IEC 61131-3 vs Proprietary Automation Software

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 proprietary automation software when working in enterprise environments where standardized automation solutions are mandated, such as in finance, healthcare, or manufacturing industries. 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

Proprietary Automation Software

Developers should learn proprietary automation software when working in enterprise environments where standardized automation solutions are mandated, such as in finance, healthcare, or manufacturing industries

Pros

• It is useful for automating legacy system integrations, compliance-driven processes, or when vendor support and reliability are prioritized over open-source flexibility
• Related to: robotic-process-automation, scripting

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. IEC 61131-3 is a concept while Proprietary Automation Software is a tool. 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 Proprietary Automation Software excels in its own space.