How to Install QCAD on Debian 11 Bullseye

Introduction

Before we begin talking about how to install QCAD on Debian 11 Bullseye, let's briefly understand – What is QCAD?

QCAD is a powerful computer-aided design (CAD) software used for 2D drafting and design. It offers a user-friendly interface and a range of tools to create precise drawings and technical illustrations. With QCAD, you can easily create floor plans, schematics, diagrams, and more.

It supports various file formats and is compatible with Windows, macOS, and Linux. Whether you are a professional designer or a hobbyist, QCAD provides a cost-effective solution for your 2D CAD needs.

In this tutorial, you will install QCAD on Debian 11 Bullseye. We will also address a few FAQs on how to install QCAD on Debian 11 Bullseye.

Advantages of QCAD

1. Powerful 2D CAD software: QCAD offers a comprehensive set of tools for accurate 2D drafting and design.
2. User-friendly interface: With its intuitive interface, QCAD is easy to use, making it suitable for both professionals and beginners.
3. Versatile compatibility: QCAD supports multiple file formats and can be used on Windows, macOS, and Linux.
4. Cost-effective solution: QCAD provides a cost-effective alternative to other CAD software, making it accessible to a wide range of users.
5. Professional results: With QCAD, users can create precise drawings and technical illustrations, ensuring high-quality and professional-looking designs.

Steps to install QCAD 2D app on Debian 11

Since the default Debian 11 repository cannot be used to install Qcad, we must either download it manually or use a third-party repository in order to install Qcad with the APT package manager.

1. Update Debian 11

Let's use the system update command to make sure all the current system packages are up-to-date before adding the repository. This is the directive to adhere to:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

Install a few common packages as well:

sudo apt install dirmngr ca-certificates software-properties-common gnupg gnupg2 apt-transport-https curl

2. Add a repository for QCAD

We are going to use a third-party repository that is kept up to date by notesalexp.org. It is compatible with Jammy and the majority of the current Debian and Ubuntu versions.

To prevent the repository for the NotesALexp repository from installing updates for any other program besides the one for which it has been added, first download the ASC key that is available for the repository and convert it into GPG format to save it separately.

curl -fsSL https://notesalexp.org/debian/alexp_key.asc | gpg --dearmor | sudo tee /usr/share/keyrings/alexp_key.gpg > /dev/null

Point the repository to the GPG key it needs to use and add it now.

echo 'deb [signed-by=/usr/share/keyrings/alexp_key.gpg] https://notesalexp.org/debian/bullseye/ bullseye main' | sudo tee -a /etc/apt/sources.list.d/alexp.list

Rebuild the APT package index cache by running the system update once more.

sudo apt update

3. Install QCad 2D on Debian 11 Bullseye

With the aid of the system's built-in APT package manager, we can now quickly and simply install QCAD. The command to use is as follows:

sudo apt install qcad qcad-data

4. Run the open-source CAD program

After the installation is finished, we can use the Application launcher or the command terminal to start the QCAD program on Debian 11 Bullseye.

Type qcad to access the terminal if you would like to.

Or,

Navigate to Activities, search for QCAD, and click the icon to launch the program.

5. How to update or upgrade

Now that we have QCAD installed via the APT repository, we can simply use the system update and upgrade command to install the most recent program update whenever it becomes available. This is it:

sudo apt update && sudo apt upgrade

6. Uninstall or Remove QCAD from Debian 11

In the future, you can use the following commands to completely remove QCAD and its repository from your Debian 11 system if you decide to stop using it:

sudo apt autoremove --purge qcad*

To remove GPG and Repo:

sudo rm /etc/apt/sources.list.d/alexp.list /usr/share/keyrings/alexp_key.gpg

FAQs to Install QCAD on Debian 11 Bullseye

Conclusion

We hope this tutorial helped you understand how to install QCAD on Debian 11 Bullseye.

If you have any queries, please leave a comment below, and we’ll be happy to respond to them for sure.