Developer uses Claude AI to build open-source clones of Word, Excel, PowerPoint

GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.

The project suggests that generative AI tools can now assist in recreating sophisticated, feature-rich productivity software that once required large engineering teams, potentially lowering barriers to building alternatives to dominant office suites. Because the apps are open-source and free, they could appeal to users seeking offline, license-free alternatives to Microsoft Office, though the developer acknowledges they remain early-stage and incomplete. The effort also adds to a broader debate about whether AI-generated software can match the reliability expected of mainstream commercial applications.

• Brandon Thomas used Claude Opus 4.5 to build open-source clones of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint called WordCraft, GridCraft, and DeckCraft.
• The apps are written in a single Rust codebase, run on multiple platforms without Electron or Tauri, and are released under MIT or Apache 2.0 licenses.
• WordCraft supports .docx and other formats with offline grammar checking, while GridCraft covers 89% of Excel's ribbon commands and 98% of its functions, though both remain early-stage.