WikiPathways
WikiPathways is an open science platform for biological pathways contributed, updated, and used by the research community.

The industry-standard interactive visualization tool for integrated exploration of large-scale genomic datasets.

The Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV) is a high-performance, interactive visualization tool designed for the exploration of large-scale, integrated genomic datasets. Developed by the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, it supports a wide variety of data types, including next-generation sequencing (NGS) data, genomic annotations, and clinical information. As of 2026, IGV remains the gold standard in the bioinformatics field for visual verification of sequencing results, bridging the gap between automated pipelines and biological interpretation. Its architecture is built to handle massive datasets efficiently through the use of indexed file formats (BAM, CRAM, VCF, BigWig), which allow for rapid zooming and panning across the entire genome. IGV is available in three primary distributions: the feature-rich Desktop application, the light-weight IGV-Web, and the igv.js embeddable library for web developers. It excels in integrating data from multiple sources, including local files, cloud storage like Google Cloud and Amazon S3, and public data repositories like ENCODE and the 1000 Genomes Project. Its robust support for multi-omics integration and structural variant visualization makes it indispensable for researchers and clinical labs globally.
The Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV) is a high-performance, interactive visualization tool designed for the exploration of large-scale, integrated genomic datasets.
Explore all tools that specialize in ngs alignment visualization. This domain focus ensures Integrative Genomics Viewer (IGV) delivers optimized results for this specific requirement.
Integrated visualization of RNA-Seq splice junctions with dynamic coverage depth mapping.
Native support for range-requests to stream specific genomic slices from Amazon S3, Google Cloud Storage, and Azure.
Specialized rendering for split-reads and mate-pair orientations to identify inversions and translocations.
Built-in client for the BLAT sequence alignment tool to instantly map sequences back to the genome.
XML-based state persistence that captures every track setting, zoom level, and file path.
Ability to view multiple genomic regions side-by-side in the same window.
A fully-featured JavaScript implementation for embedding genome browsing in web portals.
Download the IGV Desktop application suitable for your OS (Windows, macOS, Linux).
Ensure Java 11 or later is installed (most bundles include a private JRE).
Launch the application and select a reference genome (e.g., hg38, mm10) from the dropdown menu.
Import custom genomes via FASTA or URL if the desired assembly is not listed.
Load data files using 'File > Load from File' or 'File > Load from URL'.
Ensure all high-volume files (BAM, VCF) have corresponding index files (.bai, .tbi) in the same directory.
Use the search box to navigate to specific gene symbols or genomic coordinates.
Zoom in to the nucleotide level to inspect individual base calls and quality scores.
Right-click on tracks to adjust visualization parameters (e.g., sorting reads by base, color-coding by strand).
Save the session as an XML file to preserve the current view and loaded tracks for future analysis.
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Verified feedback from other users.
"Universally regarded as the essential tool for genomic data inspection. Users praise its robustness and support for nearly all bioinformatics file formats, though some find the Java-based UI slightly dated."
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WikiPathways is an open science platform for biological pathways contributed, updated, and used by the research community.

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