FDTDX vs GNU FisicaLab
FDTDX
fdtdx.readthedocs.ioGNU FisicaLab
gnu.orgSide by side
| Figure | FDTDX | GNU FisicaLab |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Windows | — | Yes |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 1 | 1 |
| Spec score · Physics Simulation Software | 8.6 (#12) | 8.5 (#14) |
| Authoring tools | Yes | Yes |
| Delivery mode | desktop | desktop |
| Documentation | The project provides an API reference, tutorial guides, and best-practice documentation. | The project provides online documentation and downloadable documentation, including step-by-step examples. |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Intended users | The project describes FDTDX as freely usable for research, development, and commercial work involving photonic nanostructures. | The project describes the application as a way for learners to focus on physics concepts and build confidence before solving problems by hand. |
| Lesson library | No | Yes |
| Purpose | FDTDX is an open-source Python package for simulating and designing three-dimensional photonic nanostructures with the Finite-Difference Time-Domain method. | FisicaLab is an educational application for solving physics problems while leaving the mathematical details to the program. |
| Support | The FAQ invites users to open GitHub discussions for unanswered questions and issues for suspected bugs, and says the maintainers regularly check discussions. | The fisicalab-discusion mailing list is for user help with using and installing the program; bug-fisicalab is for development discussion, improvement requests, and bug reports. |
| 3D visuals | Yes | No |
Plans
In their own words
GNU FisicaLab
GNU FisicaLab is a free desktop application for solving physics problems while handling the mathematical details. Its modules cover two-dimensional particle and circular kinematics, statics and dynamics, calorimetry, ideal gases, expansion, and thermodynamics. Statics and dynamics problems are described by constructing free-body diagrams. The interface supports SI and English unit systems. A grid chalkboard starts at 26 by 18 cells and can be enlarged in Preferences to 100 by 100. Data fields accept scientific notation, conversion factors, arithmetic, trigonometric functions, and square roots; parentheses cannot group operations. Online and downloadable documentation includes step-by-step examples. Source code is available from GNU FTP and mirrors, with previous Linux binaries and a Windows installer listed. GNU/Linux and BSD executable packages may come from distributions. FisicaLab is distributed under GNU GPL version 3 or any later version and provides no 3D visuals.