Is Logisim-evolution Safe?

Short answer: yes. Logisim-evolution is open-source software released under the GNU GPL-3.0 license. Its full source code is public on GitHub, the compiled releases contain no advertising, no bundled third-party installers, and no telemetry. That said, you should still download it from the right place — here is the full picture.

Why it is safe

  • Open source. Anyone can read the code. Malicious behavior cannot hide in a public repository with thousands of watchers.
  • No bundled junk. The installers contain only the simulator and its Java runtime. There are no “offers” for toolbars, antivirus trials, or browser extensions.
  • No network calls. It is a local desktop application. It does not phone home, track usage, or require an account.
  • Widely used in universities. IT departments at schools worldwide deploy it on lab machines — software with a spyware problem would not survive that.

Download from the project’s GitHub releases

The only place the developers publish builds is the releases page on GitHub. Every download button on this site links directly there — we do not repackage, modify, or re-host the files. If you ever download Logisim-evolution from anywhere else, check that the file comes from the logisim-evolution GitHub organization before running it.

Download links on this site go straight to GitHub:

Go to the Download Page

Why Windows SmartScreen / macOS Gatekeeper warns you

You may see a warning when you first run it:

  • Windows: “Windows protected your PC” (SmartScreen). Click More info → Run anyway.
  • macOS: “cannot be opened because it is from an unidentified developer.” Right-click the app and choose Open, or allow it in System Settings → Privacy & Security.

This is normal for open-source software. These warnings appear because the developers do not pay for a commercial code-signing certificate — not because anything was detected. The same thing happens with thousands of legitimate open-source tools.

How to double-check a download yourself

  1. Download only from the GitHub releases page (our download page links there directly).
  2. Optionally, upload the file to VirusTotal.com for a free multi-engine scan before running it.
  3. Keep your Java runtime up to date if you use the portable .jar version.

About this site

logisimevolution.com is an independent community resource site. We are not the developers of Logisim-evolution and not affiliated with the project — we just document it. Our download buttons link to the official GitHub releases so you always get the unmodified files. See About for details.