FeenoX vs Step
FeenoX
seamplex.comStep
apps.kde.orgSide by side
| Figure | FeenoX | Step |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | Free | Free |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Free trial | — | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | — |
| Linux | Yes | Yes |
| API | Yes | — |
| Self-hosted | Yes | — |
| Plans published | 2 | 1 |
| Spec score · Physics Simulation Software | 8.8 (#3) | 8.2 (#22) |
| Authoring tools | Yes | Yes |
| Delivery mode | desktop | desktop |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes |
| Lesson library | No | Yes |
| License | FeenoX is distributed under the GNU General Public License version 3 or any later version, with freedom to use, modify and redistribute it under the license terms. | Step is listed under the GPL-2.0+ license. |
| Purpose | FeenoX is a cloud-first computational engineering tool for solving engineering problems with one or many computers in parallel. | Step is an interactive physical simulator for exploring the physical world through simulations. |
| Support | The project directs users to GitHub Discussions for help and GitHub Issues for bug reporting. | Help is available through the Step Handbook, KDE forum, the kde-edu mailing list, and the #kde-edu Libera.chat channel. |
| 3D visuals | Yes | No |
Plans
In their own words
FeenoX
FeenoX is free, open-source computational engineering software for solving mathematical and engineering problems, including work across computers in parallel. It handles ODEs and DAEs, along with finite-element problems such as heat conduction, thermo-mechanical analysis, modal analysis, neutron diffusion, and neutron transport. Users describe problems in self-descriptive, English-like plain-text input files, so changes do not require recompiling. FeenoX reads Gmsh meshes and writes results in Gmsh MSH or ParaView VTK/VTU formats. It uses GNU GSL, SUNDIALS, PETSc, and SLEPc for computational tasks, and supports MPI parallelization. Installation options include Debian or Ubuntu packages, source tarballs, the GitHub repository, and generic statically linked GNU/Linux binaries. Ubuntu packages are available from version 25.04 onward. The generic binaries omit MUMPS and MPI and use basic optimization flags. FeenoX has no graphical interface, targets GNU/Linux, and is not expected to run in Windows. Browser access is available through interfaces such as SunCAE and CAEplex.
Step
Step is a free Linux desktop application for exploring physical systems through interactive simulations. Users can change body and force properties while a simulation runs. Supported models include two-dimensional classical mechanics, molecular dynamics, sound waves, and deformable bodies, with particles, damped springs, gravitational and Coulomb forces, rigid bodies, and collision handling. Step calculates unit conversions, expressions, error propagation, and solver error estimates. Explicit and implicit solvers reach 8th order, with optional adaptive timesteps; most require GSL. Graph, meter, and tracer tools visualize results, while a controller changes properties using keyboard shortcuts. Tutorials, example experiments, object information, and an integrated Wikipedia browser provide learning material. More examples can be downloaded through KNewStuff. Expression calculations such as unit conversion require libqalculate. Step is GPL-2.0+ software, and its StepCore library can be used separately. The listed release is Step 26.08.2, released 2026-10-08.