UCSF Chimera vs Jmol

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

UCSF Chimera is a Science & Education solution with tags like molecular-modeling, molecular-visualization, protein-structure, biomolecular-structure.

It boasts features such as 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 pros including Powerful visualization capabilities, User-friendly interface, Extensive toolset for analysis, Free and open source, Cross-platform compatibility.

On the other hand, Jmol is a Science & Education product tagged with chemistry, 3d, molecular-structure, education, research.

Its standout features include 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 it shines with pros like 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.

Feature	UCSF Chimera	Jmol
Overall Score	N/A	N/A
Primary Category	Science & Education	Science & Education

Product Overview

UCSF Chimera

Description: 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.

Jmol

Description: 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.

Key Features Comparison

UCSF Chimera Features

• 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

Jmol Features

• 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

Pros & Cons Analysis

UCSF Chimera

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

Jmol

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

Pricing Comparison

UCSF Chimera

• Free
• Open Source

Jmol

• Open Source
• Free