
- No: No PNG command in File menu or save formats. Opens the cited page.High-resolution PNGNo PNG command in File menu or save formats.
- 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
- Not establishedCommand-line tool
- Not establishedAI agent control
- Not establishedBuilt-in AI assistant
Embedding and extension
- Not establishedPlugins
- Partly: Separate WebMolKit: Apache-2.0; SketchEl2 application: GPL-3.0. Opens the cited page.Embed in your own appSeparate WebMolKit: Apache-2.0; SketchEl2 application: GPL-3.0github.com