Applications: General info

See also

Intro tutorial: Applications (this is assumed knowledge for all software instructions)

When you need software, check the following for instructions (roughly in this order):

  • This page.

  • Search the SciComp site using the search function.

  • Check module spider and module avail to see if something is available but undocumented.

  • The issue tracker for other people who have asked - some instructions only live there.

  • Visit SciComp garage to ask for advice.

If you have difficulty, it’s usually a good idea to search the issue tracker anyway, in order to learn from the experience of others.

Modules

See Software modules. Modules are the standard way of loading software.

Singularity

See Singularity Containers. Singularity are software containers that provide an operating system within an operating system. Software will tell you if you need to use it via Singularity.

Software installations

We aim to help as many people as possible, but we can’t do everything. For things we can’t install for everyone, we can often provide instructions for how you can install it by yourself.

Software is generally easy to install if it is in the conda’s conda-forge channel (for almost any software, see our conda guide) or the Spack package manager (for compiled software). If it has easy-to-install Ubuntu packages, it will be easy to do via singularity containers.

The Triton issue tracker should have a record of all software we help people to install which isn’t documented at scicomp.aalto.fi.

Software documentation pages

See the application list on the main Triton page

Software installation and policy

We want to support all software, but unfortunately time is limited. If we tried to install everything perfectly, we would in practice not be able to support much. Thus, we try to do the best we can for as many people as we can by defining these levels of support. You don’t have to know the levels: just ask for what you need, the levels are for us to organize our support internally.

Installation

Support by ASC staff

Updates (new versions, etc)

Documentation

A

Installed globally (with functionality checks)

Full support (named responsible person)

Automatically (every so often)

Always up to date

B

Installed globally

Good, usually

Upon request (without much testing)

May be out of date unless we get requests

C

Installed globally (without checks of functionality)

None promised (ask anyway)

Upon request (if there is time)

None or minimal stub page (check issue tracker/chat for more info or updates)

E

User-installed

Good

n/a

Updated when requested

F

User-installed

None promised (ask anyway)

n/a

Minimal or none: “word of mouth” or garage support. (check issue tracker/chat)