# DISTRHO/Cardinal

Virtual modular synthesizer plugin

Repository: https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/cardinal
Homepage: https://cardinal.kx.studio/
Language: C++
License: GPL-3.0
License Family: copyleft
Topics: vcvrack, plugin, audio, eurorack, lv2-plugin, vst-plugin
Last push: 2026-07-28T11:06:35+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 79/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 94, release rhythm 48, longevity 100
- inputs: {"age_days": 1791, "days_push": 36, "days_rel": 186, "gap_med": 134.5, "n_releases_24m": 5}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 3159, forks 208 (observed 2026-08-28T04:07:46.495862+00:00)

## What it is
Cardinal is a free, open-source virtual modular synthesizer based on VCV Rack, packaged as a self-contained audio plugin (AudioUnit/CLAP/LV2/VST2/VST3) and standalone app. It bundles 1382 modules in a single binary without loading external modules or connecting to the official Rack store.

## Use cases
- run a modular synth inside my DAW as a plugin
- use VCV Rack as an open-source audio plugin
- patch virtual eurorack modules without external dependencies
- send CV/gate signals between my DAW and hardware modular via LV2
- learn modular synthesis for free
- run a modular synth in the browser or on FreeBSD

## When to choose
- you want VCV Rack as a self-contained, fully open-source plugin in your DAW
- you need real CV port support via LV2 for hybrid modular setups
- you want a huge built-in module library with no external module loading
- you need cross-platform support beyond the usual three desktop OSes

## When to avoid
- you need to load third-party modules from the official VCV Rack library/store
- you require stable CLAP support or VST3 plugin hosting, both still experimental
- you need signed installers or official vendor support on macOS/Windows

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: stable
- function: audio-processing, plugin-system, gui
- domain: media, cross-platform
- platform: windows, bsd, cpp, cross-platform
- tags: modular-synthesizer, vcv-rack, eurorack, audio-plugin, lv2, vst3, clap, audiounit, daw-plugin, synthesis, audio, linux, macos, web

## Member repositories
- DISTRHO/Cardinal (main) score 79

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:46.495862+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T07:25:15.901314+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/DISTRHO/Cardinal (fetched 2026-08-28T04:07:46.495862+00:00, sha ab8152809ed2)
  - homepage: https://cardinal.kx.studio/ (fetched 2026-08-29T09:39:56.250647+00:00, sha c5b356a98cd9)
  - site_page: https://cardinal.kx.studio/about (fetched 2026-08-29T09:39:56.259646+00:00, sha 90dd5810f4d1)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.