The RAPS Manifesto: Bringing DevOps to the Built Environment

The Problem: AEC is Stuck in the Stone Age

For decades, the Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC) industry has embraced sophisticated design technology while operating these tools with manual, error-prone processes that belong in the 1990s.

We’re designing buildings with AI and constructing them with spreadsheets.

While software development solved automation decades ago with CI/CD pipelines, AEC professionals are still:

  • Clicking through web interfaces to upload models
  • Manually checking translation status every 5 minutes
  • Copy-pasting URNs between applications
  • Writing one-off PowerShell scripts that break in production
  • Treating APS like a black box instead of a programmable platform

This stops today.

The Vision: Infrastructure as Code for the Built Environment

Imagine a world where:

  • Every model upload triggers automated quality checks
  • Translation pipelines run in parallel across multiple formats
  • Design changes automatically propagate through delivery systems
  • Construction workflows integrate seamlessly with design data
  • Manufacturing processes are driven by real-time model updates

This is not a dream. This is RAPS.

Core Principles

1. Automation Over Manual Labor

If you’re clicking through a web interface more than once, you’re doing it wrong. Every repetitive task should be automated, every workflow should be scriptable, every process should be reproducible.

2. Code Over Configuration

Configuration files and UI settings are fragile. Code is testable, versionable, and documentable. Infrastructure as Code principles apply to APS workflows: everything should be defined in version-controlled, executable code.

3. Pipelines Over One-Offs

Stop writing throw-away scripts. Build reusable pipelines that can be composed, extended, and shared across projects. Your automation should be as robust as your designs.

4. Performance Over Convenience

Web interfaces are convenient for exploration. Command-line tools are built for performance. When you need to process 100 models, you need a tool designed for scale, not for clicks.

5. Open Source Over Vendor Lock-In

The AEC industry has suffered too long under proprietary silos. RAPS is open source, MIT licensed, and designed for interoperability. Your automation should belong to you, not your vendor.

Why Rust? Why Now?

Performance Without Compromise

RAPS starts in milliseconds, handles thousands of files efficiently, and uses minimal memory. When your pipeline processes gigabytes of design data, every CPU cycle matters.

Reliability by Design

Rust’s type system eliminates entire categories of bugs at compile time. No null pointer exceptions, no data races, no silent failures. When your automation runs critical infrastructure, reliability isn’t optional.

Single Binary Deployment

No Python virtual environments, no Node.js version conflicts, no Java runtime requirements. One binary, any platform, zero dependencies. Deployment complexity is the enemy of adoption.

Cross-Platform from Day One

Windows, macOS, Linux—RAPS runs everywhere your team works. No platform discrimination, no second-class citizens.

The MCP Revolution: Teaching AI to Speak APS

Version 3.0 introduces something unprecedented: natural language APS operations.

Instead of memorizing CLI commands, you can now simply ask your AI assistant:

  • “Show me all my APS buckets”
  • “Translate this Revit model to SVF2 format and wait for completion”
  • “Upload these 50 files and start derivative processing in parallel”

The Model Context Protocol (MCP) server bridges the gap between human intent and platform capabilities. This isn’t just convenience—it’s a fundamental shift in how we interact with design data.

Beyond Autodesk: A Blueprint for Industry Transformation

RAPS is more than an APS client. It’s a proof of concept for what modern AEC tooling should look like:

  • API-First: Every operation should be programmable
  • CLI-Native: Command-line interfaces scale better than GUIs
  • Pipeline-Ready: Designed for automation from the ground up
  • AI-Integrated: Natural language operations as a first-class feature
  • Community-Driven: Open source development with transparent roadmaps

The Call to Action

To AEC Developers: Stop accepting inferior tooling. Demand better. Build better. The technology exists—use it.

To Engineering Managers: Your teams deserve tools as sophisticated as the buildings they design. Invest in automation infrastructure, not more manual processes.

To Technology Leaders: The future of AEC is programmable. Position your organization for success by adopting infrastructure-as-code practices today.

To Students and New Professionals: Learn these tools now. The AEC industry is transforming, and the next generation of leaders will be those who bridge design and technology.

The RAPS Promise

We commit to:

  • Transparent Development: Open source, public roadmaps, community input
  • Performance Excellence: Sub-second startup, efficient resource usage, scalable architecture
  • Documentation Quality: Every feature documented, every workflow explained, every example tested
  • Community Support: Responsive maintainership, welcoming contribution process, inclusive development

Join the Movement

The future of AEC automation starts with your next project. Whether you’re uploading a single model or orchestrating enterprise-scale workflows, RAPS provides the foundation for what’s possible.

Download RAPS. Automate your workflows. Transform your industry.

The Stone Age ended not because we ran out of stones, but because we discovered better tools.

The Manual Age of AEC ends today.

🌼 RAPS (rapeseed) — Bringing CI/CD to the Built Environment

About the Author

Dmytro Yemelianov is an Autodesk Expert Elite member with 15+ years in AEC technology. He has spoken at Autodesk University, contributed to the ADN community since 2012, and believes that better tools create better buildings.

Get Involved

  • GitHub: https://github.com/dmytro-yemelianov/raps
  • Website: https://rapscli.xyz
  • Documentation: https://rapscli.xyz/docs
  • Discussions: https://github.com/dmytro-yemelianov/raps/discussions

This manifesto is licensed under Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 and may be freely shared with attribution.