Getting started

Getting Started with PLANit - Java or Python?

PLANit comes either as a Java API or as a Python API. It depends on your needs which one will suit you best. To help you make the best decision we provide you with some key differences and similarities between PLANit-Python and PLANit-Java.

In general though, we recommend anyone interested only in running some traffic assignments to opt for the Python implementation because of its ease of use and easy installation procedure.

Quick links:

PLANit-Python

Some key features

  • Perform traffic assignment and generate outputs for analysis (disk, and memory)
  • Perform network and public transport network and services data format conversions
  • Minimal configuration effort
  • Minimal programming knowledge required
  • Maximum simplicity

What PLANit-Python does not do

  • Access to stand-alone algorithms and components
  • Embedding of custom implementations of PLANit components (for example a custom input/output pipeline)
  • PLANit-Python is a wrapper around the Java code base, it is therefore inevitably slightly less efficient
  • No graphical user interface

If you choose to use PLANit-Python continue with

PLANit-Java

Some key features

  • It can do everything PLANit-Python can do
  • Potentially better performance than PLANit-Python
  • More configuration possibilities than PLANit-Python
  • Support for third-party components to be integrated (input format, output format, assignment algorithms, path choice, etc.)
  • Separation between projects and assignments, allowing the user to structure multiple assignments in the same project
  • Access to stand-alone algorithms used in traffic simulation, (shortest-path, MSA, etc.)
  • Access to all traffic assignment components programmatically

What PLANit-Java does not do

  • No graphical user interface
  • It requires some programming knowledge

If you choose to use PLANit-Java continue with