SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2 vs Web API: Which One Do You Need?

SOLIDWORKS PDM offers two different kinds of web access, and they solve different problems. SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2 is a browser based client for people: it lets users search, view, check out, check in and change workflow states from a browser or a phone, without installing the PDM client. The SOLIDWORKS PDM Web API is a REST interface for software: it lets your ERP, portal or custom application talk to the vault over HTTP. If a human needs to look at files, you want Web2. If a system needs to exchange data with the vault, you want the Web API. Many companies end up using both.

PDM web access at a glance

When people search for “PDM web” or “web PDM” they usually mean one of these questions: can my shop floor see drawings without a PDM client, can my suppliers get files, or can my business systems read vault data. Here is how the two options compare.

	SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2	SOLIDWORKS PDM Web API
Who uses it	People, through a browser	Applications, through HTTP calls
Interface	Web pages, responsive layout for phones and tablets	REST endpoints returning data
Typical users	Shop floor, quality, purchasing, managers, field staff	Developers, integrators, IT
Client install needed	No, a browser is enough	No PDM client on the calling system
Hosted on	IIS on a Windows server with the PDM web components	IIS on a Windows server with the PDM web components
Vault type	SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional	SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional
Security	PDM users, groups and folder permissions	PDM users, groups and folder permissions
Customization	Limited to configuration	Whatever you build on top of it

What is SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2?

Web2 is the browser client for SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional. It runs on a Windows server under Internet Information Services (IIS) and connects to the vault on behalf of the user who logs in. Users sign in with their PDM credentials and see the vault through the same permissions they would have in the desktop client.

What users can do in Web2

The exact feature set grows with each release, so check the help for your version, but the core functions are:

• Browse and search the vault, including searches on data card variables.
• View files and previews, including the data card and file details.
• Download files and, depending on permissions, related references.
• Check out and check in files, including uploading a new version.
• Change workflow state by running transitions they have permission for.
• Review history and references such as where used and contains.

What Web2 is not: it is not a CAD tool. It does not open SOLIDWORKS models for editing, and it is not intended to replace the desktop client for designers who work with assemblies all day.

Who Web2 is for

Web2 shines for people who touch the vault occasionally and should not need a full client install:

• Shop floor terminals that need to show the latest released drawing.
• Quality and inspection teams checking revisions and approving changes.
• Managers who approve workflow transitions from a phone.
• Remote and field staff working over a VPN or a published web server.
• Mac, Linux, tablet and phone users, since the desktop client is Windows only.

The legacy Web client vs Web2

Older SOLIDWORKS PDM releases shipped a first generation Web client that depended on technologies modern browsers no longer support. Web2 is the current browser client. If you still have the old one running somewhere, plan to replace it with Web2 rather than keep it alive.

What is the SOLIDWORKS PDM Web API?

The SOLIDWORKS PDM Web API is a REST interface available in recent releases of SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional. Instead of loading the COM based PDM API on a Windows machine with the PDM client installed, an application sends HTTP requests to the web server, authenticates as a PDM user, and receives data back.

That distinction is the whole point. The classic PDM API (IEdmVault5, IEdmFile5 and friends) is powerful but requires the PDM client on the machine running the code, which means Windows, a local vault view and a COM capable language. The Web API removes those requirements for the calling system. A Linux based ERP connector, a cloud function or a customer portal can query the vault without a PDM client anywhere near it.

What the Web API is good for

Typical integrations we see:

• ERP integration: reading released part data and BOM information to create or update items.
• Customer and supplier portals: exposing approved documents to external users through your own website, with your own branding and access rules.
• Dashboards and reporting: pulling workflow states and counts into a reporting tool.
• PLM connectors: exchanging metadata between PDM and a PLM system.

We walked through authentication and the first calls in a quickstart guide with the SOLIDWORKS PDM Web API, and we discuss integration architecture in building a connector between SOLIDWORKS PDM and PLM systems. Token housekeeping is a topic of its own, raised on CADOverflow in PDM webapi – Release Tokens.

Web API vs the classic PDM API

The Web API is newer and its coverage is narrower than the COM API, which has been extended over many years. For heavy operations inside the vault (custom add-ins, workflow hooks, task add-ins, batch updates of thousands of files) the COM API is still the tool. For “outside looking in” integrations where a remote system needs data, the Web API is usually the cleaner choice. Our practical guide to the SOLIDWORKS PDM API in 2026 covers the COM side.

Need	Better fit
React to check in, state change or other vault events	COM API add-in
Run inside a PDM task	COM API
Read vault data from a non Windows system	Web API
Expose documents through a portal	Web API
Bulk update variables on thousands of files	COM API or a scripted tool
Lightweight ERP lookup by part number	Web API

Requirements for PDM web access

Both Web2 and the Web API are installed from the SOLIDWORKS PDM server setup as web server components. The broad requirements are:

1. SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional. Web2 and the Web API are not available for SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard.
2. A Windows Server with IIS and the prerequisites listed in the SOLIDWORKS system requirements for your version.
3. Connectivity from the web server to the archive server and the SQL Server hosting the vault database.
4. Matching versions. The web components should match the version and service pack of your PDM server.
5. Licenses. Web users consume PDM licenses like other clients. Check with your VAR which license types apply to your intended users.

For the details of a specific release, start at the SOLIDWORKS help site at help.solidworks.com and the system requirements for your version.

Security considerations

Putting a vault on the web deserves care. Some practical rules:

• Use HTTPS. Never publish Web2 or the Web API over plain HTTP. Install a proper certificate in IIS.
• Think before exposing it to the internet. Many companies keep Web2 internal and reach it over VPN. If you publish it, put it behind a reverse proxy or web application firewall and keep the server patched.
• Use dedicated accounts for integrations. An ERP connector calling the Web API should log in as its own PDM user with exactly the folder and state permissions it needs, not as Admin.
• Rely on PDM permissions. Web users get what their PDM groups allow. Review folder and state permissions before giving web access to a new group, especially external users.
• Protect credentials. Integration credentials belong in a secrets store, not in scripts or source control.
• Log and monitor. Watch IIS logs for unusual traffic and failed logins.

Choosing between Web2 and the Web API

A simple way to decide:

• “Our operators need to see the current released drawing on a tablet.” Web2.
• “Managers want to approve ECOs from their phone.” Web2.
• “Our ERP should create items when a part is released.” Web API (or an add-in or script triggered by the workflow).
• “Customers should download approved documents from our website.” Web API behind your portal.
• “We want both.” Install the web components once and use both: Web2 for people, Web API for systems.

For automation that runs inside the vault, such as exporting PDFs at release or pushing data when a transition fires, a COM based add-in or a scripted tool is often simpler than polling a web service. That is the space PDMShell covers: its commands can run on a schedule or from workflow transitions and write files (BOMs, exports, CSV reports) that other systems pick up, which makes it a practical bridge when a full Web API integration is more than you need.

Community discussions

• Reading EPDM data from Web2 client using API? on the SOLIDWORKS Forum
• Can I utilize APIs to log in to Web2 on the SOLIDWORKS Forum

FAQ

Is SOLIDWORKS PDM Web2 free?

Web2 is part of SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional, but users accessing the vault through it need appropriate PDM licenses. Confirm the license type with your VAR.

Does Web2 work with SOLIDWORKS PDM Standard?

No. Web2 and the Web API require SOLIDWORKS PDM Professional.

Is the SOLIDWORKS PDM Web API the same as the PDM API?

No. The classic PDM API is a COM interface used from Windows machines with the PDM client installed. The Web API is a REST interface served from IIS that does not require the PDM client on the calling system.

Can I use Web2 on a phone?

Yes. Web2 has a responsive interface designed to work in mobile browsers as well as on desktops.

Need help with this?

We build Web API and COM integrations between SOLIDWORKS PDM and ERP, PLM and portal systems. Contact us to talk through your use case, or look at PDMShell for scripted vault automation.