GLOSSARY
Cura
Cura (now UltiMaker Cura) is the free, open-source slicer originally developed by Ultimaker. It supports nearly every consumer 3D printer out of the box and has the widest plugin ecosystem of any slicer.
Definition
Cura was started by David Braam in 2014 and acquired by Ultimaker shortly after. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and ships preconfigured profiles for hundreds of printer models — Creality, Anycubic, Elegoo, Voron, Prusa, and more. For users with non-Bambu, non-Prusa printers, it is often the path of least resistance.
Official site: ultimaker.com/software/ultimaker-cura.
Why it matters
Cura is the most-installed slicer worldwide. Its tree supports, adaptive layer height, and extensive material profiles make it a fully capable slicer for almost any FDM workflow. The marketplace has plugins for OctoPrint integration, calibration test generators, and exotic post-processors.
Common confusion
Cura is for FDM. For resin printing you want a separate slicer — Lychee, Chitubox, or the printer manufacturer's tool.
Cura's default profile names are unusual ("Standard Quality", "Extra Fine") and the actual layer heights they imply vary between printer profiles. Always double-check the layer height before slicing for the first time on a new machine.