Frequently Asked Questions
General
Is Varve free?
Yes, the Varve Community Edition is free to download and use, and it stays free. There are no subscriptions, no feature lockouts, and no cloud requirements. The source code is available on GitHub. If a paid Pro edition ever exists, it will be a separate product — it will never be this one.
Does Varve work offline?
Yes. Core editing works fully offline with no account required. Optional network features — model downloads, font search, update checks, and user-configured cloud providers — are each explicit and user-controlled. See the privacy policy for details.
How do updates work?
Updates are consent-first and cryptographically verified. The current release (v0.2.1) includes an in-app updater. On first launch you can choose to allow automatic update checks. Updates are verified before installation and never overwrite unsaved work. Package-specific limitations apply. See the Updates guide for details.
Does checking for updates send my documents anywhere?
No. An update check sends only your current version, platform, architecture and release channel to Varve's release endpoint. No account, document data, machine identifier or device fingerprint is transmitted, and update consent is separate from any analytics or diagnostics consent.
What platforms does Varve support?
Varve publishes Linux x86_64 and ARM64 (aarch64) packages (AppImage, deb, rpm), Apple Silicon macOS builds, and Windows x86_64 and ARM64 installers. There is no Intel macOS build: Varve's on-device AI runs on the ONNX Runtime, whose upstream discontinued macOS Intel binaries in February 2026, and Apple has ended new Intel macOS support — a deliberate dependency constraint, not an oversight.
Has Varve shipped a release yet?
Yes. The latest published application release is Varve 0.2.1, released in August 2026. Published installers cover Linux (x86_64 and ARM64: AppImage, deb, rpm), macOS (Apple Silicon), and Windows (x86_64 and ARM64). It is public beta software: expect bugs, incomplete tools, and a document format that may still change. See the download page for checksums and the release notes for what changed. Downloads labeled "Varve" anywhere other than the official GitHub repository are not official.
What does FSL-1.1-MIT mean?
FSL-1.1-MIT (Functional Source License, Version 1.1, MIT Future License) is a source-available license. You can use, modify, and redistribute Varve for any Permitted Purpose — anything other than a Competing Use, such as offering a substitute product or hosted service. After two years, each release converts to the MIT license. See the license page for details.
Is Varve open source?
The source code is publicly available, but Varve is licensed under FSL-1.1-MIT, which is a source-available (not OSI-approved open-source) license. After two years from each release, the code converts to the MIT license and becomes fully open-source. See the license page for the reasoning behind this choice.
Features & Capabilities
Does Varve have real-time collaboration?
Not yet. Collaboration features are currently UI scaffolding only with no transport or wire protocol. This is planned for future development.
Can I use Varve for professional print work?
Varve has CMYK color management, ICC profiles, PDF/X-1a and PDF/X-4 export, crop marks, color bars, and print preflight checks. However, Varve is in beta — test thoroughly before using for critical print production. See the Color & Effects page for current status.
Does Varve support ARM processors?
Yes. Apple Silicon (ARM64) on macOS, Linux ARM64, and Windows ARM64 are all published as native builds. Use the architecture-labeled download on the download page — do not install an x86_64 build by assumption on ARM hardware.
What export formats does Varve support?
Varve exports to SVG, React/Tailwind, React/CSS-Modules, Flutter, SwiftUI, and PDF with CMYK support. See the Export & Code Generation page for details.
Development & Community
Who develops Varve?
Varve is built by one designer-developer independently. See the About page for the full story.
How can I contribute?
You can contribute code, documentation, testing, or design. See the contribution guidelines for details. Non-financial contributions are equally valuable to financial support.
How can I support the project financially?
Varve accepts financial support via GitHub Sponsors. See the Support Project page for sponsorship tiers and what support enables.
Still have questions?
Check the documentation or ask in GitHub Discussions.