Logisim vs Logisim-evolution: Which Should You Use?
Logisim-evolution is the community-maintained fork of the original Logisim. For almost everyone, the answer is simple: use Logisim-evolution. Here is why, and the few cases where the original still matters.
Side-by-side comparison
| Original Logisim | Logisim-evolution | |
|---|---|---|
| Author | Dr. Carl Burch | Community fork (universities and labs, incl. REDS / HEIG-VD) |
| Status | Inactive since ~2014 | Actively maintained |
| Latest version | 2.7.1 | 5.0.0 (September 2026) |
| Java requirement | Old Java (6/7 era) | Java 21+ |
| Platforms | Windows, Mac, Linux (aging builds) | Windows (x64 + ARM64), macOS (Intel + Apple Silicon), Linux (.deb/.rpm) |
| Chronogram (timing view) | No | Yes |
| VHDL / Verilog generation | No | Yes |
| FPGA board support | No | Yes |
| SoC components | No | Yes |
| License | GPL | GPL-3.0 |
Which one should you download?
- Students and teachers: Logisim-evolution. It runs on modern systems, and most current course materials target it.
- Following an old tutorial written for Logisim 2.7.x? Logisim-evolution can still open those
.circfiles, so try it first before hunting down the decade-old original. - Need the original for legacy reasons (e.g., reproducing an old paper’s exact environment)? Then get Logisim 2.7.1 — but expect friction on modern operating systems.
Get the actively maintained version:
.circ file compatibility
One-way street. Logisim-evolution can open circuit files saved by the original Logisim, but once you save a file in Logisim-evolution, the old Logisim 2.7.x can no longer open it. Keep a backup copy of any legacy files before opening them in the newer tool.
Learn more
- What is Logisim-evolution? — the full overview
- What’s new in version 5.0.0
- Alternatives to Logisim-evolution — other simulators compared