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StarGenetics

web.mit.edu

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Spec score 8.2 #5 of 24 in Biology Learning Software

What it is

StarGenetics is a free simulator for Mendelian genetics crosses, intended to teach genetics concepts and experimental design. Its stated audience ranges from high school biology to advanced undergraduate biology. Students can use visualizers for cows, fish, flies, peas, a smiley face and yeast. Instructor resources cover genetic crosses, Punnett squares, complementation, epistasis, gene linkage and mapping, and tetrad analysis. Instructors can customize exercises using Excel workbooks in XLS format. The Punnett Square tool summarizes expected genotypic distributions for monohybrid and dihybrid crosses. Fly mating results can be viewed individually, sorted by sex and phenotype, or summarized by phenotype; DNA markers for genetic mapping are available in the Fly and Fish visualizers. Experiments can be saved to a file and reopened later. Excel export is limited to Fly exercises. StarGenetics is accessible through the web and downloadable for Linux, Windows and macOS. MIT recommends Java Web Start and provides operating-system downloads for users with limited internet connectivity. Users can submit bug reports, feature requests, comments or questions through the in-app suggestions form.

Spec sheet

Purpose
StarGenetics is a Mendelian genetics cross simulator for teaching genetic experimental design and genetics concepts.Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu
Audience
The site describes use for high school biology through advanced undergraduate biology.Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu
Platforms
The manual says the software runs on standard Linux, Windows, and Mac computers; download instructions specify Java Runtime requirements for Linux and Windows and Mac OS X 10.5 or later.Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu
Integrations
The documented extension point is Excel workbook authoring; no web-service integrations are described.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Support
Users can submit a bug report, feature request, comment, or question through the in-app suggestions form.Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu
Connectivity
MIT recommends Java Web Start and offers operating-system downloads for users with limited internet connectivity.Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu
Custom exercises
Instructors can create exercises by editing Excel 97-2004 workbooks that define organisms, genotypes, phenotypes and gene interactions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Data export
Excel export is available only for fly exercises.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
DNA markers
DNA-marker functionality is provided for the fly and fish visualizers.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Documentation depth
The official manual documents setup, crosses, Punnett squares, yeast workflows, saving, exporting and feedback procedures.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Experiment analysis
Fly mating results can be viewed individually, sorted by sex and phenotype, or summarized by phenotype.Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu
Feedback support
The application includes a form for bug reports, feature requests, comments and questions.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Genetics coverage
Instructor materials list dominance, codominance, incomplete dominance, sex linkage, epistasis, linked genes, mapping, regulatory pathways, chi-square and tetrad analysis.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Genetics topics
Instructor resources list concepts including genetic crosses, Punnett squares, complementation, epistasis, gene linkage and mapping, and tetrad analysis.Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu
Independent classroom use
A Maryknoll School lab handout says instructors selected StarGenetics for a multi-week fruit-fly exercise sequence.Read 15 Oct 2026 · coursehero.com
Independent curriculum use
A Universitat de València assignment uses StarGenetics to analyze autosomal, sex-linked, dominant, recessive, multi-locus and epistatic inheritance and recombination frequencies.Read 15 Oct 2026 · studocu.com
Independent learning outcomes
The same handout uses StarGenetics to teach phenotype identification, dominance, genotype assignment, zygosity, Punnett-square ratios and sample-size effects.Read 15 Oct 2026 · coursehero.com
Independent research use
A Portuguese master's dissertation describes StarGenetics as a virtual laboratory for teaching heredity with Drosophila.Read 15 Oct 2026 · iconline.ipleiria.pt
Independent software description
MERLOT categorizes StarGenetics as a Java simulation for high-school and college genetics instruction and lists no mobile compatibility.Read 15 Oct 2026 · merlot.org
Licence status
MERLOT lists the source code as unavailable and Creative Commons licensing as unavailable, so the application is not presented there as open source.Read 15 Oct 2026 · merlot.org
Limit: Chromebook support
The Maryknoll handout warns that Java programs do not run on Chromebooks.Read 15 Oct 2026 · coursehero.com
Limit: expired certificate
The University of Toronto 2025 course guide reports that newer Windows 11 and Mac computers can fail because the StarGenetics security certificate has expired.Read 15 Oct 2026 · moleculargenetics.utoronto.ca
Limit: inconsistent desktop operation
The handout says the software usually works on Windows and Mac but occasionally does not.Read 15 Oct 2026 · coursehero.com
Limit: manual counting in early version
MERLOT's 2008 entry says its then-beta version produced 50 offspring and required users to count offspring themselves.Read 15 Oct 2026 · merlot.org
Mating experiments
Users select two organisms or strains, mate them, and inspect individual, sorted or summarized progeny results.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Notable news
MIT's OEIT page records first implementation in MIT Genetics 7.03 in spring 2009 and nearly 6,000 visits across 215 cities and 41 countries by fall 2009.Read 15 Oct 2026 · oeit.mit.edu
Offline installation
MIT provides Web Start plus Linux, Windows, bundled-JRE Windows, offline high-school Windows and macOS downloads.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Organism visualizers
Built-in visualizers cover cows, fish, fruit flies, peas, smiley faces and yeast.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Organisms
Available visualizers cover cow, fish, fly, peas, smiley face, and yeast.Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu
Praise: classroom usefulness
The MIT Education Group describes the tool as an affordable way to add inquiry-based genetics experiments where physical resources are limited.Read 15 Oct 2026 · educationgroup.mit.edu
Praise: educational adoption
The Education Group reports use in MIT courses, Boston-area schools and outreach programs.Read 15 Oct 2026 · educationgroup.mit.edu
Praise: instructor flexibility
The Education Group highlights customizable genotype-phenotype relationships and instructor-authored exercises.Read 15 Oct 2026 · educationgroup.mit.edu
Product purpose
StarGenetics is an MIT Mendelian genetics cross simulator for practicing experimental design and interpreting genetic traits.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Punnett squares
The Punnett Square tool calculates expected genotype distributions for monohybrid and dihybrid crosses.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Rating on Course Hero
25% out of 100% from 4 ratingsRead 15 Oct 2026 · coursehero.com
Saving work
Experiments can be saved to files and reopened later.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Security prompt
The manual tells users to approve a certificate by clicking Trust when launching the Java application.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Self-hosting
Operating-system packages allow local use when internet connectivity is limited.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
System requirements
Linux and Windows downloads require a Java Runtime; the macOS package requires at least Mac OS X 10.5.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Target learners
The site positions it for high-school biology through advanced undergraduate biology.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
Yeast experiments
Yeast workflows support selective-media tests, complementation, replica plating, mating, sporulation and tetrad analysis.Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu

Plans and prices

Free Free Web access · downloadable Linux, Windows and macOS versions · no paid tiers listed Read 15 Oct 2026 · web.mit.edu
StarGenetics Free Freely accessible via the web; downloadable Linux, Windows, and Mac versions Read 29 Sep 2026 · web.mit.edu

Every StarGenetics plan and price →

Strong points and limits

Strong points

  • Covers six organism and object visualizers.
  • Includes monohybrid and dihybrid Punnett Square summaries.
  • Experiments can be saved and reopened.
  • Available through the web and desktop downloads.

Limits

  • Excel export is available for Fly exercises only.
  • Custom exercises use Excel workbooks in XLS format.
  • MIT recommends Java Web Start for limited-connectivity use.

Who it suits

It suits biology instructors and students studying Mendelian genetics, from high school through advanced undergraduate courses. Instructors can build customized exercises, while students can save experiments for later.

Verdict

StarGenetics combines cross simulations with instructor-customizable exercises and analysis tools. Its Excel export is limited to Fly exercises, while experiments can be saved and reopened.

Where Specifiction places it

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