Logisim-evolution
Features
Logisim-evolution is educational software for designing and simulating digital logic circuits.
Logisim-evolution is free, open-source, and cross-platform.
Project highlights:
- easy to use circuit designer,
- logic circuit simulations,
- chronogram (to see the evolution of signals in your circuit),
- electronic board integration (schematics can be simulated on real hardware),
- VHDL components (components behavior can be specified in VHDL!),
- TCL/TK console (interfaces between the circuit and the user),
- huge library of components (LEDs, TTLs, switches, SoCs),
- allows for custom libraries to be loaded on startup
- supports multiple languages,
- and more!
Getting started (no experience needed):
Step-by-step first circuit:
| Step | What you do | Why it matters |
|---|
| 1 | File → New | Start a clean project |
| 2 | Place two Input components and one AND gate | Create a simple logic function |
| 3 | Add a Probe or Lamp as the output | Make the result visible |
| 4 | Use the wiring tool to connect inputs → gate → output | Build the circuit path |
| 5 | Toggle the inputs | Observe how logic affects the output |
| 6 | Save the project | Keep your work for later |
Key ideas in plain language:
| Concept | What it means in practice |
|---|
| Component | A building block you place on the canvas |
| Wire | The path that carries a 0 or 1 between components |
| Signal | The 0/1 value traveling on a wire |
| Subcircuit | A reusable group of components you define |
| Library | A collection of components you can add to a project |
If you get stuck:
- Click a component and read its properties panel.
- Use
Edit → Undo to step back safely.
- Check the screenshots and docs links below for examples.
Image gallery: the three thumbnails above link to a larger set of screenshots in docs/pics.md.
Requirements
Logisim-evolution is a Java application; therefore, it can run on any operating system supporting the Java runtime enviroment.
It requires Java 21 (or newer).
Accessibility notes:
- If you use a screen reader, the
docs/ pages are plain Markdown and generally read well in linear order.
- If you prefer larger text or higher contrast, use your OS display settings or Java accessibility options.
- Keyboard navigation is supported throughout the app; consult the in-app help for shortcuts.
- The image gallery uses thumbnails that link to full-size images for better visibility.
Accessibility quick setup:
| Need | Tip |
|---|
| Larger text | Increase OS scaling or Java UI scaling |
| High contrast | Enable high-contrast mode in your OS |
| Keyboard-only use | Rely on menus and in-app shortcuts |
Troubleshooting
Blank window on Linux
With some non-reparenting window managers, the Logisim-evolution window may appear blank even
though its controls still respond. This is caused by an interaction between Java AWT and the window
manager. Try launching the JAR once with the following environment variable:
env _JAVA_AWT_WM_NONREPARENTING=1 java -jar logisim-evolution-<version>-all.jar
If this resolves the problem, configure the same environment variable in the session or launcher
used to start Logisim-evolution. See issue #1235
for background and confirmed configurations.
Download
Logisim-evolution is available for
download in compiled form
with ready to use installable packages for Windows, macOS, and Linux
or in source code form, which you can build yourself.
The following platform specific packages
include the Java runtime and do not require it to be installed separately:
logisim-evolution_<version>-1_amd64.deb: Debian package (also suitable for Ubuntu and derivatives),logisim-evolution-<version>-1.x86_64.rpm: Package for Fedora/Redhat/CentOS/SuSE Linux distributions,logisim-evolution-<version>_amd64.snap: The Snap archive for all
supported Linux distributions (also available in Snapcraft store),logisim-evolution-<version>-aarch64.msi: Installer package for Microsoft Windows for Arm processors,logisim-evolution-<version>-amd64.msi: Installer package for Microsoft Windows for Intel processors,logisim-evolution-<version>-aarch64.dmg: macOS package for Apple processors,logisim-evolution-<version>-x86_64.dmg: macOS package for Intel processors (also runs on Apple processors in simulation).
This is the beginning of the README. Read the rest at the original. Read the full README ↗
