modeling-app/docs/kcl-std/functions/std-solid-subtract.md

---
title: "subtract"
subtitle: "Function in std::solid"
excerpt: "Subtract removes tool solids from base solids, leaving the remaining material."
layout: manual
---

Subtract removes tool solids from base solids, leaving the remaining material.

```kcl
subtract(
  @solids: [Solid; 1+],
  tools: [Solid],
  tolerance?: number(Length),
): [Solid; 1+]
```

Performs a bool subtraction operation, removing the volume of one or more
tool solids from one or more base solids. The result is a new solid
representing the material that remains after all tool solids have been cut
away. This function is essential for machining simulations, cavity creation,
and complex multi-body part modeling.

### Arguments

| Name | Type | Description | Required |
|----------|------|-------------|----------|
| `solids` | [`[Solid; 1+]`](/docs/kcl-std/types/std-types-Solid) | The solids to use as the base to subtract from. | Yes |
| `tools` | [`[Solid]`](/docs/kcl-std/types/std-types-Solid) | The solids to subtract. | Yes |
| `tolerance` | [`number(Length)`](/docs/kcl-std/types/std-types-number) | Defines the smallest distance below which two entities are considered coincident, intersecting, coplanar, or similar. For most use cases, it should not be changed from its default value of 10^-7 millimeters. | No |

### Returns

[`[Solid; 1+]`](/docs/kcl-std/types/std-types-Solid)


### Examples

```kcl
// Subtract a cylinder from a cube using the stdlib functions.


fn cube(center, size) {
  return startSketchOn(XY)
    |> startProfile(at = [center[0] - size, center[1] - size])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] + size, center[1] - size])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] + size, center[1] + size])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] - size, center[1] + size])
    |> close()
    |> extrude(length = 10)
}

part001 = cube(center = [0, 0], size = 10)
part002 = cube(center = [7, 3], size = 5)
  |> translate(z = 1)

subtractedPart = subtract([part001], tools = [part002])

```

![Rendered example of subtract 0](data:image/png;base64,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

```kcl
// Subtract a cylinder from a cube using operators.
// NOTE: This will not work when using codemods through the UI.
// Codemods will generate the stdlib function call instead.


fn cube(center, size) {
  return startSketchOn(XY)
    |> startProfile(at = [center[0] - size, center[1] - size])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] + size, center[1] - size])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] + size, center[1] + size])
    |> line(endAbsolute = [center[0] - size, center[1] + size])
    |> close()
    |> extrude(length = 10)
}

part001 = cube(center = [0, 0], size = 10)
part002 = cube(center = [7, 3], size = 5)
  |> translate(z = 1)

// This is the equivalent of: subtract([part001], tools=[part002])
subtractedPart = part001 - part002

```

![Rendered example of subtract 1](data:image/png;base64,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