From Workshop4’s proven environments to Workshop5’s evolving platform, developers can choose the right tools for every stage of development.
Choosing the right IDE
If you need ViSi-Genie today, or are working on an existing project, Workshop4 is the correct choice. If you are starting fresh on supported hardware and want a modernised development experience, Workshop5 offers a clear path forward.
Developers can subscribe to the 4D Systems newsletter for updates on new Workshop5 environment releases.
Workshop4 IDE
Workshop4 is the established and trusted integrated development environment for 4D Systems displays. It remains a fully supported, production-ready platform used across thousands of deployed products worldwide.
Workshop4 supports multiple development environments, allowing engineers to choose the level of control and abstraction that best suits their project, from fully graphical, no-code development through to low-level control.
Who Workshop4 is for
Workshop4 is ideal if you:
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- Are developing or maintaining an existing 4D Systems project
- Require ViSi-Genie for rapid, code-free GUI development
- Need Serial (SPE) environments for host-controlled displays
- Prefer a mature, well-documented IDE with broad community usage
Key environments in Workshop4
ViSi-Genie
A code-free, rapid development environment for creating graphical user interfaces. Developers place widgets, configure events, and deploy projects without writing 4DGL. Genie Magic (PRO) enables optional scripting for advanced control.
ViSi
A visual programming environment combining drag-and-drop GUI layout with automatically generated 4DGL code. Ideal for developers who want graphical design with full programmatic control.
Designer
A pure 4DGL coding environment for complete low-level control of the display and processor.
Serial (SPE)
Transforms a display into a serially controlled graphics device, allowing a host microcontroller to drive the UI over UART.
Platform stability and compatibility
Workshop4 is actively maintained and remains compatible with a wide range of 4D Systems products. It is the recommended IDE for any active or production-bound project. Projects created in Workshop4 are not compatible with Workshop5, and should continue to be developed and maintained within Workshop4.
Documentation and resources
Workshop4 includes extensive manuals, application notes, example projects, and reference documentation to support both new and experienced developers.
Workshop5 IDE
Overview
Workshop5 is the next-generation evolution of the 4D Systems development ecosystem. Built on the foundations of Workshop4, it introduces a modernised interface, streamlined workflows, and a forward-looking architecture designed to support future 4D Systems products.
Workshop5 is currently under active development and is being released in stages, with environments becoming available progressively.
Current release status
At present, Workshop5 includes:
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- ViSi environment with a refreshed interface and updated workflow
- RP2350 environment based on the Raspberry Pi Pico SDK for supported display modules
The Genie environment and Serial (SPE) support are planned for future releases.
Who Workshop5 is for
Workshop5 is best suited to developers who:
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- Are starting new projects on supported hardware
- Want to explore the latest interface and workflow improvements
- Are working with RP2350-based display modules
- Are comfortable adopting an IDE that is still expanding its feature set
Key environments in Workshop5
ViSi
Workshop5 consolidates the Designer and ViSi concepts from Workshop4 into a single, streamlined ViSi environment. Developers can design graphical interfaces visually while generating and extending 4DGL code as required.
RP2350 (Pico SDK)
A dedicated environment for RP2350 display modules, enabling application development within Workshop5 or export to external IDEs such as Visual Studio Code.
Genie and Serial (planned)
The Genie environment, including Genie Magic functionality, is planned for a future Workshop5 release. Serial (SPE) support is expected to be released prior to Genie.
Important considerations
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- Workshop4 projects cannot be opened or migrated into Workshop5
- Workflow concepts are familiar, but projects must be recreated for Workshop5
- Workshop4 remains the recommended IDE for ViSi-Genie development until Workshop5 Genie is released
Looking ahead
Workshop5 is designed to support the next generation of 4D Systems hardware while maintaining the development philosophy engineers are familiar with. As additional environments are released, Workshop5 will progressively become the primary IDE for new designs.
