##  [Ansys Thermal Desktop for developers](/docs/thermal-desktop) 

## Overview

Ansys Thermal Desktop™ thermal-centric modeling software enables you to create models that range from small components to complete systems. It is general purpose, which means it is suitable for everything from commercial submarine components to planetary exploration systems. Finite difference and finite element objects are combined with environment definitions in AutoCAD’s 3D design environment. Thermal Desktop software creates the node and conduction network, launches Ansys Sinda™ software for the solution, and provides postprocessing results. For more information, see the [Ansys Thermal Desktop product page](https://www.ansys.com/products/fluids/ansys-thermal-desktop).

**Ansys OpenTD** is the application programming interface (API) for Thermal Desktop and Sinda software. It enables you to automate tasks typically performed through Thermal Desktop graphical user interface. With the OpenTD API, you can programmatically create, query, modify, delete, run, and control models. You can also explore and plot results from saved files, compressed solution results (CSRs), SaveX files, and spreadsheets.





 



 

 

 



## OS and supported languages

The **OpenTD API** is available for **Windows** and supports:

- Programming in any .NET Framework 4.8 language, including C#, VB.NET, F#, and others.
- Integration into systems capable of loading .NET Framework 4.8 assemblies, such as MATLAB or Python.





 



 

 

 



## Documentation

###### OpenTD guide

Use this guide to learn the OpenTD API concepts and syntax through a series of example C# programs.

[2026 R1](/docs/opentd-2026-r1/index.md)

[Previous](/docs/thermal-desktop/previous)





 

 



###### OpenTD reference

API reference for a comprehensive list of all OpenTD API types and methods.

[2026 R1 - Net4 and Net 8](/docs/opentd-reference-2026-r1/index.md)

[Previous](/docs/thermal-desktop/previous)





 

 



###### OpenTD demos

Download this Visual Studio C# project showcasing multiple usage scenarios with the OpenTD API.

[2026 R1 Net4](https://github.com/ansys/DevRelPublic/raw/main/Downloads/Thermal-Desktop-OpenTD/2026R1-Net4.zip)

[Previous](/docs/thermal-desktop/previous)





 

 



 

 

 



 

 

 



## Related projects

When using the **OpenTD API**, you can perform further development with the APIs and libraries of these Ansys products:





 



###### Fluent





 

<https://developer.ansys.com/docs/fluent>

 

 



###### Mechanical





 

<https://developer.ansys.com/docs/mechanical>

 

 



###### ModelCenter





 

<https://developer.ansys.com/docs/model-center>

 

 



###### optiSLang





 

<https://developer.ansys.com/docs/optislang>

 

 



###### SpaceClaim





 

<https://www.ansys.com/products/3d-design/ansys-spaceclaim/>

 

 



###### STK





 

<https://www.ansys.com/products/missions/ansys-stk>