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[`mods`](http://mods.cba.mit.edu) is a software tool developed by MIT's Center for Bits and Atoms (CBA) to help build digital fabrication workflows in a modular way. It focuses primarily on machines available in [Fab Labs](https://fablabs.io), such as laser cutters, vinyl cutters, and CNC mills. It is also one of the tools featured throughout the [How to Make (Almost) Anything](http://fab.cba.mit.edu/classes/MAS.863/) course and [Fab Academy](http://fabacademy.org/).
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You can use `mods`, for example, to take a digital design in one file format, convert it into another, apply an algorithm to generate code that a machine can understand, and then send that code directly to a connected instance of that machine. These steps are each managed independently and can be mixed and matched to get an endless number of workflows.
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![](images/hero.png)
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`mods` rhymes with _pods_ and is usually spelled with a lowercase _m_ unless at the beginning of a sentence (or use Markdown backticks to avoid the issue altogether). The name is a hint at the tool's emphasis on modular architecture.
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## `mods` CBA and CE
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As of this writing (March 2020), `mods` has two versions, which will eventually be merged into one:
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- `mods` CBA ([app](http://mods.cba.mit.edu/), [source](https://gitlab.cba.mit.edu/pub/mods/tree/master)), which serves as a research tool for rapid development of new functionality by the CBA team.
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- `mods` CE ([app](https://fabfoundation.github.io/mods/), [source](https://github.com/fabfoundation/mods)), which is a hard-fork of `mods` CBA open for public contribution and home to a variety of functional and UX enhancements.
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This wiki serves as a resource for both despite the (mostly minor) differences in the UI and some functionality. |
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