Geometry & modeling
Direct modeling
Definition
Direct modeling edits geometry by pushing, pulling, moving, and deleting faces directly, without replaying a feature history. It is fast for imported files and late changes, but it does not record why the model has its shape.
Also known as: history-free modeling, explicit modeling, push-pull modeling
Updated
When it helps#
Direct modeling is the natural way to work on geometry that arrived without a history, such as a STEP file from a supplier or an AI tool. You can move a face, change a hole size, or remove a feature without rebuilding the part.
Many programs now mix direct and parametric tools. Shapr3D, for example, says it integrates direct and history-based workflows. The tradeoff is that direct edits carry no design intent: nothing stops a later change from breaking a relationship you cared about.
Sources
Related terms
Parametric modeling
Parametric modeling builds a CAD model from dimensions, constraints, and an ordered list of features, so changing a value regenerates the geometry. It is the default approach in SolidWorks, Fusion, Onshape, Creo, NX, and FreeCAD Part Design.
Feature tree
A feature tree is the ordered list of operations, such as sketches, extrudes, cuts, fillets, and patterns, that builds a parametric CAD model. Editing an early feature replays every feature after it, which makes controlled changes possible and also makes the model depend on each earlier step.
STEP
STEP is the ISO 10303 family of standards for exchanging 3D product data between CAD systems, usually saved as .step or .stp files. A STEP file carries exact B-Rep solid geometry that another CAD program can measure and edit, but it normally does not carry the original feature history.