--- title: "holodeck vs webots" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/byu-pccl-holodeck-vs-cyberbotics-webots" tools: ["byu-pccl-holodeck", "cyberbotics-webots"] --- # holodeck vs webots *GraphCanon updated Jul 31, 2026* ## Verdict Pick holodeck if holodeck is a high-fidelity simulator for reinforcement learning and robotics research in Python using Unreal Engine, suited for creating detailed simulated environments; pick webots if webots is an open-source robot simulator for modeling, programming, and simulating robots, vehicles, and mechanical systems using C++ under Apache-2.0 license. [holodeck](https://holodeck.cs.byu.edu) reports 597 GitHub stars, 42 forks, and 52 open issues, last pushed Feb 19, 2022. [webots](https://cyberbotics.com) has 4.5k stars, 2.0k forks, and 230 open issues, last pushed Jul 30, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [holodeck's repository](https://github.com/BYU-PCCL/holodeck) and [webots's repository](https://github.com/cyberbotics/webots). | | [holodeck](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck.md) | [webots](/tools/cyberbotics-webots.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | High Fidelity Simulator for Reinforcement Learning and Robotics Research | open-source robot simulator | | Stars | 597 | 4,519 | | Forks | 42 | 2,039 | | Open issues | 52 | 230 | | Language | Python | C++ | | Adopt for | Holodeck is a high-fidelity simulator for reinforcement learning and robotics research in Python using Unreal Engine, suited for creating detailed simulated environments. | Webots is an open-source robot simulator for modeling, programming, and simulating robots, vehicles, and mechanical systems using C++ under Apache-2.0 license. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | MIT | Apache-2.0 licensed, supporting free and commercial use with required attribution. | | Categories | Computer Vision, Model Training | Computer Vision, Model Training | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [holodeck](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck.md) | [webots](/tools/cyberbotics-webots.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Dormant (18%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 1623d | 0d | | Open issues (now) | 52 | 230 | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/cyberbotics-webots/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: holodeck - **Adopt for:** Holodeck is a high-fidelity simulator for reinforcement learning and robotics research in Python using Unreal Engine, suited for creating detailed simulated environments. ## Decision facts: webots - **Adopt for:** Webots is an open-source robot simulator for modeling, programming, and simulating robots, vehicles, and mechanical systems using C++ under Apache-2.0 license. - **License detail:** Apache-2.0 licensed, supporting free and commercial use with required attribution. ## Choose when ### Choose holodeck if… - holodeck is primarily Python; webots is C++. - License: holodeck is MIT, webots is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to holodeck: computer-vision, drones, reinforcement-learning, robotics. - - When you need to simulate complex robotics scenes in high fidelity that mirror real-world scenarios accurately ### Choose webots if… - webots is primarily C++; holodeck is Python. - License: webots is Apache-2.0, holodeck is MIT. - Tags unique to webots: 3d-engine, autonomous-vehicles, multi-platform, open-source. - When you need a beginner-friendly tool to introduce newcomers to robotics simulation ## When NOT to use holodeck - - If your project is limited to simpler scenarios where less detailed simulations are acceptable for training reinforcement learning models - - For projects with constraints on computing resources since Unreal Engine can be demanding and this limits its use in resource-constrained environments. ## When NOT to use webots - If your focus is on real-time rendering and visual effects over physics accuracy, other simulators may be preferable - Avoid if your project has strict demands for less common features not widely supported by Webots such as specialized fluid dynamics that are better covered by niche software ## Common questions ### What is the difference between holodeck and webots? holodeck: High Fidelity Simulator for Reinforcement Learning and Robotics Research. webots: open-source robot simulator. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose holodeck over webots? Choose holodeck over webots when holodeck is primarily Python; webots is C++; License: holodeck is MIT, webots is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to holodeck: computer-vision, drones, reinforcement-learning, robotics; - When you need to simulate complex robotics scenes in high fidelity that mirror real-world scenarios accurately. ### When should I choose webots over holodeck? Choose webots over holodeck when webots is primarily C++; holodeck is Python; License: webots is Apache-2.0, holodeck is MIT; Tags unique to webots: 3d-engine, autonomous-vehicles, multi-platform, open-source; When you need a beginner-friendly tool to introduce newcomers to robotics simulation. ### When should I avoid holodeck? - If your project is limited to simpler scenarios where less detailed simulations are acceptable for training reinforcement learning models - For projects with constraints on computing resources since Unreal Engine can be demanding and this limits its use in resource-constrained environments. ### When should I avoid webots? If your focus is on real-time rendering and visual effects over physics accuracy, other simulators may be preferable Avoid if your project has strict demands for less common features not widely supported by Webots such as specialized fluid dynamics that are better covered by niche software ### Is holodeck or webots more popular on GitHub? webots has more GitHub stars (4,519 vs 597). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are holodeck and webots open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (holodeck: MIT, webots: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to holodeck or webots? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [holodeck alternatives](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck/alternatives) and [webots alternatives](/tools/cyberbotics-webots/alternatives) ([holodeck markdown twin](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck/alternatives.md), [webots markdown twin](/tools/cyberbotics-webots/alternatives.md)), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes. ### Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison? Yes. The markdown twin at [this comparison](/compare/byu-pccl-holodeck-vs-cyberbotics-webots.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, holodeck or webots? holodeck: Dormant. webots: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance. ### Where are the full trust reports for holodeck and webots? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [holodeck trust report](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck/trust); [webots trust report](/tools/cyberbotics-webots/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=byu-pccl-holodeck`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=byu-pccl-holodeck) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_