Kerf is the app you design and burn with. Kerf Bridge puts the laser on your network. Not sure which you need? See which.
Free on a computer. Burns through Kerf Bridge, or straight to a laser plugged into the computer by USB (the bridge is built in). Version 1.0.0 alpha: an early release, so expect rough edges.
Apple silicon Macs, macOS 13 or later. Signed and notarised by Apple.
Open the download and drag Kerf to Applications.
64-bit Intel or AMD PCs: Ubuntu 22.04 or later, Debian 12 or later, and most others.
The AppImage runs anywhere: make it executable and open it. The .deb installs with sudo apt install ./kerf-1.0.0-alpha-linux-amd64.deb. For a laser plugged in by USB, add yourself to the dialout group.
iPadOS 17 or later, through TestFlight. Sends jobs to Kerf Bridge over your Wi-Fi.
Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. Installs for you alone, without asking for administrator rights.
It isn't code-signed yet, so Windows may warn you: choose More info → Run anyway. If you share the laser with iPads, allow Kerf Bridge through the firewall when Windows asks.
Check the downloads: SHA-256 checksums.
One small program, nothing else to install. Put it on a Raspberry Pi beside the laser, or on the PC the laser is plugged into. Version 0.5.0. What it does · Set-up guide
Any Raspberry Pi 3, 4 or 5 (or Zero 2 W), or a Linux PC. Installs as a service that starts when the Pi does.
curl -fsSL https://trykerf.com/install.sh | shRun it again to update. If port 23 is already taken (ser2net, say), the installer leaves that alone and puts LightBurn pass-through on 2323.
New to it? The set-up guide goes through it step by step, including how to read the installer before you run it. The installer and the bridge's source are on GitHub.
Windows 10 or 11, 64-bit. Plug the laser into this PC and run the bridge.
It isn't code-signed yet, so Windows may warn you: choose More info → Run anyway, and allow it through the firewall so the network can reach it. Then open http://localhost:8023.
macOS 13 or later, Apple silicon and Intel. A menu bar app, signed and notarised by Apple.
Open the download, drag Kerf Bridge to Applications and open it. A bolt appears in the menu bar: Open Kerf Bridge… shows its page, and Start at Login keeps it running. The first time, the set-up wizard opens by itself.
Every file is listed with its SHA-256 checksum. The Pi installer checks it for you.
Settings live in /etc/kerf-bridge/config.json on the Pi, and in your user settings folder elsewhere. The web page can change them too.
Build 02d59b0. Supports GRBL 1.1 lasers (most diode lasers and many CO₂ conversions). Ruida controllers aren't supported.