Comparison of system dynamics software

Last updated

This is a comparison of various aspects of software offering system dynamics features:

Contents

Due to concerns over commercial postings on the system dynamics main topic, commercial hyperlinks are specifically NOT active on this list.

Table of system dynamics software

Sortable table
Package name Licensing Implementation languageLast update (year)More info
AMESim Proprietary, commercialC2017Distributed by Siemens. Modelica-models supported.
Analytica Proprietary, commercial, free limited version C++ 2018Supports system dynamics, Monte Carlo simulation for uncertainty, array abstraction for handling multidimensional data, linear and non-linear optimization. Uses influence diagrams to define, navigate, and document models.
AnyLogic Proprietary, commercial, free Personal Learning Edition (PLE) for education, formal or not Java 2020Supports system dynamics, agent based and discrete event modeling, allows making hybrid models.
ASCEND Free, GNU General Public License (GPL) C 2012For solving small to very large mathematical models, systems of non-linear equations, linear and nonlinear optimisation problems, dynamic systems expressed as differential-algebraic equations.
Berkeley Madonna Proprietary, shareware C++, Java2018Developed on Berkeley campus under sponsorship of NSF and NIH, used by academic and commercial institutions to build mathematical models for research and teaching. Solves ordinary differential equations (initial conditions and boundary value problems), difference equations (initial conditions and boundary value problems), multi-dimensional transcendental algebraic equation roots, discrete simulations using conveyors, ovens, and queues. Suitable for large-scale systems, boundary value problems, Monte Carlo models, curve fitting, root finding, batch processes, parameter plots, stiff systems, etc.
Dymola Proprietary, commercialC++ et al.2024A modeling and simulation environment based on the Modelica modeling language, also supporting the FMI, eFMI and SSP standards. Uses symbolic equation processing to generate efficient simulation code.
DYNAMO Proprietary, no longer distributed commerciallyAED, Pascal 1986Historic DYNAMO models are often available at the MIT system dynamics website. DYNAMO software for microcomputers may be available via eBay or other resale sites.
GoldSim Proprietary, commercialC++2022Differs from traditional system dynamics approaches in that 1) it puts much greater emphasis on probabilistic simulation techniques to support representation of uncertain and/or stochastic systems; and 2) it provides a wide variety of specialized model objects (beyond stocks, flows and converters) in order to make models less abstract (and hence more transparent) and help represent processes and events that cannot easily be represented using a traditional system dynamics approach. These differences are due to the fact that GoldSim is primarily used for engineering and scientific applications where quantitative probabilistic predictions of future performance are required.
iThink Proprietary, commercialC++, JavaScript2018System dynamics and discrete event modeling with some agent-based capabilities. Drag and drop user interface builder allows simulations to be published online. Includes multilevel hierarchical models, reusable modules, multidimensional arrays, optimization, and Monte Carlo analysis.
MapleSim Proprietary, commercialJava (GUI), C, Maple (engine)2017 Modelica-based system-level modeling tool. Leverages symbolic computing via tight integration with Maple.
NetLogo Free, GPLv2Java, Scala 2020Agent-based modeling environment in LOGO; supports system dynamics models as a secondary feature.
OpenModelica Free, OSMC Public License, Eclipse Public License (EPL), GNU General Public License (GPL)C, C++, MetaModelica2024 Modelica-based modeling and simulation environment. Modelica is an object-oriented, declarative, multi-domain modeling language for component-oriented modeling of complex systems. Next to the free System Dynamics library, which is exclusively based on modeling signal flows, there is a free Business Simulation Library (BSL) dedicated to System Dynamics, which makes use of Modelica's acausal connectors to account for transitions of conserved matter.
SAAM II Proprietary, commercial, academic, teachingVisual interface2022Uses compartmental theory to model dynamic systems. Typically used in life science problems like substance/nutrient kinetics and effects or epidemiology.
se-lib Free, MIT LicensePython2023Open source Systems Engineering Library (se-lib) provides system dynamics and discrete event simulation.
Simcad Pro Proprietary, commercial, free full featured demoVisual interface2019Interactive process simulation software with support for manufacturing, healthcare and supply chain. 2D and 3D visualization with VR capability
Simantics System Dynamics Free, Eclipse Public License (EPL)Java, Modelica 2018Free and open source system dynamics modelling software with stock and flow modelling, hierarchical models and array variables.
Simulink Proprietary, commercial ?2019Tight integration with MATLAB
Stella Proprietary, commercial, limited free online versionC++, JavaScript2020System dynamics and discrete event modeling with some agent-based capabilities. Drag and drop user interface builder in Architect versions allows simulations to be published online. Includes multilevel hierarchical models, reusable modules, multidimensional arrays, optimization, and Monte Carlo analysis.
Vensim Proprietary, commercial, free Personal Learning Edition (PLE) for education and personal useC, C++2020Continuous simulation with stocks and flows, some discrete delay and discrete event functionality. Flexible array syntax with mapping among dimensions. Extensive support for time series data import and export, with calibration optimization and Markov chain Monte Carlo for estimation. Monte Carlo and other sensitivity simulation methods. Graphical model construction and interfaces. External functions and compiled simulation.
VisSim Proprietary, commercialC2011Accredited education institutions are allowed to site license VisSim v3.0 for free. The latest versions, and add-ons, are available to students and academic institutions at reduced pricing. A read-only version of the software, VisSim Viewer is available for free and provides a way for unlicensed users to run VisSim models.
Wolfram SystemModeler Proprietary, commercial ?2020Supports continuous time and discrete event modeling, external C-functions, component based, hierarchical modeling, and is based on the Modelica modeling language offering a tight integration with Mathematica. Models can be exported to run as standalone applications for users without SystemModeler and the Functional Mock-up Interface can be used for model exchange and co-simulation. Next to the free System Dynamics library, which is exclusively based on modeling signal flows, there is a free Business Simulation Library (BSL) dedicated to System Dynamics, which makes use of Modelica's acausal connectors to account for transitions of conserved matter.
L. ^ The graphing library mxGraph is licensed separately under a paid commercial license. However, it's important to note that its GitHub repository was archived by its owner in 2021 and is now in a read-only state. [1]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Graph drawing</span> Visualization of node-link graphs

Graph drawing is an area of mathematics and computer science combining methods from geometric graph theory and information visualization to derive two-dimensional depictions of graphs arising from applications such as social network analysis, cartography, linguistics, and bioinformatics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adobe ColdFusion</span> Rapid Web app development platform

Adobe ColdFusion is a commercial rapid web-application development computing platform created by J. J. Allaire in 1995. ColdFusion was originally designed to make it easier to connect simple HTML pages to a database. By version 2 (1996) it had become a full platform that included an IDE in addition to a full scripting language.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Digital audio workstation</span> Electronic device or application software used for recording, editing and producing audio files

A digital audio workstation is an electronic device or application software used for recording, editing and producing audio files. DAWs come in a wide variety of configurations from a single software program on a laptop, to an integrated stand-alone unit, all the way to a highly complex configuration of numerous components controlled by a central computer. Regardless of configuration, modern DAWs have a central interface that allows the user to alter and mix multiple recordings and tracks into a final produced piece.

diagrams.net Free and open-source diagram editor

diagrams.net is a cross-platform graph drawing software developed in HTML5 and JavaScript. Its interface can be used to create diagrams such as flowcharts, wireframes, UML diagrams, organizational charts, and network diagrams.

Panda3D is a game engine that includes graphics, audio, I/O, collision detection, and other abilities relevant to the creation of 3D games. Panda3D is free, open-source software under the revised BSD license.

The CoMotion platform is a commercial product from General Dynamics C4 Systems that provides a synchronous and asynchronous collaborative workspace enabling data sharing, data visualization, and messaging. It allows potentially hundreds of users to collaborate live, sharing all or part of their persistent workspace and all data contained therein. It is the core platform for the Army's Command Post of the Future, USTRANSCOM's TransViz software, and Array BioPharma's Discovery product. CoMotion builds substantially on earlier work developed at Carnegie Mellon University, MAYA Design Inc., and DARPA.

Clutter is a discontinued GObject-based graphics library for creating hardware-accelerated user interfaces. Clutter is an OpenGL-based 'interactive canvas' library and does not contain any graphical control elements. It relies upon OpenGL (1.4+) or OpenGL ES for rendering,. It also supports media playback using GStreamer and 2D graphics rendering using Cairo.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">AnyLogic</span> Multimethod simulation modeling tool

AnyLogic is a multimethod simulation modeling tool developed by The AnyLogic Company. It supports agent-based, discrete event, and system dynamics simulation methodologies. AnyLogic is cross-platform simulation software that works on Windows, macOS and Linux. AnyLogic is used to simulate: markets and competition, healthcare, manufacturing, supply chains and logistics, retail, business processes, social and ecosystem dynamics, defense, project and asset management, pedestrian dynamics and road traffic, IT, and aerospace. It is considered to be among the major players in the simulation industry, especially within the domain of business processes is acknowledged to be a powerful tool.

GraphPad Software Inc. was a privately held software development corporation until its acquisition by Insight Partners in 2017. The company was named Insightful Science, which itself merged with Dotmatics in 2021. The original software was written by Harvey Motulsky in 1989 and it was co-founded by Motulsky and Earl Beutler. The company operates in California. Its products include the 2D scientific graphing, biostatistics, curve fitting software GraphPad Prism and the free, web-based statistical calculation software, GraphPad QuickCalcs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Neo4j</span> Graph database implemented in Java

Neo4j is a graph database management system (GDBMS) developed by Neo4j, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">NetworkX</span> Python library for graphs and networks

NetworkX is a Python library for studying graphs and networks. NetworkX is free software released under the BSD-new license.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">GraphStream</span> Graph handling Java library

GraphStream is a graph handling Java library that focuses on the dynamics aspects of graphs. Its main focus is on the modeling of dynamic interaction networks of various sizes.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">HP Prime</span> Programmable graphing calculator

The HP Prime Graphing Calculator is a graphing calculator introduced by Hewlett-Packard in 2013 and manufactured by HP Inc. until the licensees Moravia Consulting spol. s r.o. and Royal Consumer Information Products, Inc. took over the continued development, manufacturing, distribution, marketing and support in 2022. It was designed with features resembling those of smartphones, such as a full-color touchscreen display and a user interface centered around different applications. It claims to be the world's smallest and thinnest CAS-enabled calculator currently available.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bazel (software)</span> Software tool that automates software builds and tests

Bazel is a free and open-source software tool used for the automation of building and testing software. Google uses the build tool Blaze internally and released an open-source port of the Blaze tool as Bazel, named as an anagram of Blaze. Bazel was first released in March 2015 and entered beta by September 2015. Version 1.0 was released in October 2019.

References

  1. mxGraph, JGraph, 2023-08-23, retrieved 2023-08-24