by IfcOpenShell·Workflow
Images © IfcOpenShell. Used for product review; image policy.
Bonsai stands out in the Blender extensions library, sitting at popularity rank 37 with over 132,000 downloads and a current release from the IfcOpenShell team.
Bonsai is a Blender extension developed by the IfcOpenShell team and published on the Blender extensions site, where it holds popularity rank 37. Its listed categories span a wide range of Blender areas, including modeling, import-export, rendering, animation, materials and lighting.
The add-on is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS and is marked unsupported on version 5.1 and above. It runs on Windows, Linux and macOS, with separate builds for Intel and Apple Silicon Macs. Installation follows Blender's standard routes: drag and drop the downloaded package into Blender, or install it from disk.
Bonsai is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later. The current release is version 0.8.5-post1, updated in August 2024, and the project has passed 132,000 downloads. Documentation and support are available on the developer's page at bonsaibim.org.
Bonsai is best for blender 4.2 LTS users on Windows, macOS or Linux who want the add-on's mix of modeling, import-export and rendering features.
Bonsai is completely free to download and use.
Bonsai is compatible with Blender 4.2 LTS. It is marked as unsupported on Blender 5.1 and above, so 4.2 LTS is the version the current release targets. The add-on installs through Blender's standard extension routes, so you can drag and drop the downloaded package into Blender or use install from disk. Builds are provided for Windows, Linux, and both Intel and Apple Silicon macOS, which covers most Blender 4.2 setups across the major operating systems.
Bonsai runs on Windows, Linux and macOS. For Mac, separate builds are offered for Intel and Apple Silicon machines, while Windows and Linux each have their own x64 package. You download the build that matches your system, then either drag and drop it into Blender or install it from disk. All of the packages target Blender 4.2 LTS, so pick the download that fits both your operating system and your Blender version.
Bonsai installs using Blender's standard extension methods. After downloading the package for your platform, you can drag and drop the file directly into Blender, or use the install-from-disk option in Blender's extension preferences. Make sure to grab the build that matches your operating system, whether that is Windows, Linux, macOS Intel or macOS Apple Silicon, and that you are on Blender 4.2 LTS, since versions 5.1 and above are listed as unsupported.
Bonsai is listed as free here in the catalog. It is released under the GNU General Public License v3.0 or later, an open-source license that governs how the add-on may be used and redistributed. For current licensing terms and further details, check the developer's page at bonsaibim.org. The current release is version 0.8.5-post1, updated in August 2024, and it is downloadable directly from the Blender extensions site.
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