Kactus
Design version control without changing your tools.
Overview
Kactus is a free, open-source application that brings the full Git workflow to designers using Sketch. It allows designers to manage their Sketch files in a Git repository, create branches to work on new ideas, and merge changes back into the main file. Kactus provides a visual interface to see differences between versions and helps resolve conflicts, effectively acting as a 'GitHub Desktop' for Sketch files.
✨ Key Features
- Full Git workflow (branches, commits, pushes, pulls)
- Integrates with GitHub, GitLab, Bitbucket
- Visual diffing of Sketch files
- Merge conflict resolution
- Open-source and free to use
- Ability to share pages across multiple Sketch files
🎯 Key Differentiators
- Completely free and open-source
- Provides the full, unabridged Git workflow, not a simplified version
- Aims to expose, rather than hide, the power of Git to designers
Unique Value: Offers a completely free and open-source way for designers to leverage the full power of Git for version control of Sketch files.
🎯 Use Cases (4)
✅ Best For
- Popular among designers in tech-forward companies who want to align their workflow more closely with their development teams' Git practices.
💡 Check With Vendor
Verify these considerations match your specific requirements:
- Designers who are not familiar with or interested in Git concepts
- Teams that do not use Sketch
- Organizations requiring dedicated support or enterprise features
🏆 Alternatives
While Abstract provides a polished, paid, and more opinionated Git workflow, Kactus is a free, open-source tool that gives designers more direct control over the underlying Git repository and processes.
💻 Platforms
✅ Offline Mode Available
🔌 Integrations
💰 Pricing
Free tier: The tool is completely free and open-source.
🔄 Similar Tools in Design Version Control
Abstract
A platform for design teams to manage, version, and collaborate on Sketch and Adobe XD files....
Figma
An all-in-one design platform for UI/UX design, prototyping, and collaboration with built-in version...
Zeplin
A workspace for product teams to publish, organize, and collaborate on finalized designs....
Sketch
A vector graphics editor for macOS, focused on UI/UX design, with cloud-based collaboration and vers...
Sympli
A platform offering tools for design version control (Versions) and developer handoff (Handoff)....
Plant
A Sketch plugin and Mac app that provides a simple, linear version control system for design files....