BIM Interoperability API for Revit, Archicad and IFC

Features • Quick Start • Development • Production • Documentation

This project provides a complete BIM interoperability layer for architectural software, enabling seamless conversion between:

• Revit (.rvt) ↔ IFC
  • RVT → IFC: Cloud-based via Autodesk Platform Services (APS/Forge)
  • IFC → RVT: Local via Revit Plugin
• Archicad (.pln) ↔ IFC
  • Both directions via Archicad Plugin (local)
• Revit ↔ Archicad (via IFC as intermediate format)

graph TB
    subgraph Client["🌐 Client Browser"]
        Frontend["React Frontend<br/>Port 3001"]
    end

    subgraph Backend["🖥️ Backend Services"]
        NodeAPI["Node.js API<br/>Port 3000<br/>• REST API<br/>• WebSocket Manager"]
        PythonBridge["Python Bridge<br/>Port 5000<br/>• Plugin Communication"]
    end

    subgraph Cloud["☁️ Cloud Services"]
        APS["Autodesk APS/Forge<br/>• RVT → IFC Conversion"]
    end

    subgraph Plugins["🔌 Desktop Plugins"]
        RevitPlugin["Revit Plugin<br/>Port 8082<br/>• IFC → RVT"]
        ArchicadPlugin["Archicad Plugin<br/>Port 8081<br/>• PLN ↔ IFC"]
    end

    Frontend <-->|"HTTP/WebSocket"| NodeAPI
    NodeAPI <-->|"Cloud API"| APS
    NodeAPI <-->|"WebSocket Bridge"| PythonBridge
    PythonBridge <-->|"WebSocket"| RevitPlugin
    PythonBridge <-->|"WebSocket"| ArchicadPlugin

    style APS fill:#e1f5ff
    style RevitPlugin fill:#fff9c4
    style ArchicadPlugin fill:#c8e6c9
    style NodeAPI fill:#f3e5f5
    style PythonBridge fill:#f3e5f5

• REST API (Node.js + TypeScript + Fastify)
• Autodesk Platform Services (Cloud conversion for RVT → IFC)
• Python Bridge (Flask + Plugin communication)
• Desktop Plugins (Revit C# + Archicad C++)
• Web Interface (React + TanStack Router)
• Documentation (Fumadocs + Code Hike)

• ✅ Real-time conversion progress via WebSocket
• ✅ Multi-format support: RVT, PLN, IFC
• ✅ Chain conversions: Automatic Revit → IFC → Archicad workflows
• ✅ Plugin status monitoring in real-time
• ✅ Job management with automatic cleanup (TTL-based)
• ✅ Internationalization: Portuguese and English support
• ✅ File download after conversion
• ✅ RESTful API with Scalar/Swagger documentation
• ✅ WebSocket Context: Global state management for jobs
• ✅ Dark mode support in web interface
• ✅ Cross-platform backend (Windows, Linux, macOS)
• ✅ Drag-and-drop file upload

• Node.js >= 18.0.0 (LTS recommended: 20.x)
• pnpm >= 8.0.0
• Python >= 3.8 (3.13+ recommended)

Windows:

git clone https://github.com/Shobon03/ts-ifc-api.git
cd ts-ifc-api
scripts\setup.bat

Linux/Mac:

git clone https://github.com/Shobon03/ts-ifc-api.git
cd ts-ifc-api
chmod +x scripts/*.sh
./scripts/setup.sh

Or manually:

pnpm install
cd backend/python
python -m venv venv
source venv/bin/activate  # Windows: venv\Scripts\activate
pip install -r requirements.txt

Start all services in development mode with hot-reload:

pnpm dev

Or start services individually:

pnpm dev:backend        # Node.js API (port 3000)
pnpm dev:python         # Python bridge (port 5000)
pnpm dev:frontend       # React app (port 3001)
pnpm dev:documentation  # Fumadocs docs (port 3002)

Windows:

scripts\build.bat

Linux/Mac:

./scripts/build.sh

Or with pnpm:

pnpm build

Windows:

scripts\start.bat

Linux/Mac:

./scripts/start.sh

Or with pnpm:

pnpm start

# Install PM2
npm install -g pm2

# Build
pnpm build

# Start with PM2
pm2 start ecosystem.config.js

# Configure to start on boot
pm2 startup
pm2 save

For detailed build and deployment instructions, see BUILD.md.

Complete documentation is available at http://localhost:3002 (when running pnpm dev:documentation).

• Introduction: What is the system and how it works
• Getting Started: Your first conversion
• File Conversion: Detailed guide for all conversion types
• Troubleshooting: Common issues and solutions

• Architecture: System overview and component interaction
• Setup: Environment configuration
• Backend Node.js: Fastify API and WebSocket
• Backend Python: Flask bridge and Archicad integration
• Frontend: React application with TanStack Router

• Revit Plugin: C# WebSocket plugin for IFC → RVT import (RVT → IFC handled by APS)
• Archicad Plugin: C++ plugin for bidirectional PLN ↔ IFC conversion

• Endpoints: Complete REST API documentation
• WebSocket Protocol: Real-time communication spec
• Data Models: TypeScript types and Zod schemas

• Frontend README
• Backend Node.js README
• Backend Python README
• Revit Plugin README
• Archicad Plugin README
• Architecture Overview
• Architectural Decisions
• Build Instructions
• Deploy Checklist

ts-ifc-api/
├── backend/
│   ├── node/                 # Fastify REST API + WebSocket
│   │   ├── src/
│   │   │   ├── routes/      # API endpoints
│   │   │   ├── services/    # Business logic
│   │   │   ├── ws/          # WebSocket handlers
│   │   │   ├── types/       # TypeScript types
│   │   │   ├── utils/       # Utilities
│   │   │   └── tests/       # Unit tests
│   │   └── README.md
│   └── python/              # Flask + Archicad API bridge
│       ├── src/
│       │   ├── server.py    # Flask application
│       │   └── archicad/    # Archicad integration
│       └── README.md
├── frontend/                # React web application
│   ├── src/
│   │   ├── routes/         # TanStack Router pages
│   │   ├── components/     # React components
│   │   ├── lib/            # WebSocket, i18n, utils
│   │   └── assets/         # Styles and static files
│   └── README.md
├── plugins/
│   ├── revit/              # Revit C# plugin (95% complete)
│   │   └── IfcToRevitConverter/
│   │       └── README.md
│   └── archicad/           # Archicad C++ plugin (65% complete)
│       └── ArchiCAD-IFC-Plugin/
│           ├── BUILD_INSTRUCTIONS.md
│           └── README.md
├── documentation/          # Fumadocs documentation site (Next.js 15)
│   ├── content/docs/
│   │   ├── user-guide/
│   │   ├── developer-guide/
│   │   ├── plugins/
│   │   └── api/
│   └── README.md
├── scripts/                # Build and setup automation
│   ├── setup.bat / setup.sh
│   ├── build.bat / build.sh
│   └── start.bat / start.sh
├── BUILD.md               # Detailed build instructions
├── DEPLOY_CHECKLIST.md    # Production deployment guide
└── README.md              # This file

• Node.js 18+ with TypeScript (20.x LTS recommended)
• Fastify 5.6 - Fast web framework
• Zod 4.1 - Schema validation
• @fastify/websocket - WebSocket support
• Axios - HTTP client
• APS SDK - Autodesk Platform Services (for RVT → IFC cloud conversion)

• React 19.2 - UI library
• TanStack Router 1.133 - File-based routing
• TanStack Query 5.90 - Server state management
• Tailwind CSS 4.1 - Styling
• Vite 7.1 - Build tool
• React Hook Form + Zod - Form validation
• Lucide React - Icons

• Flask 3.1 - Web framework
• Archicad 28.3000 - Archicad API

• Revit API 2025.4 + .NET 8.0 (C#)
• Archicad API DevKit 28.4 + C++17
• Boost.Beast - WebSocket/HTTP (Archicad)
• WebSocketSharp - WebSocket server (Revit)

• Fumadocs - Documentation framework (Next.js 15)
• Code Hike - Code highlighting and annotations
• MDX - Markdown with React components

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Frontend
    participant Node.js
    participant APS as Autodesk APS

    User->>Frontend: Upload RVT file
    Frontend->>Node.js: POST /models/generate-ifc
    Node.js->>APS: Upload to OSS bucket
    Node.js->>APS: Start conversion job

    loop Poll status every 5s
        Node.js->>APS: Check manifest
        APS-->>Node.js: Progress: 0-100%
        Node.js-->>Frontend: WebSocket update
    end

    APS-->>Node.js: Conversion complete
    Node.js->>APS: Download IFC
    Node.js->>Node.js: Save to disk
    Node.js-->>Frontend: Download URL
    User->>Frontend: Download IFC

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Frontend
    participant Node.js
    participant Python
    participant Revit as Revit Plugin

    User->>Frontend: Submit IFC file
    Frontend->>Node.js: POST /models/convert-from-ifc
    Node.js->>Python: Trigger conversion
    Python->>Revit: WebSocket command
    Revit->>Revit: Import IFC → RVT
    Revit-->>Python: Progress updates
    Python-->>Node.js: Forward progress
    Node.js-->>Frontend: WebSocket update
    Revit-->>Python: Conversion complete
    Python-->>Node.js: Forward completion
    Node.js-->>Frontend: Download URL
    User->>Frontend: Download RVT

sequenceDiagram
    participant User
    participant Frontend
    participant Node.js
    participant Python
    participant Archicad as Archicad Plugin

    User->>Frontend: Upload PLN/IFC file
    Frontend->>Node.js: POST /models/...
    Node.js->>Python: Trigger conversion
    Python->>Archicad: WebSocket command
    Archicad->>Archicad: Convert PLN ↔ IFC
    Archicad-->>Python: Progress updates
    Python-->>Node.js: Forward progress
    Node.js-->>Frontend: WebSocket update
    Archicad-->>Python: Conversion complete
    Python-->>Node.js: Forward completion
    Node.js-->>Frontend: Download URL
    User->>Frontend: Download result

• ✅ Complete conversion pipeline: All formats fully supported (RVT ↔ IFC ↔ PLN)
• ✅ Hybrid architecture: Cloud (APS) for RVT→IFC, Local plugins for other conversions
• ✅ Real-time progress tracking: WebSocket communication for all conversions
• ✅ Production ready: All components tested and stable
• ℹ️ IFC Validation: UI available, backend integration planned for future release

Contributions are welcome! Please follow these guidelines:

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature)
3. Commit your changes (git commit -m 'Add amazing feature')
4. Push to the branch (git push origin feature/amazing-feature)
5. Open a Pull Request

See BUILD.md for detailed development environment setup.

• IFC validation backend integration
• Extended unit and integration test coverage
• Docker containerization
• Performance optimizations for large models
• Additional IFC schema versions support

This project is licensed under GPL-3.0 - see LICENSE for more details.

This project is a part of my final thesis for my undergraduate Computer Science degree.