# Framework Laptop 13: hardware CAD files, module pinouts and Mainboard documentation > FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13 holds 3D CAD, 2D drawings, connector pinouts and part numbers for the Framework Laptop 13 and Framework Laptop 13 Pro. Seven component directories cover the Mainboard, Battery, Display and four peripheral modules. **FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13** — Documentation for the Mainboard and other modules in the Framework Laptop 13 - Repository: https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13 - Website: https://frame.work/marketplace/mainboards - Stars: 2,014 · Forks: 89 - Language: OpenSCAD - License: CC-BY-4.0 - Published: 2026-10-11 · Updated: 2026-10-11 · Language: en - Canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/frameworkcomputer-framework-laptop-13 ## Hardware documentation as a foundation for third-party Mainboard development FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13 is a hardware documentation repository, not a software project. Nothing in it compiles or installs. Its purpose is to give hardware designers, accessory makers, and prospective third-party Mainboard manufacturers the information they need to build compatible products. According to the README, the Mainboard documentation is 'a starting point for a broader set of open source Mainboard documentation to enable creation of fully compatible third-party Mainboards in the future.' That sentence governs the whole repository. Files for 3D CAD, 2D drawings, connector pinouts, and part numbers all serve that stated goal. Without access to the connector pinouts and part numbers in this repository, a developer building a compatible accessory or replacement Mainboard would have to measure and test physical hardware to derive connector specifications. Framework's documentation eliminates that step for the components it covers, at the cost of being, by the README's own admission, a starting point rather than a finished specification. ## External 3D CAD in .stp format and OpenSCAD for accessories and replacement parts At the base of the repository are two external 3D CAD files for the whole system. One is `Framework Laptop 13 CAD.stp` for the Classic, and one is `Framework Laptop 13 Pro CAD.stp` for the Pro. According to the README, these enable development of '3D-printed replacement parts, skins, cases, and other accessories.' STP (STEP) is a widely supported exchange format for 3D CAD data, readable in most professional and hobbyist CAD tools. A designer needing to build an accessory that fits the laptop's external shell starts from these files to get the external geometry. OpenSCAD is the primary language listed for the repository. That is the format of the 2 example 3D-printable cases in the Mainboard directory. OpenSCAD generates geometry from code rather than interactive modeling, which suits printable parts that need adjustment by editing parameters rather than repositioning geometry. STP files in the base directory are a different artifact: they capture the complete external shell in exchange format for import into other CAD tools. Repository metadata gives the license as CC BY 4.0; the last push to the main branch was on 2026-07-14. ## Running the Framework Laptop 13 Mainboard as a standalone single-board computer Framework's README describes the Mainboard as having been 'designed from the start as a standalone module to make upgrades easy in the Framework Laptop and to also work great as a high-performance single board computer.' Supported processors span Intel's 11th Gen Intel Core, 12th Gen Intel Core, and 13th Gen Intel Core, along with AMD's Ryzen 7040 Series. For standalone use, the README gives a concise startup procedure: 'insert memory, plug in a USB-C power adapter, and hit the tiny power button on-board, and you've got a powered-up computer.' External memory and a USB-C power source are the only prerequisites named. No laptop chassis is required to power the board. Framework also lists optional add-on components for standalone builds. A Bottom Cover Kit, Input Cover Kit, and Battery are available from the Marketplace at frame.work/marketplace/mainboards. A blog post at frame.work/blog/mainboard-availability-and-open-source-release covers more detail on those options. What the repository does not document is operating system setup, BIOS configuration, or USB-C power delivery requirements. Those topics fall outside the scope of hardware documentation. ## Pinout data for 5 modules: Battery, Display, Fingerprint Reader, Touchpad and Webcam Five modules carry electrical pinout data in the repository. Battery documentation provides 2D drawings, 3D CAD and a pinout 'to enable re-use.' Display documentation provides the same set. Fingerprint Reader documentation provides a pinout only. Touchpad documentation covers 'pinout of the Touchpad connectors,' and Webcam documentation provides its pinout. Of those 5, Battery and Display are the 2 that also include full physical CAD alongside the pinout data. Fingerprint Reader, Touchpad and Webcam have pinout data only. That asymmetry reflects the nature of those components: a battery or display has physical dimensions that matter for replacement and re-use, while a webcam or fingerprint reader is primarily an interface connector. Framework uses the phrase 're-use' in both the Battery and Display section descriptions, which aligns with the README's statement about the Mainboard being designed 'to make upgrades easy.' Electrical specifications for each peripheral module serve the same intent: giving external parties the data to build compatible replacements or accessories. Without that pinout data, reverse-engineering the connector from physical hardware is the only path. For a developer sourcing components, the connector part numbers in the Mainboard section are the most actionable data in the repository. ## Classic and Pro share one set of module documentation without per-model qualifiers Framework's README opening covers 'the Framework Laptop 13 and Framework Laptop 13 Pro,' and the 3D CAD section provides separate files for each model: `Framework Laptop 13 CAD.stp` for the Classic and `Framework Laptop 13 Pro CAD.stp` for the Pro. That distinction in the 3D CAD section acknowledges that the two models differ in external geometry. Module documentation sections below that, covering the Mainboard, Battery, Display, Fingerprint Reader, Touchpad and Webcam, carry no equivalent per-model qualifier. Each section name appears once, with no sub-heading or parenthetical noting which model the drawings and pinouts apply to. Both models appear in the README overview without resolution of that ambiguity. For a developer using the pinout data, this matters. Classic and Pro are distinct products, and a connector pinout that applies to one may not apply to the other. Before sourcing components or designing an interface based on a pinout from this repository, a developer should verify which model it covers. Framework does not address this question in the README, and no per-model subdirectories exist in the module documentation portion of the repository. ## Expansion Cards and Embedded Controller firmware live in separate repositories Two other repositories are linked from the README for areas outside this repository's scope. Expansion Card documentation is at github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionCards. Embedded Controller firmware is at github.com/FrameworkComputer/EmbeddedController. Framework names these links without describing what either repository contains, so following those links is the only way to understand their scope. For anyone building a complete picture of Framework's open hardware ecosystem, that separation matters. This repository covers the laptop's physical modules and their electrical interfaces. EmbeddedController covers the firmware layer that manages hardware functions. ExpansionCards covers the external expansion ports that distinguish the Framework Laptop's design. A Hinges directory also appears in the top-level repository entries, listed alongside Mainboard, Battery, Display and the other documented modules. Framework's README does not describe this directory, and no guidance is given on what format it uses or what documentation it holds. ## Inside the Mainboard directory: 2D drawings, connector data and 2 printable case examples Among all the component directories, Mainboard is the most thoroughly documented. According to the README, it holds 2D drawings of the Mainboard, a couple of example 3D-printable cases, and the pinouts and part numbers of the connectors. Those 3 elements cover the physical layout, the printable housing, and the electrical interfaces. Both 3D-printable case examples are described as 'easy to print on home 3D printers,' setting an expectation about their complexity. OpenSCAD format means they are defined as code, so a maker can adjust parameters without needing a mesh editor or a commercial CAD tool. Connector part numbers are the most directly actionable data for a hardware developer. Knowing a part number enables looking up the connector datasheet, verifying current availability, and sourcing matching mating connectors for a compatible assembly. That is the step between having a pinout and building a working interface. Framework's decision to include part numbers alongside pinouts shortens that path for third-party developers, which matches the repository's stated goal of enabling compatible Mainboard development. ## Conclusion This repository serves hardware makers, designers, and anyone building accessories or projects around the Framework Laptop 13. It is not a software project and not a consumer guide: no assembly instructions or build commands exist here. Before relying on a module pinout, confirm which model it applies to, because the Battery, Display, Fingerprint Reader, Touchpad and Webcam sections give no per-model qualifier even though the README covers both Classic and Pro. For Expansion Card development or Embedded Controller work, follow the links to the two separate repositories named in the README. ## FAQ ### What is in the Framework Laptop 13 GitHub repository? It holds 3D CAD and 2D drawings of the laptop's external shell and modules, along with connector pinouts and part numbers. Seven component directories cover the Mainboard, Battery, Display, Fingerprint Reader, Touchpad, Webcam and Hinges. ### Can the Framework Laptop 13 Mainboard run without the laptop chassis? According to the README, the Mainboard was designed as a standalone module. Adding memory and a USB-C power adapter and pressing the onboard power button gives a working computer. Optional parts such as a Bottom Cover Kit and Battery are available from the Marketplace. ### Where are the Framework Laptop 13 Expansion Card files? Expansion Card documentation is in a separate repository at github.com/FrameworkComputer/ExpansionCards. Embedded Controller firmware is at github.com/FrameworkComputer/EmbeddedController. ### What license covers the Framework Laptop 13 hardware documentation? Framework states in the README that developers are free to modify, remix, and redistribute the files. ### Does the Framework Laptop 13 repository cover the Pro model? Framework's README describes the repository as covering both the Framework Laptop 13 and Framework Laptop 13 Pro. Separate 3D CAD files exist for each model, but the module documentation sections do not specify which model each set of pinouts and drawings applies to. ## Sources - [FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13 on GitHub](https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13) - [Issues](https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13/issues) - [License: CC-BY-4.0](https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13/blob/main/LICENSE) - [Project website](https://frame.work/marketplace/mainboards) - [README](https://github.com/FrameworkComputer/Framework-Laptop-13/blob/main/README.md) --- Hysen Labs editorial analysis, written from the project's own repository and release notes. Cite the canonical page: https://hysenlabs.com/projects/frameworkcomputer-framework-laptop-13