IFC vs Step

Developers should learn IFC when working on BIM software, AEC applications, or digital twin projects that require interoperability between design, analysis, and management tools meets developers should learn step when they need to automate repetitive tasks in software development, such as setting up ci/cd pipelines, managing infrastructure as code, or orchestrating complex workflows across teams. Here's our take.

IFC

Nice Pick

Developers should learn IFC when working on BIM software, AEC applications, or digital twin projects that require interoperability between design, analysis, and management tools

Pros

• It is essential for creating plugins, converters, or integrations that handle building data across platforms like Revit, ArchiCAD, or Navisworks, ensuring compliance with industry standards and enabling data-rich workflows in construction and facility management
• Related to: building-information-modeling, bim-software

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

Step

Developers should learn Step when they need to automate repetitive tasks in software development, such as setting up CI/CD pipelines, managing infrastructure as code, or orchestrating complex workflows across teams

Pros

• It is particularly useful in DevOps and cloud-native environments where automation and reproducibility are critical for efficiency and reliability
• Related to: ci-cd, automation

Cons

• Specific tradeoffs depend on your use case

The Verdict

These tools serve different purposes. IFC is a format while Step is a tool. We picked IFC based on overall popularity, but your choice depends on what you're building.

The Bottom Line

IFC wins

Based on overall popularity. IFC is more widely used, but Step excels in its own space.