---
title: "Modules Overview"
---

# Modules Overview

> <IUCard title="About Ignition's Modules" link="https://inductiveuniversity.com/videos/about-ignitions-modules/8.3" /><br />

Ignition’s modular architecture allows you to customize and expand your system according to your needs. Modules enhance Ignition's functionality, enabling you to start with essential features and add more as required.

## What are Modules?

![" "](../modules-overview/hex5_hover.png)

Modules extend Ignition’s capabilities. They introduce specific features or functionalities, such as new Designer workspaces, Gateway settings, and drivers. Core modules include the [Perspective](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\perspective-module\perspective-module.md), [Vision](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\vision-module.md), and [SQL Bridge](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\sql-bridge-module.md) modules.

Modules integrate directly with Ignition, offering new features with minimal configuration. Once installed, modules work seamlessly with existing components.

## Benefits of Modules

- **Flexible Licensing**: License only the modules you need, reducing costs and simplifying system setup.
- **Dynamic Management**: [Enable or disable](getting-started\installing-and-upgrading\installing-or-upgrading-a-module.md) modules as needed, with changes taking effect after a Gateway restart.
- **Increased Stability**: Modules built on a common platform benefit from improved reliability and isolation.
- **Plugable Architecture**: Easily add new features with new or third party modules.

## Capabilities of Modules

Modules provide a range of functionalities:

- **Screen Creation**: Design dashboards, detail windows, and historical displays using the [Vision](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\vision-module.md) module. Integrate real-time data from [OPC UA](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\opc-ua-module\opc-ua-module.md) servers and create interactive user forms.
- **Mobile Access**: The [Perspective App](ignition-modules\perspective\perspective-sessions\ignition-perspective-app\ignition-perspective-app.md) allows viewing and interacting with Ignition applications from mobile devices, including tablets and smartphones.
- **Alarm Management**: Configure alarms to detect system issues and notify users. Alarms can be displayed with pre-built components and logged into SQL databases. Notification modules can send alerts via [email](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\alarm-notification-module.md), [SMS](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\SMS-notification-module.md), or [phone calls](getting-started\modules-overview\additional-modules\voice-notification-module.md).
- **Data Collection**: Use the [SQL Bridge](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\sql-bridge-module.md), [Historian Core](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\tag-historian-module.md), and [SQL Historian](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\sql-historian-module\sql-historian-module.md) modules for data logging. Historical data can be used in charts, tables, and reports, with storage in SQL databases for easy access by third party software.
- **Reporting**: Generate on-demand reports using data from various sources. The [Reporting](getting-started\modules-overview\core-modules\reporting-module.md) module allows for the creation, scheduling, and delivery of reports through email or network drives.

### Solution Suites

Building on how modules work together to expand functionality, the Ignition Solution Suites group modules as pre-packaged collections to address specific operational challenges. Modules within each suite cannot be removed, but you can add individual modules on top of a suite for further customization of your system. The modules included in each suite are listed in the table below. 

|Name| Description| Included Modules|
|--|--|--|
|Application Building Suite|Build powerful mobile-responsive industrial applications like SCADA, HMI, Reporting, and more.|Perspective and Reporting|
|Industrial Historian Suite|Optimize time-series data management with powerful, high-performance Historians.|Historian Core and SQL Historian|
|Enterprise Integration Suite|Integrate your industrial systems with your enterprise data for smarter decisions and sustained growth.|MongoDB, Kafka, MQTT Transmission, and MQTT Engine|
|Alarm Management Suite|Ensure timely and effective responses to critical events with advanced alarm notifications.|Alarm Notification, Voice Notification, SMS Notification, Twilio Notification|
|DataOps Suite| Streamline data operations with event-driven management and custom web development tools.|SQL Bridge, Web Development, and Event Streams|

## Third Party Modules

In addition to Inductive Automation’s modules, third party companies offer modules developed with Ignition’s Module Software Development Kit (SDK). Examples include:

- **MES Modules**: [Sepasoft](https://www.sepasoft.com/) provides [Manufacturing Execution Systems (MES) modules](https://help.sepasoft.com/docs/) for tracking OEE, implementing SPC systems, and managing resources.
- **MQTT Modules**: [Cirrus Link’s](http://www.cirrus-link.com/) modules integrate [MQTT](https://docs.chariot.io/) with Ignition, expanding data access by exposing numerous data points as tags. Additional third party modules are available on our [downloads](https://inductiveautomation.com/downloads/ignition) page.

## Creating Custom Modules

To develop custom modules, refer to the [SDK documentation](https://www.sdk-docs.inductiveautomation.com/). This resource provides guidelines and tools for creating modules.