{{{
#!div id="rightbar" 
[[CurrentRelease(8.0, 05/23/13)]]
[[BlogList(recent=5, max_size=250, heading=News)]]
}}}


= Welcome to the AMUSE project =

[[Image(amuse-overview.png, 25%,right,thumb)]]

   Our aim is to provide a software framework for large-scale simulations 
   of dense stellar systems, in which existing codes for dynamics, stellar evolution, 
   hydrodynamics and radiative transfer can be easily coupled, and place them 
   in the appropriate observational context. 

'''AMUSE''' is an Astrophysical Multipurpose Software Environment. Within AMUSE different existing numerical codes are incorporated into a single framework. This framework is implemented with [http://www.python.org/ Python]. On the [/doc/examples/simple/index.html simple examples page] you can get a quick feel of how this works. AMUSE is free to download, use, and distribute and it comes with a wide selection of [/doc/reference/available-codes.html astrophysical simulation codes] included.

To help build the community, please join us. You can find us on google groups, http://groups.google.com/group/amusecode or on IRC at the [http://webchat.freenode.net/?channels=#amuse #amuse] channel on irc.freenode.net. 

== Starting Points ==

 * [/doc/install/howto-install-prerequisites.html Install prerequisites]
 * [/doc/install/howto-install-AMUSE.html Install AMUSE]
 * [/doc/install/getting-started.html Getting started with AMUSE]
 * [wiki:releases Releases]
 * [http://www.amusecode.org/doc/examples Examples]
 * [wiki:amuse_howto HOWTO's]
 * [wiki:publications Publications (with links and scripts)]
 * [wiki:common_errors Common errors and pitfalls]
 * [wiki:primer AMUSE Primer]


== Architecture ==

The AMUSE software is primarily developed in Python. In the AMUSE system you write a python script to control the codes and manage the simulation. The AMUSE framework provides data handling, unit management and code integration. For an overview of the architecture see http://www.amusecode.org/doc/design/architecture.html. 

== Getting the code ==

The latest [wiki:releases AMUSE Release] is available for download [wiki:releases here]. 

If you want to follow the current development of AMUSE, please send an e-mail to the mailing-list
or vanelteren at strw.leidenuniv.nl with your name and affiliation and we will create an svn account
for you. 

Assuming you have [http://subversion.tigris.org/ Subversion] installed, the following command in a terminal will fetch the most recent code for you:

{{{
svn co http://www.amusecode.org/svn/trunk amuse-svn
}}}

We are in the process of setting up a review board system [http://www.amusecode.org/review/ here], where you can submit patches to the code or comment on the patches.

== Installing the code ==

The AMUSE code needs a number of other packages to run. To find out which packages and
how to install these please read [/doc/install/howto-install-prerequisites.html Install prerequisites].

After installing the prerequisites you can build AMUSE. How to install AMUSE is explained
in [/doc/install/howto-install-AMUSE.html Install AMUSE]

Once you have AMUSE successfully installed, [/doc/install/getting-started.html here (Getting started)] is how to get started working with AMUSE.

== Browsing the code online ==

 * [/browser/trunk Browse source]: See the full code via a Web interface.

 * [/timeline/ Timeline]: Keep track of recent changes.


== Documentation ==

You can read the documentation online in [/doc/ AMUSE Documentation (HTML)]. We have PDF documents
of the [/doc/reference-doc.pdf Reference documentation], [/doc/tutorial.pdf Tutorials]
and the [/doc/installation.pdf Installation]. We also provide the [raw-attachment:AMUSEPrimer.pdf:wiki:primer AMUSE Primer and student course material]

== Support ==

The AMUSE mailing-list is a good place to start for all support questions: http://groups.google.com/group/amusecode.
The AMUSE core team is also often on the [irc://irc.freenode.net/amuse #amuse] IRC channel on irc.freenode.net 

== Workshops ==

 * [wiki:amuse_workshop1 Kickoff Workshop October 5-7, 2009]. The first AMUSE workshop was held in Leiden from October 3 to October 5. About 20 researchers and interested parties attended the workshop. See [http://www.rknop.net/modest/index.php/AMUSE_Workshop_Oct_2009 notes] for notes written by Rob Knop.
 * [wiki:amuse_workshop2 Second Workshop December 13-17, 2010]. The second AMUSE workshop was held in Leiden from December 13 to December 17, 2010. About 23 developers and researchers attended the workshop.
 * [wiki:amuse_workshop3 Third Workshop June 27 - July 1, 2011]. The third AMUSE workshop is being organized for June 27 - July 1st in Leiden.