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lbutler

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Epanet-JS October 2025 Progress Report

epanetjs.com
1 points·by lbutler·hace 8 meses·0 comments

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lbutler
·hace 7 meses·discuss
I'm building epanet-js[0], a local-first web application for simulating water network.

The goal is to replace clunky, expensive enterprise desktop tools (which often charge $10k+ for a wrapped version of the open-source US EPA engine). We want our version to be frictionless: login optional, runs entirely in the browser, and saves files locally to your device.

We are using the Functional Source License (FSL) to keep it sustainable while remaining open.

[0] https://epanetjs.com/
lbutler
·hace 6 años·discuss
Thanks! If you're interested I wrote an article listing all 7 FOSS apps I created this year on LinkedIn [1], I also have a site for my main library [2].

I'll eventually convert part of one of these into a B2B app to keep what I do sustainable but I want to keep as much free and open source.

[1] https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/seven-water-modelling-apps-on...

[2] https://epanetjs.com
lbutler
·hace 6 años·discuss
This particular software is for water utilities to model and simulate their water and waste water networks.

It's mostly used so utilites can forecast growth in their areas for the next 25+ years and see the impact on their networks and feed into their capital work projects.

A decently sized utility may spend up to $200M/yr on capital works so $40k isn't even a line item!

There is completion in the market but consultants are forced to use what their clients pick and most utilites aren't that price sensitive.

There are also open source alternatives by the EPA[1][2], and most commercial operators are just wrappers around this public domain software.

I'm trying to create FOSS to help view and run these models.

[1] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/EPANET

[2] https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Storm_Water_Management_Model
lbutler
·hace 6 años·discuss
The version is stored in byte 96 of the header of the sqlite file[1].

I haven't looked but there will be some sqlite command to query it and I'm sure some viewer tools will display it as well.

[1] https://www.sqlite.org/fileformat.html
lbutler
·hace 6 años·discuss
I can understand why they do it, it's enterprise software so the more open you make it, then the less licences they can sell.

They do have a module you can purchase to run API calls and access their files/software but as you probably guessed that's another $40k license!

Most of my apps I build use this API, but for me to provide to other companies they need them to also buy the API extension.

I'd love to cut out the middle man and I'll do it eventually when I reverse engineer the header!
lbutler
·hace 6 años·discuss
I have an application that uses sqlite as their file format but they've cleared the header so you can't open it directly.

I'd love to be able to make secondary applications like you've described but being enterprise software they don't want to make it too easy.

They obviously want to keep people locked in with their $40k per seat application!

I guess the first step is figuring out the page size and other bits the other meta data you set in the header [1].

I know I just have to sit down and understand the format better and I will eventually figure it out...

[1] https://www.sqlite.org/fileformat.html