Diagram, icon, and text editor for Modelica models with AI-powered modeling, editing, and simulation
Modex brings a full-featured, synchronized diagram + icon + text editing experience for Modelica models directly into VS Code.
Features
Build with AI — any coding agent connects to Modex via MCP. Describe a system and get a complete diagram — components, parameters, and wiring.
AI Popover — double-click anywhere on the canvas to summon AI. Create components, edit parameters, and search the library instantly.
Diagram Editor — drag-and-drop component placement, connection routing, and visual annotation editing for Modelica models (.mo files).
Icon Editor — edit component icons with shape primitives and coordinate transforms.
Text Editor — syntax-highlighted Modelica text editing with live diagnostics, synchronized with the graphical views.
Simulation — configure, run, and inspect OpenModelica simulations from within VS Code (requires a local OpenModelica installation).
Plotting Workbench — interactive time-series plots for simulation results.
3D Animation — play back VisXML / multi-body animations from simulation output.
Library Management — browse, install, and manage Modelica libraries from the OpenModelica package index.
AI Assistant — @modex chat participant for model editing, analysis, and simulation via GitHub Copilot Chat or direct Anthropic API.
Modelica Debugger — step through simulation execution with GDB-based equation debugging.
Requirements
VS Code 1.100.0 or later
OpenModelica (optional) — required for simulation and debugging. Library installation works without OpenModelica. Set modex.simulation.omcPath or ensure omc is on your PATH.
GitHub Copilot (optional) — for AI assistant features via the @modex chat participant. Alternatively, configure a direct Anthropic API key.
Getting Started
Install the extension from the VS Code Marketplace.
Open a folder containing .mo files, or create a new one.
Open any .mo file — the Modex Diagram Editor opens by default.
Use the Modex sidebar (activity bar) to browse libraries, workspace models, simulation runs, and plots.
Extension Settings
Setting
Default
Description
modex.simulation.omcPath
""
Path to omc executable (auto-detected if empty)
modex.ai.provider
"auto"
AI provider: auto, copilot, or anthropic
modex.ai.model
""
Override model ID for the AI provider
modex.libraryIndexUrl
""
Custom library index URL (defaults to OpenModelica public index)
See the LICENSE.txt file included with this extension for the full license agreement.
Privacy
This extension does not collect telemetry or send your model files externally. AI features (when enabled) send context to the configured provider. See modexai.io for the full privacy policy.
Third-Party Software
See the THIRD_PARTY_NOTICES.md file included with this extension for third-party license notices.