KLayout

KLayout is an application designed for viewing and editing mask layouts used in integrated circuit design. It allows users to open large GDSII and OASIS stream files, inspect hierarchical layout structures, and measure distances between geometric shapes. The software includes tools for layout comparison, design rule checking, and scripting through a Ruby and Python console. Users can also write custom macros to automate repetitive design modifications or generate specific layout patterns.

Built specifically for Linux platforms, KLayout handles complex geometric data sets through an optimized memory management approach. It provides multiple display layers, custom color palettes, and depth visibility controls to help users navigate dense integrated circuit designs. While primarily focused on layout viewing and verification, it also functions as an editor for making direct modifications to cell hierarchies and geometric polygons.