How we test
Most pages about ArtCraft repeat the official feature list. This page documents what we actually ran, on which build, with what result, including the parts that did not work.
Last updated
Environment
Machine: macOS 27.2 on Apple silicon (arm64). No desktop session was used: both apps were driven through their headless command-line builds, which is also why there are no interface screenshots on this site.
This matters for how you read the results. Anything about the editor canvas, panels or menus is not tested here and is not claimed anywhere on this site.
Versions tested
| App | Version | Build | Checksum |
|---|---|---|---|
| PhotoCraft CLI | 0.20.2 | 7c12f6471, 2026-11-05 | matches official SHA256SUMS.txt |
| PdfCraft CLI | 0.18.2 | not reported by the binary | matches official SHA256SUMS.txt |
How the downloads were verified
Both command-line packages came from the releases linked on the official app pages, and both were hashed and compared with the SHA256SUMS.txt published in the same release.
The check is reproducible anywhere: download the release file and SHA256SUMS.txt for the same version, run shasum -a 256 on the file, compare the two strings. A mismatch means a corrupted download or a file the project did not publish.
Both matched: PhotoCraft 25f90078-a35, PdfCraft 34eb1ac0-303. The archives ship LICENSE-MIT, LICENSE-APACHE and a NOTICE stating MIT or Apache-2.0, at your option.
PhotoCraft: what we ran
| Test | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| Open a third-party layered PSD | pass | 5 layers read; names, visibility, per-layer opacity (128/255 reported as 0.502) and Multiply blend all preserved |
| PSD to PSD conversion | pass, not byte-identical | re-opened correctly in PhotoCraft and in an independent PSD library; output was 469 KB against a 3.64 MB input |
| Export to PNG and JPEG | pass, with warnings | the CLI prints "5 layer(s) flattened" and "lossy compression" |
| Composite of a generated PSD | inconclusive | the bottom layer was missing from the render, but an independent renderer produces the identical result, so the test file is at fault, not the app |
PhotoCraft: what this means
The layer metadata round trip is real. A file written by a different tool opened with its layer names, order, visibility, opacity and blend mode intact. That is the part most free editors get wrong.
The official claim that 134 of 135 real-world files round-trip byte for byte was not reproduced: our generated file did not. One non-representative file neither confirms nor disproves that claim.
We could not test text layers, masks, smart objects or CMYK, because we could not author a trustworthy file containing them. Anything on this site about those features is quoted from the official page, not observed.
PdfCraft: what we ran
| Test | Result | Detail |
|---|---|---|
| info on a 3-page PDF | pass | pages, page size in points, field count and encryption flag reported as JSON |
| Combine a 3-page and a 2-page file | pass | output reports 5 pages |
| Split to one file per page | pass | 5 files written |
| Extract pages 2-3 and 5 | pass | output reports 3 pages |
| Rotate a page | pass, partly verified | the command produced output; rotation is not surfaced in the info fields we inspected |
| Render a page to PNG at 40 dpi | pass | 468x331 px in 3 ms |
| Extract text | pass | a text PDF returned its text; an image-only PDF returned nothing, which is correct |
| Check three files | pass | reported ok for 3 of 3 |
What we have not tested
The desktop interface of either app: installation, menus, dialogs, and everything you can only judge by using it.
The WebAssembly browser builds.
Text layers, masks, smart objects, layer styles, CMYK documents, ICC profiles, or files larger than a few megabytes.
PDF encryption or form filling beyond the field count that info reports.
Performance on real workloads. The timings above are for tiny synthetic files and say nothing about a 300 MB document.
Why publish the failure
A guide that only repeats the vendor is worth nothing to someone deciding whether to install the software. The inconclusive composite result and the non-identical round trip are more useful than another paragraph of praise.
Every result is tied to a version and a date, because these are alpha builds that change every couple of weeks. Re-test on your own files before relying on any of it.
Questions
Which versions were tested?
PhotoCraft CLI 0.20.2, build 7c12f6471 from 2026-11-05, and PdfCraft CLI 0.18.2, both on macOS arm64.
Did you test the actual interface?
No. The tests used the headless CLI builds, so nothing here describes the editor UI.
Are these results permanent?
No. Alpha builds change often; treat each result as tied to the version and date stated.
Can I reproduce this?
Yes. Download the same release and its SHA256SUMS.txt, verify the hash, then run the same commands.