Choosing a SWORD program
From CrossWire Bible Society
Contents
Introduction
This page is under development. As such it may not be helpful until it is near completion. For that reason, please don't link it on another page until then. To become complete it needs fair and balanced™ coverage of the SWORD programs.
Do feel free to edit this page to make it more complete and better organized.
The purpose of this page is to help an end user decide which SWORD program is the best for them. The first consideration is which programs are available for the user. This can be found at CrossWire's home page. Once the user has narrowed down which programs are available, the following can be used to focus on the best program.
It is recommended that each user try all the available programs. It is likely that one will resonate with the user and work best for that user.
Features Common to All SWORD Applications
For the most part all the SWORD programs have the same features.
- Can read modules in the SWORD Library
- Use Unicode
- Released under an open source license
- powerful search syntax - wildcard, regex and often also clucene indexed searches (fuzzy and proximity searches + searches for Strongs, stemming etc) within preset and customised scopes.
- strongs, morphological info, cross references and footnotes
- All frontends listed beleow are undergoing more or less active development.
Side-by-Side Comparison of Leading SWORD Applications
Module Support
| Application | Operating Systems | RtoL Modules | Daily Devotions | Ancillary Module content | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alkitab Bible Study | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | yes | yes | no | |||||||||||
| BibleDesktop (JSword) | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | yes | yes | no | |||||||||||
| BibleTime (see also Kio-Sword) | Linux | yes | yes | ||||||||||||
| BPBible (wxPython) | Windows, Linux | no | no | no | PortableApps.com edition | gospel harmonies; Guess the Verse game; display Strong's headwords; | |||||||||
| FireBible (JSword/FireFox) | Firefox web browser in Windows, Mac, Linux | 1 or 2 panes (library navigation in Firefox sidebar) | no | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Yes | English | Yes | |||||||
| MacSword | version 1.3.x Mac OSX 10.3+, version 1.4.x Mac OSX 10.4+ | Multi-window, each module gets it's window | yes | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, phrase search, logic operators, grouping, Strongs, Morph, Apple SearchKit | Strongs, Morph (automatic) | |||||||
| The SWORD Project for Windows | Windows | Three-pane with tabbed library navigation | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, regex and clucene searches | Strongs + parsing (automatic) and glossary (on click) | Yes (incomplete: no RtoL) | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Xiphos (GNOME) (formerly GnomeSword) | Windows, Linux | Four-pane with library navigation, verse lists, etc. on left | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | pre-book, pre-chapter and pre-verse content | yes | yes | clucene, wildcard and regex searches | strongs +parsing automatic | Yes | English, German, French, Finnish, Farsi, Czech, Hebrew, Dutch, Portugues, Swedish | Yes | Read Aloud |
|}
Windowing and Display
| Application | Operating Systems | Window Layout | Several texts open at same time? | Text Display | Complex Scripts | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alkitab Bible Study | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| BibleDesktop (JSword) | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes - including commentaries | yes | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Lists in left-hand pane | Yes | English, German, Farsi, Chinese, Vietnamese | Yes | Portable version | word-by-word comparison of Bible versions |
| BibleTime (see also Kio-Sword) | Linux | Multiple windows with flexible arrangement and library navigation on left | yes | Search in open modules; Strong's number or lemma search | Strongs, parsing (automatic) | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| BPBible (wxPython) | Windows, Linux | 1-7 tiled subwindows, repositioning/hiding of panes. | no | verse, block, poetry layout | no | no | no | regex and wildcard searches, indexed searches (similar to clucene) cross-verse proximity searches. | Strongs Parsing (automatic) full list of topics with topic entry box | Verse lists and verse tagging | Incomplete (no RtoL) | No | PortableApps.com edition | gospel harmonies; Guess the Verse game; display Strong's headwords; | |
| FireBible (JSword/FireFox) | Firefox web browser in Windows, Mac, Linux | 1 or 2 panes (library navigation in Firefox sidebar) | no | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Yes | English | Yes | |||||||
| MacSword | version 1.3.x Mac OSX 10.3+, version 1.4.x Mac OSX 10.4+ | Multi-window, each module gets it's window | yes | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, phrase search, logic operators, grouping, Strongs, Morph, Apple SearchKit | Strongs, Morph (automatic) | |||||||
| The SWORD Project for Windows | Windows | Three-pane with tabbed library navigation | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, regex and clucene searches | Strongs + parsing (automatic) and glossary (on click) | Yes (incomplete: no RtoL) | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Xiphos (GNOME) (formerly GnomeSword) | Windows, Linux | Four-pane with library navigation, verse lists, etc. on left | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | pre-book, pre-chapter and pre-verse content | yes | yes | clucene, wildcard and regex searches | strongs +parsing automatic | Yes | English, German, French, Finnish, Farsi, Czech, Hebrew, Dutch, Portugues, Swedish | Yes | Read Aloud |
|}
Search, Dictionary and Study Support
| Application | Operating Systems | Search Features | Dictionary Look-up | Verse Lists | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alkitab Bible Study | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| BibleDesktop (JSword) | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes - including commentaries | yes | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Lists in left-hand pane | Yes | English, German, Farsi, Chinese, Vietnamese | Yes | Portable version | word-by-word comparison of Bible versions |
| BibleTime (see also Kio-Sword) | Linux | Multiple windows with flexible arrangement and library navigation on left | yes | Search in open modules; Strong's number or lemma search | Strongs, parsing (automatic) | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| BPBible (wxPython) | Windows, Linux | 1-7 tiled subwindows, repositioning/hiding of panes. | no | verse, block, poetry layout | no | no | no | regex and wildcard searches, indexed searches (similar to clucene) cross-verse proximity searches. | Strongs Parsing (automatic) full list of topics with topic entry box | Verse lists and verse tagging | Incomplete (no RtoL) | No | PortableApps.com edition | gospel harmonies; Guess the Verse game; display Strong's headwords; | |
| FireBible (JSword/FireFox) | Firefox web browser in Windows, Mac, Linux | 1 or 2 panes (library navigation in Firefox sidebar) | no | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Yes | English | Yes | |||||||
| MacSword | version 1.3.x Mac OSX 10.3+, version 1.4.x Mac OSX 10.4+ | Multi-window, each module gets it's window | yes | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, phrase search, logic operators, grouping, Strongs, Morph, Apple SearchKit | Strongs, Morph (automatic) | |||||||
| The SWORD Project for Windows | Windows | Three-pane with tabbed library navigation | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, regex and clucene searches | Strongs + parsing (automatic) and glossary (on click) | Yes (incomplete: no RtoL) | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Xiphos (GNOME) (formerly GnomeSword) | Windows, Linux | Four-pane with library navigation, verse lists, etc. on left | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | pre-book, pre-chapter and pre-verse content | yes | yes | clucene, wildcard and regex searches | strongs +parsing automatic | Yes | English, German, French, Finnish, Farsi, Czech, Hebrew, Dutch, Portugues, Swedish | Yes | Read Aloud |
|}
Localisation
| Application | Operating Systems | Localization Support | GUI RtoL Support | GUI Languages | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alkitab Bible Study | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| BibleDesktop (JSword) | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes - including commentaries | yes | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Lists in left-hand pane | Yes | English, German, Farsi, Chinese, Vietnamese | Yes | Portable version | word-by-word comparison of Bible versions |
| BibleTime (see also Kio-Sword) | Linux | Multiple windows with flexible arrangement and library navigation on left | yes | Search in open modules; Strong's number or lemma search | Strongs, parsing (automatic) | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| BPBible (wxPython) | Windows, Linux | 1-7 tiled subwindows, repositioning/hiding of panes. | no | verse, block, poetry layout | no | no | no | regex and wildcard searches, indexed searches (similar to clucene) cross-verse proximity searches. | Strongs Parsing (automatic) full list of topics with topic entry box | Verse lists and verse tagging | Incomplete (no RtoL) | No | PortableApps.com edition | gospel harmonies; Guess the Verse game; display Strong's headwords; | |
| FireBible (JSword/FireFox) | Firefox web browser in Windows, Mac, Linux | 1 or 2 panes (library navigation in Firefox sidebar) | no | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Yes | English | Yes | |||||||
| MacSword | version 1.3.x Mac OSX 10.3+, version 1.4.x Mac OSX 10.4+ | Multi-window, each module gets it's window | yes | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, phrase search, logic operators, grouping, Strongs, Morph, Apple SearchKit | Strongs, Morph (automatic) | |||||||
| The SWORD Project for Windows | Windows | Three-pane with tabbed library navigation | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, regex and clucene searches | Strongs + parsing (automatic) and glossary (on click) | Yes (incomplete: no RtoL) | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Xiphos (GNOME) (formerly GnomeSword) | Windows, Linux | Four-pane with library navigation, verse lists, etc. on left | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | pre-book, pre-chapter and pre-verse content | yes | yes | clucene, wildcard and regex searches | strongs +parsing automatic | Yes | English, German, French, Finnish, Farsi, Czech, Hebrew, Dutch, Portugues, Swedish | Yes | Read Aloud |
|}
Other
| Application | Operating Systems | Portable | Extramodular content | Module Creation and user editable content | Other | ||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alkitab Bible Study | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| BibleDesktop (JSword) | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes - including commentaries | yes | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Lists in left-hand pane | Yes | English, German, Farsi, Chinese, Vietnamese | Yes | Portable version | word-by-word comparison of Bible versions |
| BibleTime (see also Kio-Sword) | Linux | Multiple windows with flexible arrangement and library navigation on left | yes | Search in open modules; Strong's number or lemma search | Strongs, parsing (automatic) | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| BPBible (wxPython) | Windows, Linux | 1-7 tiled subwindows, repositioning/hiding of panes. | no | verse, block, poetry layout | no | no | no | regex and wildcard searches, indexed searches (similar to clucene) cross-verse proximity searches. | Strongs Parsing (automatic) full list of topics with topic entry box | Verse lists and verse tagging | Incomplete (no RtoL) | No | PortableApps.com edition | gospel harmonies; Guess the Verse game; display Strong's headwords; | |
| FireBible (JSword/FireFox) | Firefox web browser in Windows, Mac, Linux | 1 or 2 panes (library navigation in Firefox sidebar) | no | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Yes | English | Yes | |||||||
| MacSword | version 1.3.x Mac OSX 10.3+, version 1.4.x Mac OSX 10.4+ | Multi-window, each module gets it's window | yes | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, phrase search, logic operators, grouping, Strongs, Morph, Apple SearchKit | Strongs, Morph (automatic) | |||||||
| The SWORD Project for Windows | Windows | Three-pane with tabbed library navigation | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, regex and clucene searches | Strongs + parsing (automatic) and glossary (on click) | Yes (incomplete: no RtoL) | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Xiphos (GNOME) (formerly GnomeSword) | Windows, Linux | Four-pane with library navigation, verse lists, etc. on left | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | pre-book, pre-chapter and pre-verse content | yes | yes | clucene, wildcard and regex searches | strongs +parsing automatic | Yes | English, German, French, Finnish, Farsi, Czech, Hebrew, Dutch, Portugues, Swedish | Yes | Read Aloud |
|}
Full Table
| Application | Operating Systems | Window Layout | Several texts open at same time? | Text Display | Ancillary texts | Parallel display | Daily Devotion | Search Features | Dictionary Look-up | Verse Lists | Localization Support | GUI Languages | RtoL Language Support | Portable | Special Features |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alkitab Bible Study | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes | Yes | Yes | |||||||
| BibleDesktop (JSword) | Any system with Java (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.) | Two-pane with tabs and library navigation on right | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | no | yes - including commentaries | yes | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Lists in left-hand pane | Yes | English, German, Farsi, Chinese, Vietnamese | Yes | Portable version | word-by-word comparison of Bible versions |
| BibleTime (see also Kio-Sword) | Linux | Multiple windows with flexible arrangement and library navigation on left | yes | Search in open modules; Strong's number or lemma search | Strongs, parsing (automatic) | Yes | Yes | ||||||||
| BPBible (wxPython) | Windows, Linux | 1-7 tiled subwindows, repositioning/hiding of panes. | no | verse, block, poetry layout | no | no | no | regex and wildcard searches, indexed searches (similar to clucene) cross-verse proximity searches. | Strongs Parsing (automatic) full list of topics with topic entry box | Verse lists and verse tagging | Incomplete (no RtoL) | No | PortableApps.com edition | gospel harmonies; Guess the Verse game; display Strong's headwords; | |
| FireBible (JSword/FireFox) | Firefox web browser in Windows, Mac, Linux | 1 or 2 panes (library navigation in Firefox sidebar) | no | Bible search with wildcards | Manual look-up | Yes | English | Yes | |||||||
| MacSword | version 1.3.x Mac OSX 10.3+, version 1.4.x Mac OSX 10.4+ | Multi-window, each module gets it's window | yes | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, phrase search, logic operators, grouping, Strongs, Morph, Apple SearchKit | Strongs, Morph (automatic) | |||||||
| The SWORD Project for Windows | Windows | Three-pane with tabbed library navigation | verse, block layout | yes | yes | wildcard, regex and clucene searches | Strongs + parsing (automatic) and glossary (on click) | Yes (incomplete: no RtoL) | Yes | Yes | |||||
| Xiphos (GNOME) (formerly GnomeSword) | Windows, Linux | Four-pane with library navigation, verse lists, etc. on left | yes | verse, block, poetry layout | pre-book, pre-chapter and pre-verse content | yes | yes | clucene, wildcard and regex searches | strongs +parsing automatic | Yes | English, German, French, Finnish, Farsi, Czech, Hebrew, Dutch, Portugues, Swedish | Yes | Read Aloud |
