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vibe-sketcher
A 2D chemical structure and reaction editor for publication figures and computational chemistry input preparation.
Open source. 46 of 65 checklist features confirmed.
Main canvas
No light mode
Fixed dark interface; drawing canvas stays white.
Default drawings
Caffeine
Paclitaxel
No 3D view
Cholesterol in 3D
- SMILES imports produced automatic layouts without cleanup.
- Canvas heteroatoms are colored; default SVG output is monochrome.
- Paclitaxel imported with wedge and hashed stereobonds.
- The desktop package reported its naming engine unavailable.
- Cholesterol coordinates generated, but no rotatable viewport was available.
Facts
- Latest version
- 0.6.5
- Version we tested
- 0.6.5
- Runs on
- macOS, Linux, Browser
- License
- Mozilla Public License 2.0; matching release source is downloadable.
- Price
- Free (public desktop downloads and source; 2026-11-05)
- Relies on
- Ketcher, RDKit, Indigo, OPSIN, InChI, CoordGen. Ketcher canvas with Indigo; RDKit server chemistry; OPSIN naming is optional.
- Draws with
- Ketcher's canvas renderer; RDKit and custom SVG exports; resvg PNG and svg2pdf PDF.
- Chemistry from
- RDKit on the server; Indigo WebAssembly in Ketcher.
- Interface
- TypeScript shell with React/Ketcher; Electron desktop shell.
- Main language
- TypeScript
- Other languages
- Python: Chemistry server and SVG drawing; JavaScript: Electron desktop shell; C++: RDKit and Indigo WebAssembly chemistry; Rust: Publication PNG/PDF conversion via Python
- Renderer
- Borrowed: Ketcher/Raphaël canvas; RDKit/custom SVG exports
- Third-party licenses
- Ketcher/Indigo Apache-2.0; RDKit BSD-3-Clause; React/Electron MIT. Indigo includes InChI 1.06 under LGPL-style IUPAC terms; macOS runtime adds Cairo MPL-1.1 and Eigen MPL-2.0. Telex OFL-1.1 and Roboto Apache-2.0 font notices apply.
- Download
- 511 MB
- Installed
- 876 MB
- Officially described as a testing version.
- Self-contained desktop packages omit naming integrations and calculation submission.
- CDXML compatibility with ChemDraw itself is unverified.
In use
Screenshots from our test of this version.
Single, double and triple bonds
Single, double and triple bonds on the drawing canvas.
Wedge, hash and wavy bonds
Solid wedge, hashed wedge and wavy bonds on the canvas.
Ring tools
Benzene on the canvas with ring tools below.
Reaction arrows
Forward and equilibrium arrows on the drawing canvas.
Curved mechanism arrows
A curved arrow on the drawing canvas.
2D structure cleanup
The Clean up command above structures on the canvas.
R/S and E/Z labels
A molecular drawing alongside its calculated R and S descriptors.
Formula and mass
Caffeine structure with its molecular formula and mass.
Property estimates
Caffeine structure with calculated clogP, TPSA and other estimates.
SMILES
Caffeine structure and its SMILES in the species panel.
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 single, double, triple bonds; changed an existing bond order. Opens the screenshot.Single, double and triple bondsDrew single, double, triple bonds; changed an existing bond order.
- 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.
- No: Dative and haptic bonds are deferred. Opens the cited page.Dative, hydrogen and quadruple bondsDative and haptic bonds are deferred.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedChoose double-bond side
- Yes, tested by running it: Placed benzene; common ring-size tools also visible. Opens the screenshot.Ring toolsPlaced benzene; common ring-size tools also visible.
- Yes, seen in the app: Chair and boat templates visible in Structure Library. Opens the cited page.Chair and Haworth ringsChair and boat templates visible in Structure Library.
- Yes, seen in the app: Dedicated Chain toolbar tool. Opens the cited page.Chain toolDedicated Chain toolbar tool.
- Yes, tested by running it: Searched aspirin and inserted its editable compound template. Opens the cited page.Template librarySearched aspirin and inserted its editable compound template.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Ketcher user templates persist in browser storage. Opens the cited page.Save your own templatesKetcher user templates persist in browser storage.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Ph, Boc and other groups contract and expand chemically. Opens the cited page.Group abbreviationsPh, Boc and other groups contract and expand chemically.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual. Opens the cited page.Charges, isotopes and atom labelsvibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Drawn radicals contribute to species multiplicity. Opens the cited page.Radicals and lone pairsDrawn radicals contribute to species multiplicity.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedKeyboard drawing
- Partly: Lasso and flip tools visible; resizing not checked. Opens the cited page.Lasso select and transformsLasso and flip tools visible; resizing not checked.
- Not establishedTilt drawings in perspective
Reactions and mechanisms
- Yes, tested by running it: Drew forward and equilibrium arrows. Opens the screenshot.Reaction arrowsDrew forward and equilibrium arrows.vibyverse.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Drew a curved, filled-head elliptical arc arrow. Opens the screenshot.Curved mechanism arrowsDrew a curved, filled-head elliptical arc arrow.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: RXN and reaction SMILES preserve chemical participants. Opens the cited page.Machine-readable reactionsRXN and reaction SMILES preserve chemical participants.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Automatic mapping with manually pinned atom pairs. Opens the cited page.Atom mappingAutomatic mapping with manually pinned atom pairs.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedOrbitals and symbols
Figures and layout
- Yes, seen in the app: Text editor offers bold, italic, subscript and superscript. Opens the cited page.Rich text captionsText editor offers bold, italic, subscript and superscript.
- Yes, according to the manual: Editable rectangles, ellipses and lines; chemical S-group brackets. Opens the cited page.Shapes, brackets and curvesEditable rectangles, ellipses and lines; chemical S-group brackets.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedAlign and distribute
- Not establishedGroup and ungroup
- Yes, according to the manual: Standardizes bond lengths and angles while checking stereochemistry. Opens the cited page.2D structure cleanupStandardizes bond lengths and angles while checking stereochemistry.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: ACS 1996, RSC and Wiley JCC presets. Opens the cited page.Journal drawing stylesACS 1996, RSC and Wiley JCC presets.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedReusable custom styles
- Yes, according to the manual: Selected atoms and connecting bonds receive palette-colored highlights. Opens the cited page.Color controlSelected atoms and connecting bonds receive palette-colored highlights.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Colored tints beneath atoms and connecting bonds export consistently. Opens the cited page.Color highlightingColored tints beneath atoms and connecting bonds export consistently.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedPage layout and multipage
- Yes, seen in the app: Add Image toolbar button. Opens the cited page.Imported picturesAdd Image toolbar button.
- Yes, according to the manual: TLC plate generator produces editable drawing objects. Opens the cited page.TLC plates and tablesTLC plate generator produces editable drawing objects.vibyverse.com
Chemistry intelligence
- Yes, tested by running it: Invalid carbon valence flagged during manual drawing. Opens the cited page.Structure checkingInvalid carbon valence flagged during manual drawing.vibyverse.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Paclitaxel and cholesterol received computed R/S descriptors. Opens the screenshot.R/S and E/Z labelsPaclitaxel and cholesterol received computed R/S descriptors.vibyverse.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Caffeine formula C8H10N4O2 and mass 194.19 g/mol computed. Opens the screenshot.Formula and massCaffeine formula C8H10N4O2 and mass 194.19 g/mol computed.vibyverse.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Caffeine clogP, MR, TPSA and HBD/HBA computed. Opens the screenshot.Property estimatesCaffeine clogP, MR, TPSA and HBD/HBA computed.vibyverse.com
- No: Name import reports missing naming engine or OPSIN with Java. Opens the cited page.Name to structureName import reports missing naming engine or OPSIN with Java.vibyverse.com
- No: Imported structures report naming engine not installed. Opens the cited page.Structure to nameImported structures report naming engine not installed.vibyverse.com
- Partly: Shifts require external ORCA calculations and a computed reference. Opens the cited page.NMR predictionShifts require external ORCA calculations and a computed reference.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: R-group cores, substituent definitions and R-logic. Opens the cited page.R-groups and query structuresR-group cores, substituent definitions and R-logic.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: SRU/COP S-groups preserve repeat-unit connectivity and labels. Opens the cited page.Polymers and repeat unitsSRU/COP S-groups preserve repeat-unit connectivity and labels.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Peptide, DNA, RNA sequence and HELM import/export. Opens the cited page.Peptides and nucleic acidsPeptide, DNA, RNA sequence and HELM import/export.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedImage to structure
- Not establishedOnline structure lookup
- No: Coordinates generated; no rotatable viewport available in bundled app. Opens the cited page.3D model viewCoordinates generated; no rotatable viewport available in bundled app.vibyverse.com
- No: CIF/crystal authoring is planned after 1.0. Opens the cited page.Crystal structuresCIF/crystal authoring is planned after 1.0.vibyverse.com
Files and exchange
- Yes, tested by running it: Exported caffeine CDXML reopened as a recognized chemical structure. Opens the cited page.CDXML import and exportExported caffeine CDXML reopened as a recognized chemical structure.vibyverse.com
- Partly: Imports binary CDX; no CDX export. Opens the cited page.CDX import and exportImports binary CDX; no CDX export.vibyverse.com
- Partly: Caffeine MOL/SDF round trips worked; cholesterol 3D SDF rejected. Opens the cited page.MOL and SDFCaffeine MOL/SDF round trips worked; cholesterol 3D SDF rejected.vibyverse.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Imported all fixtures; exported caffeine SMILES. Opens the screenshot.SMILESImported all fixtures; exported caffeine SMILES.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual. Opens the cited page.InChIvibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: Read/write; export requires exactly one reaction. Opens the cited page.RXN filesRead/write; export requires exactly one reaction.vibyverse.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Default SVG exports saved for all three structures. Opens the cited page.SVG exportDefault SVG exports saved for all three structures.vibyverse.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Default caffeine PDF saved; vector paths verified. Opens the cited page.PDF exportDefault caffeine PDF saved; vector paths verified.vibyverse.com
- Yes, tested by running it: Default caffeine PNG saved at 300 dpi. Opens the cited page.High-resolution PNGDefault caffeine PNG saved at 300 dpi.vibyverse.com
- Partly: Copies CDXML text; direct ChemDraw clipboard round trips remain unverified. Opens the cited page.Paste to and from ChemDrawCopies CDXML text; direct ChemDraw clipboard round trips remain unverified.vibyverse.com
- Partly: EMF is editable vector artwork, without chemical object editing. Opens the cited page.Editable in Word or PowerPointEMF is editable vector artwork, without chemical object editing.vibyverse.com
- No: Office receives EMF vector pictures, without embedded chemical object editing. Opens the cited page.Windows Office OLEOffice receives EMF vector pictures, without embedded chemical object editing.vibyverse.com
APIs and automation
- Yes, according to the manual: Documented vibesketcher SDK. Opens the cited page.Python APIDocumented vibesketcher SDK.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedJavaScript or TypeScript API
- Yes, according to the manual: Headless conversion and rendering commands. Opens the cited page.Command-line toolHeadless conversion and rendering commands.vibyverse.com
- Yes, according to the manual: MCP tools and REST edit the shared document. Opens the cited page.AI agent controlMCP tools and REST edit the shared document.vibyverse.com
- Not establishedBuilt-in AI assistant
Embedding and extension
- Yes, according to the manual: InputWriter subclasses register extensions; no automatic plugin discovery. Opens the cited page.PluginsInputWriter subclasses register extensions; no automatic plugin discovery.vibyverse.com
- Not established: SDK edits documents; editor embedding is unverified.Embed in your own appSDK edits documents; editor embedding is unverified.vibyverse.com