IEC 61131-3 vs Custom PLC Languages

Developers should learn IEC 61131-3 when working in industrial automation, manufacturing, or process control, as it is the dominant standard for PLC programming worldwide meets developers should learn custom plc languages when working in industrial automation, robotics, or process control industries, as they are essential for programming plcs to manage machinery, assembly lines, or safety systems. Here's our take.

IEC 61131-3

Nice Pick

Developers should learn IEC 61131-3 when working in industrial automation, manufacturing, or process control, as it is the dominant standard for PLC programming worldwide

Pros

• It is essential for creating reliable and standardized control logic for machinery, robotics, and automated systems, enabling code reuse and reducing vendor lock-in
• Related to: programmable-logic-controller, industrial-automation

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Custom PLC Languages

Developers should learn custom PLC languages when working in industrial automation, robotics, or process control industries, as they are essential for programming PLCs to manage machinery, assembly lines, or safety systems

Pros

• They are used in scenarios requiring deterministic, real-time responses, such as automotive manufacturing, water treatment plants, or power grid management, where standard programming languages may not meet hardware or safety requirements
• Related to: industrial-automation, plc-programming

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. IEC 61131-3 is a concept while Custom PLC Languages is a language. We picked IEC 61131-3 based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

IEC 61131-3 wins

Based on overall popularity. IEC 61131-3 is more widely used, but Custom PLC Languages excels in its own space.