WordCraft, GridCraft and DeckCraft: Free Open-Source Office Alternatives for Windows—Alpha Caveats

Developer Brandon Thomas has expanded his ArtCraft project beyond Adobe-style tools. He now offers three apps aimed at Microsoft's core Office programs: WordCraft, GridCraft and DeckCraft. They are free and open source, and they are explicitly alpha-stage software.

What happened​

Mashable reported on October 12, 2026 that Thomas, previously known for ArtCraft's Adobe-inspired suite, published WordCraft, GridCraft and DeckCraft on GitHub as open source clones of Word, Excel and PowerPoint, written in Rust with help from Claude Opus 5.5. That detail comes from one outlet's reporting. Another outlet says most GitHub commits credit Claude as a co-author.

The mapping is simple:

The format list comes from a third-party write-up of the project (Kaptentekno). I couldn't confirm it against each app's own documentation.

Mashable's report also covers the Adobe-style side of the project: PhotoCraft, FilmCraft, DesignCraft, EffectCraft, PdfCraft, VectorCraft and LightCraft. The Office trio sits alongside SoundCraft and CADCraft on ArtCraft's official apps page. That page now lists thirteen apps, all marked free and open source in the project's own words.

What the project itself says​

ArtCraft's site makes several claims that matter to Windows users. They are claims, not audit results.

• Native, not wrapped. The apps are written in Rust and compiled for desktop on macOS, Windows and Linux. The site says they use no Electron and no web views.
• Local files. The site says everything runs on your own files, with no cloud round-trips.
• Browser versions. WordCraft, DeckCraft and GridCraft also compile to WebAssembly and can run in a browser tab.
• Automation. Each app can be driven from a CLI, a JSON control channel or an MCP server, which is aimed at AI agents.
• Status. The official page labels WordCraft, DeckCraft and GridCraft "In development."

GridCraft's README describes it as built in pure Rust and backs that with a feature list: 500+ functions, dynamic arrays, pivot tables and seventeen chart types. It also states a self-assessment: the project is in alpha and, weighted by what spreadsheet users rely on, is about 50% ready for real work. DeckCraft's repository gives a similar self-rating of about 55%. A third-party roundup puts WordCraft at roughly 60%. These are the project's own estimates, not independent benchmarks.

Windows specifics​

For Windows readers, the practical details are in the GridCraft and DeckCraft repositories:

• Builds. Windows MSI installers and portable ZIPs are listed for x64, ARM64 and x86. The README says installers and executables are code-signed.
• Checksums. Releases ship with a SHA256SUMS.txt file, so you can verify a download.
• Graphics. The desktop app initializes DirectX 12 by default. On some systems an OpenGL instance can crash AMD's atio6axx.dll driver before the window appears. The app then flashes in Task Manager and quits.
• Software rendering. On older PCs with no DirectX 12 graphics driver, Windows offers only its software renderer, which draws every frame on the CPU and can be slow. GridCraft's README says it then switches to OpenGL on its own.
• Logs. GridCraft writes a log to %APPDATA%\GridCraft\logs. The README asks users to attach it to bug reports.

If GridCraft won't start, its README documents a troubleshooting override. From the folder containing the executable, in PowerShell:

1. Set $env:WGPU_BACKEND = "vulkan".
2. Launch .\gridcraft.exe.
3. Run Remove-Item Env:WGPU_BACKEND to restore the default.

Two cautions apply. Forcing gl can bring the AMD crash back. vulkan can trigger a crash in some Intel UHD Graphics drivers (igvk64.dll). Treat this as app-specific troubleshooting, not a general Windows tweak. Don't assume every ArtCraft app behaves identically.

Where the hype and the evidence part ways​

The case for excitement. Tom's Hardware framed the release partly as protest against subscription software. It noted that Microsoft's productivity tools moved from one-time purchase to subscription, and that many users pay for tools they barely touch. Mashable adds that supporters see the project as a reaction to Adobe's difficult cancellation practices. Cross-platform parity and local ownership of files are real selling points. Google's browser-based suite, by comparison, is online-only.

The case for caution. Tom's Hardware itself says most of these apps are still far from what they intend to replace. Several points sit behind that:

• Compatibility. Reading DOCX, XLSX and PPTX is not the same as round-tripping complex real-world files. GridCraft's own README says XLSX fidelity on real-world files is a next-step item. Legacy .xls files open with values, formulas and number formats, but not yet formatting and objects.
• Not just an editor. Microsoft 365 also covers email, collaboration, identity and device management. One outlet notes ArtCraft hasn't built comparable services, so large enterprises can't simply switch. That matches the general picture: for administrators, the question is Entra, Intune, Purview and compliance, not whether a ribbon looks familiar.
• Maintenance risk. Mashable notes concern that one developer is overseeing a growing suite, though the community has been invited to contribute.
• AI-authorship debate. Mashable reports posts about the apps were removed from some subreddits over worries about AI-generated code. Thomas has said publicly that he is a software engineer who knows how to code.

On security, the sources I reviewed identify no specific vulnerability, audit result or incident in any of the three apps. AI-assisted development does not by itself make code unsafe, and human-written code isn't automatically safe either. The sensible response is the usual one for any early third-party software. Review it before it touches sensitive documents or business data, and test on copies of your files.

Practical guidance​

• Individuals and hobbyists: Try the apps on non-critical documents and keep Microsoft Office or another mature suite as a fallback. Several outlets recommend working on copies.
• Fidelity checks: Open a file saved by one of these apps in the real Office app. Check for repair prompts, broken layouts or lost formulas before trusting it.
• IT admins: Treat these apps as unmanaged software. Verify code signatures and checksums, check licensing per repository, and decide whether they are allowed on managed endpoints. GridCraft is dual-licensed MIT or Apache-2.0. Don't assume the same for the other apps without checking each repository.
• Procurement: Nothing here changes Microsoft 365 licensing or Office support. These are independent projects with no Microsoft involvement.

Bottom line​

ArtCraft's Office trio is a real, downloadable release with real Windows builds, a permissive license on at least GridCraft, and honest status labels. It is not evidence that Office is on its way out. The project's own numbers put readiness at roughly half, and the maturity gap with decades-old suites is large. It is worth watching because the pace of AI-assisted development is part of the story, and because a free, local-first alternative that opens Office formats keeps pressure on subscription pricing. Right now it is an experiment. Treat it as one.