Repolode
Submit
robbietilton

robbietilton/Compositor

A free, open-source image editor for macOS built around a Photoshop-style compositing and retouching workflow.

Open-source alternative to:Adobe Photoshop

View on GitHub
Stars
17,434
Forks
1,705
Open issues
71
Last commit
5 days ago

What is it?

Compositor is a macOS image editor aimed at people who want Photoshop-style compositing and post-processing without a subscription. It supports layers, folders, blend modes, layer masks, adjustment layers, and GPU-rendered layer effects, along with selection tools, painting and retouching brushes, and a Camera Raw-style adjustment panel.

The app covers transform tools with snapping and exact numeric values, content-aware fill and spot healing, editable shape and type layers, and export to PNG, JPEG, or single-page PDF. It can import common image formats, camera RAW files, and Photoshop PSD and PSB files, showing a conversion report before applying changes.

The project is MIT-licensed, so the Xcode project can be modified to suit a particular workflow. It requires macOS 26 or later on Apple silicon, and building from source requires Xcode 26. It also includes documentation for generating projects through AI agents or scripts.

Key features

  • 01Layers, folders, blend modes, layer masks, and clipping masks
  • 02Adjustment layers and GPU-rendered layer effects such as drop shadow and glow
  • 03Lasso, magic wand, and object selection tools with feathering and content-aware fill
  • 04Brush, clone stamp, spot healing, and blur tools for retouching
  • 05Camera Raw-style filter panel alongside the canvas
  • 06Imports PSD and PSB files, and exports PNG, JPEG, or PDF

Use cases

  • Compositing and retouching photos on a Mac without a Photoshop subscription
  • Editing Photoshop files received from others while keeping layers editable
  • Generating or editing image projects with AI agents or scripts
  • Modifying the open-source app to match a personal editing workflow

Quick start

  1. 1

    Install via Homebrew

    brew install --cask robbietilton-compositor
  2. 2

    Or download the latest release from GitHub Releases

  3. 3

    To build from source, open the Xcode project and run the Compositor scheme

    open Compositor.xcodeproj

Things to know

  • Requires macOS 26.0 or later on an Apple silicon Mac.
  • Building from source requires Xcode 26 or later.
  • The app is English only, and translation contributions are not being accepted.

Topics

#image-editor#macos#swift#photo-editing#compositing#graphics#open-source

FAQ

What is Compositor?
A free, open-source image editor for macOS built around a Photoshop-style compositing and retouching workflow. Compositor is a macOS image editor aimed at people who want Photoshop-style compositing and post-processing without a subscription. It supports layers, folders, blend modes, layer masks, adjustment layers, and GPU-rendered layer effects, along with selection tools, painting and retouching brushes, and a Camera Raw-style adjustment panel.
Is Compositor free to use? What license does it have?
Compositor is open source under the MIT license. Check the license terms before using it in commercial products.
Is Compositor still maintained?
Actively maintained. The last commit to Compositor was on Oct 15, 2026.
What can I use Compositor for?
Compositing and retouching photos on a Mac without a Photoshop subscription Editing Photoshop files received from others while keeping layers editable Generating or editing image projects with AI agents or scripts Modifying the open-source app to match a personal editing workflow
How do I install Compositor?
Install via Homebrew: brew install --cask robbietilton-compositor Or download the latest release from GitHub Releases To build from source, open the Xcode project and run the Compositor scheme: open Compositor.xcodeproj
Where can I get Compositor?
The source code and installation instructions are on GitHub: https://github.com/robbietilton/Compositor

Summary generated by AI from the project's README. GitHub stats refresh daily.

Related projects