Niagara 4 Workbench: Versions, Download, Licensing and Version Matching

Niagara Workbench is the engineering tool for Niagara 4 stations. Use a Workbench version that matches the station and drivers built for its exact release.

Most "strange" Niagara problems on site, such as modules that will not load, stations that refuse to start after a change, or drivers that vanish from the palette, come back to one cause: mismatched versions. This guide explains what Workbench is, how to get and license it, how Niagara version numbers work, the rules for matching Workbench, stations and drivers, and how to run several Niagara versions on one engineering laptop.

What is Niagara Workbench?

Workbench is the Windows application engineers use to create, configure and maintain Niagara 4 stations. With it you:

connect to platforms (Platform Administration: software, licences, certificates, backups, commissioning)
connect to stations to build drivers, points, logic on the wire sheet, alarms, histories and schedules
build Px graphics in the Px editor
run a local station on your PC for development, training and testing
run tools such as the Commissioning Wizard, Software Manager, Licence Manager and Certificate Management

Operators do not need Workbench; they use a web browser. Workbench is for engineers.

How do you download Niagara Workbench?

Niagara 4 software, including Workbench, is distributed through Tridium's channel to licensed partners, not as a public free download. In practice:

Your company buys Niagara products through a Tridium distributor such as Tyrrell Products.
Certified engineers (see Niagara 4 certification) access the installation files through the distributor or Tridium's partner software portal.
Branded versions exist: OEM partners (Vykon, Honeywell and others) ship Workbench builds with their own brand ID. Licences are tied to a brand, so use the build that matches your controllers' brand.

If you need a Workbench installer for a specific version, contact our support team with your company details and the version you need.

How is Workbench licensed?

Workbench runs under a Niagara licence tied to your PC's Host ID. Typical options:

a Workbench/engineering licence for an engineer's laptop
a Supervisor licence on a server, which also allows Workbench use on that host
a demo licence for evaluation and training, with limits on station size and duration

To request a licence you need the PC's Host ID; see how to find a PC's Host ID. The licence file is then installed through the Licence Manager. If your PC's hardware changes significantly, the Host ID can change and the licence must be reissued.

Understanding Niagara 4 version numbers

A full Niagara version looks like 4.13.2.18:

Part	Meaning
4	Major version (Niagara 4)
13	Release (4.13)
2	Update or maintenance release
18	Build number

Some releases are Long-Term Support (LTS), with a longer maintenance window: Niagara 4.10 and Niagara 4.15. 4.15 is the final Niagara 4 release, maintained until Q4 2028, and the required starting point for migrating to Niagara 5 (see Niagara 5 readiness).

Maintenance updates within a release (for example 4.10.5 to 4.10.9) contain security patches and fixes and are included with an active Software Maintenance Agreement. As a best practice, move controllers to the latest maintenance update of their release.

Rule 1: match Workbench to the station's release

Connect to a station with a Workbench of the same release. If the controller runs 4.10.5, use a 4.10 Workbench. Ideally use the same or a later update of that release (for example 4.10.9 Workbench for a 4.10.5 station).

A different release may let you connect and browse, but making significant changes, such as adding drivers, saving Px pages or copying stations, can corrupt configuration or leave modules mismatched.

Rule 2: drivers are built for an exact Niagara version

Niagara modules, including third-party drivers, are compiled for a specific release and often a specific maintenance update. A driver built for 4.10 will not run on 4.14, and vice versa. Driver vendors therefore publish separate builds, for example for 4.10.7, 4.10.8, 4.10.9, 4.13.2 and 4.14.0.

Always download the driver build that matches your system's exact version. Tyrrell Products publishes version-specific builds of its Niagara 4 drivers for this reason.

What you get in a driver package

Each driver usually contains two JAR files: a runtime (-rt) module and a Workbench (-wb) module, for example tyrellIP-rt.jar and tyrellIP-wb.jar. You always need both. Whether the -wb module is installed on the controller depends on the station's runtime profiles (for example, whether the user interface is served from the controller).

Installing a driver in Workbench

Close Workbench.
Open your Niagara installation folder, for example C:\Niagara\Niagara-4.13.2 (the brand folder name may differ).
Open the modules folder.
Copy both JAR files in, replacing older versions if prompted.
Restart Workbench. The driver is now available locally and in the software repository for installing onto controllers through the Software Manager during commissioning.

Checking which version a JAR was built for

Open the JAR with 7-Zip or WinRAR, go to META-INF, and open module.xml. The vendorVersion attribute shows the exact Niagara version the module was compiled for, for example 4.13.2.18. If it does not match your system, get the correct build. Using a module with a different vendor version is unsupported.

Rule 3: keep the software repository tidy

After you copy modules into the modules folder, Niagara also keeps copies in the software repository used by the Software Manager when installing to controllers. If old builds linger in the repository, the Software Manager may offer the wrong version. When you replace a driver, check both locations, and delete obsolete builds you no longer support.

Running several Niagara versions on one PC

Integrators supporting many sites often need 4.10, 4.13 and 4.15 Workbenches on the same laptop. This is normal:

install each version into its own folder (the installer does this by default)
each version has its own modules folder, software repository and user home, so drivers must be copied into each version separately
licences are per host, so one licence file can cover several versions, provided it allows them
you can run local stations from different versions, but take care with ports: two stations cannot both listen on the same Fox, HTTP or HTTPS port. Watch the "running multiple stations" video in the advanced engineering guides for the method.

Niagara 4 and Niagara 5 Workbench can also be installed side by side, but not run at the same time.

Workbench tools worth knowing

Beyond the wire sheet and property sheets, Workbench includes tools that save hours on large projects:

Batch Editor: change the same property on many components at once.
BQL queries: find every component matching a condition (for example every point in override) and act on the results.
Program Service: run a small program across the station to make bulk changes. See the video in the advanced engineering guides.
Templates and palettes: package a finished plant or device so it can be deployed again in minutes.
Certificate Management: manage the TLS certificates for platforms and stations.
Software Manager: install, upgrade and remove modules on remote hosts.
Station Copier: transfer stations between your PC and controllers, with options to include or exclude histories and alarms.

Station backups and change control

Version problems are much easier to recover from with good backups:

take a backup (distribution file) of each station before and after every significant change
name backups with the site, host, Niagara version and date
keep backups off the engineering laptop, in a controlled shared location
record what changed and why in a simple change log per site
before upgrading Niagara versions, keep the pre-upgrade backup until the upgraded system has run successfully for some time

If a module or version change causes problems, a recent backup on the original version lets you roll back in minutes instead of rebuilding.

Upgrading a controller to a new Niagara version

A safe upgrade, for example from 4.10 to 4.15, follows these steps:

Check compatibility: confirm the controller hardware supports the target version (a JACE 9000 needs 4.13 or later; JACE 8000 and Edge 10 stop at 4.15) and that the SMA is active.
Gather matching software: Workbench for the target version and builds of every third-party module for that exact version.
Back up the station and platform.
Upgrade the station offline on your PC with the target Workbench and fix any errors or missing modules.
Upgrade the supervisor first if the controller reports to one, since the supervisor must run the highest version.
Use the Commissioning Wizard on the controller to install the new core software, modules and the upgraded station.
Test drivers, alarms, histories, schedules and graphics, and check the supervisor connection.
Keep the old backup until the upgraded system has run without issues for a few weeks.

Workbench problems and fixes

Workbench will not start. Usually a licence problem (expired, wrong Host ID, wrong brand) or a corrupted user home. Check the console output and the licence in the licence folder. See platform login failing for related connection problems.

"Module not found" or a driver missing from the palette. The driver's JARs are not in this version's modules folder, or they were built for a different version.

Station fails to start after a module update. A module was installed on the controller that does not match the Niagara version, or a dependency is missing. Check the application director output and reinstall matching builds.

HTML5 views (charts, property sheets) are blank in Workbench. Typically a browser component or certificate issue in that Workbench version; updating to the latest maintenance release usually fixes it.

Workbench is slow with large stations. Increase the Workbench memory allocation, close unused views, and avoid loading huge Px pages over slow connections. See managing memory allocations for the station side.

Certificate warnings when connecting. Accept or import the host's certificate properly rather than ignoring warnings; see code signing certificates for module signing.

Best-practice checklist

Record every site's Niagara version and installed modules.
Keep Workbench and drivers for each version you support, clearly organised.
Move controllers to the latest maintenance release of their version during maintenance visits.
Standardise the estate on an LTS release (4.15 now) where practical.
Keep SMAs active so updates are available.
Back up stations before and after every significant change.

Frequently asked questions

Can I download Niagara Workbench for free?

No. Niagara 4 Workbench is distributed to licensed partners through Tridium's channel and runs under a licence tied to your PC's Host ID. Demo licences are available for evaluation and training.

Which Workbench version should I use?

The same Niagara release as the station you connect to, preferably the latest maintenance update of that release.

Can I use a 4.10 driver on Niagara 4.14?

No. Drivers are compiled for specific Niagara versions. Use the build that matches your exact version.

How do I check a Niagara module's version?

Open the JAR file with 7-Zip or WinRAR, open META-INF/module.xml and read the vendorVersion attribute.

Can I have multiple Niagara versions installed on one laptop?

Yes. Each version installs into its own folder with its own modules and software repository. Install drivers into each version separately.

Why does my Workbench licence stop working after a PC change?

The licence is tied to the PC's Host ID. Replacing hardware or reinstalling Windows can change it, so the licence must be reissued for the new Host ID.

Can I open a Niagara 4 station in Niagara 5 Workbench?

Niagara 4 stations are migrated to Niagara 5 with Tridium's migration tool, starting from 4.15. Keep a Niagara 4 Workbench for sites that remain on Niagara 4.

What is a Niagara LTS release?

A Long-Term Support release with an extended maintenance window. Niagara 4.10 and 4.15 are LTS releases; 4.15 is the final Niagara 4 version.