Jmol vs UCSF Chimera

Struggling to choose between Jmol and UCSF Chimera? Both products offer unique advantages, making it a tough decision.

Jmol is a Science & Education solution with tags like chemistry, 3d, molecular-structure, education, research.

It boasts features such as 3D visualization of molecules and chemical structures, Support for common chemical file formats like PDB, Mol, SDF, Interactive manipulation and measurement of molecular models, Analysis tools like molecular orbitals, electrostatics, etc, Scripting and programming interface for automation and customization, Platform independent (Java-based), Integration with web pages and applications and pros including Free and open source, Cross-platform compatibility, Powerful visualization and analysis capabilities, Support for major chemical file formats, Customizable and extensible via scripts, Actively developed and maintained.

On the other hand, UCSF Chimera is a Science & Education product tagged with molecular-modeling, molecular-visualization, protein-structure, biomolecular-structure.

Its standout features include Interactive molecular visualization, High-quality rendering, Analysis tools for conformations, surfaces, volumes, sequences, docking, Extensibility through Python scripting, Support for VR headsets, Multi-scale modeling, Integrates with online resources like PDB and PubChem, and it shines with pros like Powerful visualization capabilities, User-friendly interface, Extensive toolset for analysis, Free and open source, Cross-platform compatibility.

To help you make an informed decision, we've compiled a comprehensive comparison of these two products, delving into their features, pros, cons, pricing, and more. Get ready to explore the nuances that set them apart and determine which one is the perfect fit for your requirements.

Jmol

Jmol

Jmol is an open-source Java viewer for 3D chemical structures that allows users to visualize, manipulate, and analyze molecular models. It supports a variety of chemical file formats and can be used for education, research, and commercial purposes.

Categories:
chemistry 3d molecular-structure education research

Jmol Features

  1. 3D visualization of molecules and chemical structures
  2. Support for common chemical file formats like PDB, Mol, SDF
  3. Interactive manipulation and measurement of molecular models
  4. Analysis tools like molecular orbitals, electrostatics, etc
  5. Scripting and programming interface for automation and customization
  6. Platform independent (Java-based)
  7. Integration with web pages and applications

Pricing

  • Open Source
  • Free

Pros

Free and open source

Cross-platform compatibility

Powerful visualization and analysis capabilities

Support for major chemical file formats

Customizable and extensible via scripts

Actively developed and maintained

Cons

Steep learning curve

Limited documentation and support

Some features require programming skills

User interface could be more intuitive

Lacks some features of commercial alternatives


UCSF Chimera

UCSF Chimera

UCSF Chimera is an extensible molecular modeling and visualization program primarily designed for interactive visualization and analysis of molecular structures and related data. It offers highly integrated and fast rendering of molecules, sequence alignments, density data, and more.

Categories:
molecular-modeling molecular-visualization protein-structure biomolecular-structure

UCSF Chimera Features

  1. Interactive molecular visualization
  2. High-quality rendering
  3. Analysis tools for conformations, surfaces, volumes, sequences, docking
  4. Extensibility through Python scripting
  5. Support for VR headsets
  6. Multi-scale modeling
  7. Integrates with online resources like PDB and PubChem

Pricing

  • Free
  • Open Source

Pros

Powerful visualization capabilities

User-friendly interface

Extensive toolset for analysis

Free and open source

Cross-platform compatibility

Cons

Steep learning curve

Can be resource intensive for large molecular structures

Limited technical support due to open source model