A Complete Guide to the 2025 Aras Community Edition
If you're new to Aras Innovator® or just curious about the latest Community Edition, here’s some good news: the 2025 release is available and packed with the latest features to explore. Whether you're a developer, low-code builder, or systems thinker, this edition is your invitation to dive into a powerful, composable PLM platform at no cost. Why choose the Community Edition? The 2025 Community Edition gives you access to a full-featured PLM platform without any licensing fees. It’s ideal for: Exploring Aras architecture and tooling Prototyping digital thread strategies Learning low-code app development on an enterprise-grade platform Demonstrating value to stakeholders Bootstrapping PLM processes for small organizations You'll get access to core applications like Product Engineering right out of the box, with optional modules including Variant Management, Requirements Engineering, Simulation Management, and more - all designed to help you build traceable, connected solutions. Wondering how the Community Edition compares to a full subscription? This side-by-side breakdown can help you decide if you'll need additional support or features as your project grows. How to try Aras Innovator without installing Want to see Aras in action before installing? Try one of these: Take the interactive product tour to explore digital thread use cases in your browser Request a demo to see how Aras Innovator fits your team’s goals Watch an on-demand webinar to dive deeper into use cases, platform capabilities, and best practices Ready to install? Here's how to get started Here's what you need to know if you're ready to install the Aras Innovator 2025 Community Edition. 1. Check your system requirements The first step is to ensure that your systems are up to the task of running Aras Innovator. Don't worry if that sounds intimidating. While it's important to carefully consider production system specs, an average Windows 10/11 laptop or Windows Server VM should be sufficient to help you evaluate the platform or start building solutions. Client Requirements Server Requirements Windows 10/11 or macOS 15 Windows Server 2012 or newer Chrome (v135+), Firefox ESR (115/128), or Edge .NET 4.7.2 and ASP.NET Core 8.0.1 2.0 GHz processor, 2 GB RAM, 80 MB free disk space SQL Server 2016 or newer 2.0 GHz processor, 32 GB RAM recommended, 1 GB disk space Check out the Installation Guide (PDF) for more details. 2. Install prerequisites Before running the installer, make sure these components are installed and configured: .NET Framework 4.7.2: Download from Microsoft's .NET site ASP.NET Core Runtime & Hosting Bundle 8.0.1: Available at dotnet.microsoft.com SQL Server: Use SQL Server 2016 or newer. You can install SQL Server Express for development purposes if you don't have a full SQL Server license. Enable mixed-mode authentication and remember your admin credentials IIS (Internet Information Services): Enable via "Turn Windows features on or off" on the server. Ensure that Application Development Features (e.g., .NET Extensibility, ASP.NET, CGI) are also enabled Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable: Install versions for 2015, 2017, and 2019. These are often bundled together in the latest Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable Tip: After installing all prerequisites, restarting your machine can help ensure everything is properly registered and ready before launching the Aras Innovator installer. 3. Download the installer Visit the Download page to download the installation files. Be sure to save the .msi file—you'll need it for reinstallation or repair. 4. Obtain your license key You'll need your server's MAC address to generate a Framework License key: Run ipconfig /all in Command Prompt to find your MAC address. Visit the license request page and request a key using that address. 5. Run the installer Double-click the InnovatorSetup.msi file to launch the installation wizard. Here's a step-by-step guide: Welcome Screen: Click Next to begin License Agreement: Read the agreement, accept the terms, and click Next System Prerequisites: Confirm you have: Admin access to the server SQL Server installed and accessible A valid Aras license key. Select all checkboxes to enable the Next button Destination Folder: Choose the install path (default is C:Program Files (x86)ArasInnovator ) and click NextAdmin access to the serverSQL Server installed and accessible Setup Type: Choose Complete for a full install Choose Custom to configure features like Vault Server, OAuth, and more Custom Setup (if selected): Select or deselect optional components License Configuration: Enter your license key Server Web Alias: Define the alias used in the URL (e.g., http://localhost/InnovatorServer ) SMTP and Language Settings: Configure as needed or use defaults Database Configuration: Specify your SQL Server instance Set admin credentials Choose to create a new database or connect to an existing one Begin Installation: Review your settings and click Install Installation Progress: Wait for the wizard to complete the process Finish: Click Finish to exit the installer A detailed guide with screenshots is also available in the Installation Guide. 6. Log in and explore Once installation is complete, open a browser and go to http://localhost/<your_web_alias>; . Log in with the default admin credentials and start exploring. Need help or inspiration? If you have trouble getting started with the Community Edition, you can check out the documentation or visit the Aras Community Forums with your questions. They're a great resource for troubleshooting issues, learning how companies are using Aras to solve problems, and connecting with fellow community members. I hope we'll see you there!
Work Smarter & Safer with AI: Connecting Aras Innovator and Claude MCP
Have you ever thought, "It would be great if AI could look up this data in Aras Innovator," or "I wish there was an easier way to generate and load realistic test data for my project"? You’re in luck! We’re going to walk through how you can use a Model Context Protocol (MCP) server with Aras Innovator to streamline everyday tasks for developers and users. By the end of this blog, you’ll be able to give your AI assistant authenticated access to query your PLM data, inspect your schema, and create items through natural language commands. A Community Collaboration This blog post was inspired by community member Daan Theoden and his work integrating Claude Desktop and Aras Innovator. You can check out his videos about AI on LinkedIn and see the source code of his original project on GitHub. The project was later forked and extended by Aras Labs to support both Configurable Web Services (CWS) and Aras InnovatorEdge. This collaboration is an excellent example of how the Aras community drives innovation, and we appreciate Daan laying the groundwork for this tool. What is the MCP? The MCP is an open standard that defines how AI models interact with external data and systems. Without MCP, integrations need to be hard-coded for each individual AI application. With MCP, you can build a standardized server once. This server advertises a set of tools – such as "Get Item" or "Create Item" – and any MCP-compliant client can discover and utilize them. This provides a secure, predictable, and auditable way to expose your PLM environment to an AI assistant without exposing direct database access or unstructured APIs. What this project does This is a lightweight Python server that acts as a bridge to your Aras instance – whether you are using Configurable Web Services (CWS) or the new Aras InnovatorEdge. It handles the necessary plumbing of authentication, URL normalization, and error handling so the AI model can focus on executing your intent. Out of the box, it enables your assistant to: Explore your schema: Fetches OData $metadata to dynamically learn your specific ItemTypes and property definitions. Auto-resolve names: Uses fuzzy matching to resolve terms like "Problem Report" or "Doc" to their actual ItemTypes (PR or Document). Generate data: Automates the creation of complex test data sets. Call methods: Triggers server-side logic by calling Aras methods directly. Quick Start: Connecting to the Aras Innovator REST API This tool is designed to work natively with Aras InnovatorEdge, but it includes full backward compatibility for the standard Aras Innovator REST API via CWS. If you choose to use CWS, please see our previous blog on how to set it up! Here is how to get it running 1. Clone the repository Clone the repo and install the dependencies. We recommend using a virtual environment. git clone https://github.com/ArasLabs/aras-claude-agent.git cd aras-claude-agent pip install -r requirements.txt 2. Configure the environment Create a .env file in the root directory. This is where you will define how the tool connects to Aras. Option A: Connecting via Aras InnovatorEdge (Beta) Aras InnovatorEdge is currently in beta. If you are an early adopter with access to an Edge environment, this is the preferred setup. # --- Backend Setup --- # Use 'EDGE' for InnovatorEdge instances API_BACKEND=EDGE # --- Auth Credentials --- AUTH_MODE=API_KEY EDGE_API_KEY=your_edge_api_key_here # Your Innovator URL API_URL=https://myserver.com/InnovatorServer # --- Optional Configuration --- # Map friendly names to ItemTypes for better recognition ITEMTYPE_ALIASES=Problem:PR;Doc:Document;Part:Part Option B: Connecting via Configurable Web Services If you do not have access to the Edge Beta yet, you can use standard Configurable Web Services (CWS). Note: Because this tool uses an "Edge-first" design, it uses the same authentication pattern for both backends. You will see InnovatorEdge terminology in the configuration variables (specifically EDGE_API_KEY). Don't worry, this works perfectly with CWS. # --- Backend Setup --- # Use 'ARAS' for standard CWS instances API_BACKEND=ARAS # Your Innovator URL (The server handles the /Server/Odata path automatically) API_URL=https://myserver.com/InnovatorServer # --- Auth Credentials --- AUTH_MODE=API_KEY # NOTE: Even though we are connecting to CWS, we use the EDGE_API_KEY # variable name to maintain compatibility with the tool's internal auth logic. EDGE_API_KEY=your_cws_api_key_here # --- Optional Configuration --- ITEMTYPE_ALIASES=Problem:PR;Doc:Document;Part:Part 3. Verify the installation You generally do not need to run the server manually. Claude Desktop will handle that for you. However, it is good practice to run it once just to ensure your environment is set up correctly and there are no missing dependencies. python -m src.server If the process starts and waits silently (or "hangs"), it is working correctly. The server is simply listening for commands over standard input. You can stop it with Ctrl+C and move to the next step. 4. Add to Claude Desktop Open your Claude Desktop configuration file. Mac: ~/Library/Application Support/Claude/claude_desktop_config.json Windows: %APPDATA%\Claude\claude_desktop_config.json Add the following entry (ensure you update the path to your cloned repository): { "mcpServers": { "aras-api": { "command": "python", "args": ["-m", "src.server"], "cwd": "/absolute/path/to/aras-claude-agent" } } } Once you save this file and restart Claude Desktop, it will automatically launch the Python server in the background. In Practice: Generating Test Data One of the most powerful applications of this tool is accelerating test preparation. Because the AI can read the OData metadata, it understands your specific data model without requiring detailed instructions. For example, you can use a prompt like this: "I need to test the Part Form with a new Robotic Arm assembly. Create 10 Parts for me. Number them ROBOT-001 through ROBOT-010. For the name, generate realistic component names." Behind the scenes, the Agent will: Call api_resolve_itemtype to confirm "Part" matches the correct ItemType. Call api_get_metadata to verify the property names for item_number and classification. Execute a loop of api_create_item calls to generate the records, using its own creativity to fill in the names. This automation dramatically reduces the time spent on repetitive data setup. Want to learn more about InnovatorEdge? We're preparing a series of technical blogs about what's new and what you can do with it, but in the meantime, you can check out this overview from product manager Benjamin Chaillon, or this article on AI data governance with Aras InnovatorEdge. Join the Conversation This project is just the beginning of what’s possible when we combine the structure of PLM with the flexibility of Large Language Models. By bridging Aras Innovator with tools like Claude, we can reduce the friction of context switching and make data creation and inspection significantly faster. A special thanks again to Daan Theoden for pioneering this integration and sharing it with the community. Open collaboration like this is what makes the Aras ecosystem so powerful, and we are thrilled to support and extend his original vision. Now, we want to hear from you. If you could automate one mundane PLM task with an AI assistant today, what would it be? Let us know in the comments below, or head over to the GitHub repository to star the project, file an issue, or contribute your own improvements!
Tech Tip: Opening a Custom Dialog from a Method
There are times when the fields on a single form are not enough to provide the full functionality you want available to your users. In these cases, you may need to display a dialog that prompts your users to enter some additional information. Aras In...
