Inowio Modbus Workbench

Desktop toolkit for configuring, testing, and monitoring Modbus TCP/RTU devices. Built with Tauri, React, and TypeScript for a lightweight, cross-platform experience.

Screenshots

Highlights

• Multi-protocol Modbus (TCP & RTU) with persistent workspace settings
• Device registry with register mapping, bulk import/export, and diagnostics
• Live register Monitor view with density, search, status filters, and pinned watch-lists for large maps
• TCP Simulator (server mode) — run a Modbus TCP server that answers external masters (SCADA/PLCs/test tools) across all four register banks (Coils, Discrete Inputs, Holding, Input) and multiple Unit IDs. Values can be fixed, generated (sine/ramp/decrement/step/random/toggle), or routed from a real slave (turning the app into a Modbus gateway with scale/offset). Tabbed workspace (Registers, Devices, Rules, Live Values, Activity), automation rules (trigger → action with delays), a clients/events Activity view, and workspace Profile export/import
• Virtual Devices — build a device's register map once and reuse it in any workspace's simulator via Add Device. A built-in catalog plus fully editable custom devices, a searchable icon picker, form-or-JSON parameters, save-as from a live device, one-click expose a real slave as a routed device, and export/import as JSON for community sharing
• Real-time analyzer powered by ECharts plus traffic capture for debugging
• Grid/list workspace browser that remembers your view, and per-slave register-type recall
• Rich logging, dark/light theming, and keyboard-friendly UI
• Ships as a native desktop app for Windows, macOS, and Linux
• In-app auto-updater with a manual "Check for updates" button on the About page

Install

Pre-built installers for every release live on the Releases page. Pick the right one for your OS:

OS	Recommended installer	Auto-update	Notes
Windows	*-setup.exe (NSIS)	Yes	Use this for personal/desktop installs.
Windows	*.msi	No	Manual re-install only; for MDM/IT use.
macOS	*.dmg	Yes	Universal binary (Intel + Apple Silicon).
Linux	*.AppImage	Yes	Mark executable, then run.
Linux	*.deb / *.rpm	No	Manual re-install only.

First-launch warning. The binary is currently unsigned at the OS level, so the first time you run it Windows SmartScreen will show "Windows protected your PC" — click More info → Run anyway. macOS Gatekeeper will say the app cannot be opened — right-click the app and choose Open, then confirm. After this one-time approval, auto-updates inherit the trust and install silently.

How updates work

Every release after the auto-update feature shipped checks https://github.com/inowio/modbus-workbench/releases/latest on startup. If a newer version exists, the app prompts you to install — you can also trigger the check manually from the About page. Updates are minisign-signed by the updater key, so a tampered download is rejected.

Getting Started

Requirements

• Node.js 18+
• Rust (stable) + target-specific build tools (VS Build Tools on Windows, Xcode CLT on macOS, build-essential on Linux)

Quick Start

git clone https://github.com/inowio/modbus-workbench.git
cd modbus-workbench
npm install
npm run tauri dev

Production Build

npm run tauri build
# Bundles land in src-tauri/target/release/bundle

Development

npm run dev         # Vite frontend only
npm run tauri dev   # Full-stack dev (frontend + Rust)
npm run build       # Production frontend
npm run lint        # Frontend linting
npm run fmt         # Format Rust sources

Unit Testing

npm run test:run
cd src-tauri
cargo test

Configuration tips:

• Dev server defaults: VITE_DEV_SERVER_HOST=127.0.0.1, VITE_DEV_SERVER_PORT=1422
• Bundled identifier: TAURI_BUNDLE_IDENTIFIER=in.inowio.modbus.workbench
• App data lives under the OS config directory (e.g., %APPDATA%/in.inowio.modbus.workbench/ on Windows)

Project Structure

cd modbus-workbench/
├── src/            # React + TypeScript UI
├── src-tauri/      # Rust backend, Tauri config, icons
├── public/         # Static assets & screenshots
└── docs/           # Extended documentation & help content

Troubleshooting

• Connection issues – confirm TCP reachability or serial permissions, then retry.
• Slow polling – lower polling frequency or close unused workspaces.
• Build failures – reinstall dependencies (npm ci), update Rust toolchain, and ensure platform build tools are present.
• Debug logging – run RUST_LOG=debug npm run tauri dev to surface backend traces.

Contributing

Please read CONTRIBUTING.md before opening an issue or pull request. Conventional commits, automated tests, and linted code help us triage quickly.

Maintainers cutting a release: see docs/RELEASING.md.

License

Released under the MIT License.

Support & Contact

• Issues: https://github.com/inowio/modbus-workbench/issues
• Discussions: https://github.com/inowio/modbus-workbench/discussions
• Email: info@inowio.in

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Inowio Technologies LLP – From Bits to Machines. https://inowio.in