CODESYS Download Guide
CODESYS is the industry-reference IEC 61131-3 IDE — and the Development System is genuinely free. This guide covers the complete download path, SoftPLC demo mode (including the 2-hour limit), system requirements, vendor-specific device setup, and when a browser-based simulator gets you practising faster than a local install.
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Overview
What is CODESYS?
CODESYS (Controller Development System) is an IEC 61131-3 development environment produced by 3S-Smart Software Solutions GmbH. Unlike Rockwell Studio 5000 or Siemens TIA Portal, CODESYS is not tied to a single hardware vendor — it is a platform that hardware manufacturers embed in their PLCs. The IDE you use to program a Wago PLC, a Beckhoff controller, and a Phoenix Contact PLCnext is the same CODESYS IDE.
This multi-vendor architecture is why learning CODESYS is unusually transferable. The five IEC 61131-3 languages — Ladder Diagram (LD), Function Block Diagram (FBD), Structured Text (ST), Instruction List (IL), and Sequential Function Chart (SFC) — behave identically across all CODESYS-based hardware, with only vendor-specific library extensions varying.
Free vs paid
What is free and what costs money
Free — no time limit
- CODESYS Development System IDE (latest V3.5)
- Write, compile, and build programs in all 5 IEC 61131-3 languages
- Standard library function blocks (timers, counters, math, string)
- CODESYS Store access for device description files
- CODESYS Forge community plugins and extensions
- Syntax checking, cross-reference, online help
Paid or limited
- CODESYS Control Win SL (SoftPLC) — free in demo mode, stops after 2 hours
- CODESYS Control for Linux SL — paid runtime license for Linux deployment
- CODESYS Safety SIL — paid add-on for safety-rated programming
- CODESYS Visualization (HMI) Web Client — paid for production deployment
- CODESYS Motion CNC — paid add-on
- Most vendor-specific hardware device profiles — included with hardware purchase
Requirements
System requirements for CODESYS V3.5
Download steps
How to download CODESYS
Create a free CODESYS Store account
Go to store.codesys.com and register for a free account. The CODESYS Store is where you download the IDE and optionally purchase runtime licenses, add-ons, and device packages.
Download CODESYS Setup
On the Store, search for "CODESYS" and select "CODESYS V3.5 SP[latest]". Add it to your cart — it is free. Proceed through checkout (no payment required) and download the setup executable, typically 300–600 MB.
Install the IDE
Run the CODESYS Setup executable as Administrator. Accept the defaults. The installer sets up the core IDE, compiler, and standard library. Installation takes 5–15 minutes.
Install CODESYS Control Win SL for SoftPLC (optional)
If you want to run programs on your PC without physical hardware, download "CODESYS Control Win SL" from the Store (also free). Install it separately — it runs as a Windows service. In TIA Portal terms, this is equivalent to PLCSIM; in Rockwell terms, this is equivalent to Emulate 5000.
Create a project and select target
In CODESYS IDE, create a new Standard Project. Select "CODESYS Control Win V3" as the device target (for SoftPLC) or your specific hardware device (requires its device description package). Add a PLC_PRG program, write your first rung, and click "Online → Login" to download to the SoftPLC runtime.
Faster path for learners
When browser-based practice beats installing CODESYS
CODESYS is genuinely free and well-worth installing. But the setup path — account creation, download, install, SoftPLC setup, project configuration — can take 30–60 minutes before you write your first rung. For learners who want to practice IEC 61131-3 ladder logic immediately without Windows, or who are on macOS/Chromebook/Linux, our browser simulator is faster to start:
Zero install
Open a browser tab and start writing ladder logic. No download, no IDE, no SoftPLC service, no device configuration. Useful for quick concept checks and learning sessions on any OS.
Scored scenarios
Our scenarios are automatically graded — the simulator runs all test cases against your logic and tells you whether your solution is correct. CODESYS's SoftPLC does not include a scenario grading layer.
Cross-dialect practice
Switch between Allen-Bradley, Siemens, and IEC 61131-3 dialect tracks in the same session — useful when you need to compare how the same circuit is written across platforms.
Related guides
Related resources
- CODESYS alternative — detailed comparison: when CODESYS is better, when browser practice is faster.
- TIA Portal download guide — Siemens's equivalent: 21-day trial, PLCSIM, licensing.
- PLC software download guide — all major vendors compared in one table.
CODESYS download FAQ
IEC 61131-3 ladder logic — free in your browser, any OS.
No 2-hour demo limit. No Windows required. Graded scenarios.