We currently maintain a baselined Hypersim model and continue developing new versions as the project progresses. I would like to know whether Hypersim provides a model comparison (Diff) capability similar to Simulink Model Comparison.
The objective is to compare a newly developed model against a previously baselined version and identify:
Added components or subsystems
Removed components or subsystems
Modified parameters and settings
Connection changes between versions
Such a feature would greatly help track model evolution, review changes, and maintain configuration control during development. It would also support a more structured workflow, similar to the model versioning and comparison capabilities available in MATLAB/Simulink.
Could you please let us know:
Whether Hypersim has an inbuilt model comparison or diff tool?
If not, is there a recommended workflow or third-party integration for comparing two versions of a Hypersim model?
Are there any best practices for model version management and change tracking within Hypersim?
Any guidance or documentation on this topic would help users.
Inbuilt Model Comparison / Diff Tool
No — HYPERSIM does not currently have a built-in model comparison or diff tool equivalent to Simulink’s Model Comparison feature. The .ecf model files are binary, so standard text-based diffs (Git diff, Beyond Compare on raw files, etc.) produce unreadable output. Structural diffing (added/removed components, parameter changes, connection topology) is not natively supported.
This is a known gap acknowledged in internal user feedback. We send back a discussion to the product office to bring back this discussion
Recommended Workflow (in lieu of a diff tool)
Since structural model comparison isn’t available, the standard practice is automated regression testing on simulation outputs:
Run both versions (baseline and new) with the same scenario/test bench.
Compare .oprec output files against reference results (_Ref.oprec or _Ref_CI.oprec).
Use HyTest or the internal product-automation testing framework to automate this comparison and flag regressions.
When a mismatch is detected, manually investigate the root cause (which effectively identifies what changed).
There is currently no official third-party integration for visual/structural HYPERSIM model diffs.
Thank you for the quick response and for sharing the recommended workflow.
While regression testing is certainly useful, performing these comparisons manually for every model revision can become repetitive and time-consuming. As the model evolves and the number of versions increases, it becomes increasingly difficult to compare the latest version against an intermediate version and accurately track all the changes that have occurred over time.
Additionally, documenting and remembering every modification, parameter update, and structural change across multiple revisions can be challenging. A dedicated model comparison (diff) tool, similar to Simulink Model Comparison, would greatly simplify this process by allowing users to quickly identify changes between two model versions.
I believe this would be a valuable feature for model development, version management, and configuration control, and would significantly improve productivity for users working with large and evolving HYPERSIM models.
It would be greatly appreciated if this enhancement could be considered for future HYPERSIM releases.