Comparison of Desktop and Web Modes of Pathway Tools

The same Pathway Tools binary program can run as a desktop application (Mac, Windows, and Linux) or as a Web Server (Mac and Linux). Although the software shares most of its functionality between these two modes of operation, some functionality is available in only one mode or the other. Therefore, by installing Pathway Tools locally, you will gain access to desktop operations that are not available through the BioCyc.org Web site. Some sites run Pathway Tools in both desktop and Web mode so that they have access to all Pathway Tools capabilities (usually both modes would be configured to access the same PGDBs).

Whether you run in desktop mode or web server mode, installing Pathway Tools locally at your site (versus accessing the public BioCyc.org server) is likely to speed up many operations because it eliminates network delays and sharing of computer resources. In addition, installing Pathway Tools at your site enables comparisons across Pathway/Genome Databases (PGDBs) created at your site, because the many comparative operations within Pathway Tools require that all PGDBs to be compared reside within the same Pathway Tools server.

By a desktop application, we mean Pathway Tools running as an application on a computer's desktop window system.

By a Web server, we mean Pathway Tools running in a mode in which it functions as a Web server, and all interactions with it are through a Web browser. Pathway Tools Web servers could include:

To download the software for local installation, click here.

Features Available in Desktop Mode Only

Features Available in Web Mode Only