{
 "categories": [
  "engineering"
 ],
 "deployment": "desktop",
 "evidence": [
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "homepage",
   "note": "NI presents LabVIEW as a graphical programming environment for automated test and measurement, with instrument connectivity, native user interfaces, and NI Nigel AI.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "vendor",
   "note": "NI states that National Instruments is a product brand of the Emerson Test & Measurement business group and that NI is now part of Emerson.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/llms.txt",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "deployment",
   "note": "The product page lists local processor, RAM, disk, and display requirements for running LabVIEW on an engineer workstation, not a hosted SaaS runtime.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "platforms",
   "note": "The edition comparison lists Microsoft Windows and Linux as LabVIEW OS support rows.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview/select-edition.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "platforms",
   "note": "NI documents LabVIEW on macOS. From LabVIEW 2025 Q3 the macOS build is Community Edition only; the final Professional macOS release was 2023 Q3.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/en/support/documentation/compatibility/18/labview-and-macos-compatibility.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "license",
   "note": "NI sells Base, Full, Professional, and LabVIEW+ Suite as subscription or perpetual commercial licenses. A deployment license is required for each target computer that runs distributed applications. Community Edition is free only for personal non-commercial use.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview/select-edition.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "status",
   "note": "The LabVIEW New Features page documents LabVIEW 2026 Q3 (prompt-based Nigel generation, UTF-8, .NET 8 on Linux) and LabVIEW 2026 Q1 as current releases.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/labview-changes.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.api.exists",
   "note": "NI documents VI Server as functions that dynamically control front panel objects, VIs, and the LabVIEW environment, including remote VI calls.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/capabilities-of-the-vi-server.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[0]",
   "note": "VI Server applications open Application or VI refnums, get or set properties, invoke methods, and dynamically load or call VIs on a local or remote instance.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/building-vi-server-applications.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[1]",
   "note": "LabVIEW can act as an ActiveX server so other applications access the LabVIEW application, VIs, and control properties and methods through ActiveX calls.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/using-activex-with-labview.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[1]",
   "note": "NI documents controlling a running VI from Python with win32com.client.Dispatch(\"Labview.Application\") and GetVIReference, including GetControlValue. Built executables need ActiveX server enabled.",
   "source": "https://knowledge.ni.com/KnowledgeArticleDetails?id=kA0VU0000002VZB0A2&l=en-US",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.api.kinds[2]",
   "note": "LabVIEW Web services use a RESTful architecture and are available only in the Full and Professional Development Systems on Windows and Real-Time.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/understanding-the-web-services-architecture-and-file-locations-real-time-windows.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.api.coverage",
   "note": "VI Server covers loading VIs, remote calls, exported-VI lists, VI and application properties, and front-panel objects. External HTTP coverage is limited to HTTP method VIs the developer publishes.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/capabilities-of-the-vi-server.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.api.docs",
   "note": "This LabVIEW User Manual topic is the current first-party guide to building VI Server applications and is used as the primary API documentation link.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/building-vi-server-applications.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.exists",
   "note": "LabVIEW can bundle project VIs into a .NET Framework assembly that external .NET environments call. The build requires Application Builder.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/creating-net-framework-assemblies.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.official",
   "note": "Callers outside LabVIEW must reference NationalInstruments.LabVIEW.Interop.dll from the LabVIEW Runtime. The Runtime must be installed on every computer that runs the assembly.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/characteristics-of-labview-built-net-interop-assemblies.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.languages[0]",
   "note": "NI documents creating a .NET Framework assembly so Visual Studio projects can call exported LabVIEW VIs as .NET methods.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/creating-net-framework-assemblies.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.sdk.languages[1]",
   "note": "LabVIEW can build shared libraries such as DLLs as reusable assets for other callers. Application Builder is required.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/creating-shared-libraries.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.cli.exists",
   "note": "NI documents LabVIEWCLI as a command-line interface that runs predefined or custom operations. It is a separate package. -Headless runs without user interaction and without a LabVIEW license.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/running-operations-using-the-command-line-interface-for-labview.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting[0]",
   "note": "NI documents LabVIEW as using G, a graphical high-level programming language with dataflow and inherent parallelism.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting[1]",
   "note": "The Python Node calls a Python function from a LabVIEW block diagram given a session, module path, and function name. It is not supported on real-time or FPGA targets.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview-api-ref/page/functions/python-node.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.extensibility.scripting[2]",
   "note": "NI documents creating custom LabVIEWCLI operations in addition to the predefined MassCompile, ExecuteBuildSpec, RunVI, and CloseLabVIEW commands.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/creating-custom-command-line-operations.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.export",
   "note": "LabVIEW Base is documented as saving data to CSV, TDMS, or a custom-defined binary file. The File I/O palette also writes LVM, XML, spreadsheet, text, and binary files.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview/select-edition.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.data_access.import",
   "note": "The File I/O palette reads and writes spreadsheet-formatted files, TDM/TDMS, LabVIEW Measurement .lvm files, XML, text, binary, datalog, and configuration files.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/file-io.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "modalities.agent_docs.llms_txt",
   "note": "NI publishes a first-party llms.txt that names LabVIEW, points to ni.com/docs LabVIEW documentation home, and instructs agents how to fetch documentation HTML.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/llms.txt",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.api",
   "note": "VI Server, ActiveX, and optional REST method VIs support useful production control of VIs, but callers need a licensed LabVIEW install or a matching Runtime, Windows COM for Python/.NET ActiveX, Application Builder for exported assemblies, and Full or Professional for Web services. Score 6 applies those license and platform limits.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/building-vi-server-applications.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "verdict.scores.cli",
   "note": "LabVIEWCLI is official, logs to console, and can run headless without a license, but it is a separate package, RunVI requires a documented connector pane, and the operation set is build/compile/run rather than a structured resource CLI. Score 6.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/predefined-command-line-operations.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[0].url",
   "note": "Opened as the current NI LabVIEW product page describing graphical test programming, Nigel AI, LabVIEW+ Suite, and links to the user manual, release notes, and programming reference.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[1].url",
   "note": "Opened as LabVIEW New Features and Changes. LabVIEW 2026 Q3 documents Nigel MCP client support, Python 3.13 and 3.14, and .NET 8.0 on Linux. LabVIEW 2026 Q1 documents headless CLI without an active license.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/labview-changes.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[2].url",
   "note": "Opened as the current Building VI Server Applications topic in the LabVIEW User Manual (docs bundle uploaded 2026-08-28).",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/building-vi-server-applications.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[3].url",
   "note": "Opened as the current LabVIEWCLI operations topic, including -Headless, -LabVIEWPath for Windows, macOS, and Linux, and LabVIEWCLI -Help.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/running-operations-using-the-command-line-interface-for-labview.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  },
  {
   "date": "2026-09-08",
   "fact": "freshness.watch[4].url",
   "note": "Opened as Using NI Nigel AI in LabVIEW. Nigel is an IDE chat/search assistant gated to LabVIEW Professional with active service. DisableMcp disables adding MCP servers; the page does not document a LabVIEW MCP server for external agents.",
   "source": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/using-nigel-ai.html",
   "tier": "declared"
  }
 ],
 "freshness": {
  "last_verified": "2026-09-08",
  "volatility": "medium",
  "watch": [
   {
    "type": "product",
    "url": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview.html"
   },
   {
    "type": "changelog",
    "url": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/labview-changes.html"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/building-vi-server-applications.html"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/running-operations-using-the-command-line-interface-for-labview.html"
   },
   {
    "type": "docs",
    "url": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/using-nigel-ai.html"
   }
  ]
 },
 "homepage": "https://www.ni.com/en/shop/labview.html",
 "id": "ni-labview",
 "license": "commercial",
 "modalities": {
  "agent_docs": {
   "llms_txt": true
  },
  "api": {
   "auth": [],
   "coverage": "partial",
   "docs": "https://www.ni.com/docs/en-US/bundle/labview/page/building-vi-server-applications.html",
   "exists": true,
   "kinds": [
    "vi-server",
    "activex",
    "rest"
   ]
  },
  "cli": {
   "exists": true
  },
  "computer_use": {
   "issues": [],
   "viability": "unknown"
  },
  "data_access": {
   "export": [
    "csv",
    "tdms",
    "lvm",
    "xml"
   ],
   "import": [
    "csv",
    "tdms",
    "lvm",
    "xml"
   ]
  },
  "extensibility": {
   "scripting": [
    "g",
    "python-node",
    "custom-cli-operations"
   ],
   "webhooks": "unknown"
  },
  "integrations": {
   "make": "unknown",
   "n8n": "unknown",
   "power_automate": "unknown",
   "zapier": "unknown"
  },
  "mcp": {
   "first_party": "unknown",
   "third_party": [],
   "verdict": "unknown"
  },
  "rpa": {
   "drivability": "unknown",
   "notes": "No repeatable UI probe was run. VI Server, ActiveX automation, LabVIEW Web services, LabVIEWCLI, and built .NET or shared-library outputs control VIs without driving the block-diagram editor. Computer-use viability is unassessed. This record is LabVIEW, not NI TestStand, Inductive Ignition, or Siemens TIA Portal.\n",
   "ui_stack": [
    "desktop-native"
   ],
   "vendor_support": []
  },
  "sdk": {
   "exists": true,
   "languages": [
    "csharp",
    "cpp"
   ],
   "official": true
  }
 },
 "name": "NI LabVIEW",
 "platforms": [
  "windows",
  "linux",
  "macos"
 ],
 "related": {
  "alternatives": [
   "matlab"
  ],
  "our_products": []
 },
 "schema_version": 1,
 "score_version": 1,
 "status": "active",
 "vendor": "Emerson (National Instruments)",
 "verdict": {
  "best_path": "api",
  "scores": {
   "api": 6,
   "cli": 6,
   "computer_use": null,
   "integrations": null,
   "mcp": null,
   "overall": 6,
   "rpa": null
  },
  "summary": "LabVIEW is automatable today through the first-party VI Server and the Windows ActiveX automation server, which open application and VI references, get or set properties, invoke methods, and run VIs from LabVIEW or from external COM clients such as Python via win32com Dispatch(\"Labview.Application\"). Full and Professional editions can also publish selected VIs as RESTful HTTP method services. Official .NET Framework assemblies and shared libraries export chosen VIs for C# or C callers, but those builds need Application Builder (Professional, or the module sold separately) and a matching LabVIEW Runtime on each target. A deployment license is required per computer that runs distributed applications. The LabVIEWCLI package runs MassCompile, ExecuteBuildSpec, RunVI, CloseLabVIEW, and related operations, including headless CI that does not need an active LabVIEW license; RunVI only accepts VIs with a documented connector pane. NI Nigel AI is an in-IDE assistant, not a first-party MCP server for automating LabVIEW. LabVIEW 2026 Q3 documents that Nigel can connect to MCP servers as a client. Zapier, Make, Power Automate, and n8n catalogs were not opened. Computer-use viability is unassessed. NI TestStand and the LabVIEW+ Suite companion products are out of scope.\n"
 }
}