Swarm main page

Revision as of 14:38, 1 February 2006

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UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Swarm is a platform for agent-based models (ABMs) that includes:

• A conceptual framework for designing, describing, and conducting experiments on ABMs;
• Software implementing that framework and providing many handy tools; and
• A community of users and developers that share ideas, software, and experience.

Swarm materials are organized in three categories: Software, Documentation and learning materials, and Applications and examples.

Getting started if you are new to Swarm

First, see this short introduction.

Next, it is important to develop an understanding of Swarm's conceptual framework: how you organize and describe a model using concepts such as swarms, collections, actions, schedules, observers, etc. The original Santa Fe Institute File:MinarEtAl96.pdf is a good way to learn Swarm's basic structure and motivation. The Documentation and learning materials page provides additional reading that is essential before trying to start using the software (even---especially---if you are an experienced programmer).

Finally, you will want to install Swarm software and use its documentation and examples to learn how to implement your models. (You might first want to visit the wiki's ABM resources section to see if there are other software platforms to consider.)

Getting Swarm software and documentation

See the software page for information on Swarm software. To download the current version, go to the stable release page.

See the documentation page for the Swarm reference manual, users guide, and other materials.

Our download site for Swarm software (source, example applications, documentation, packages) is http://ftp.swarm.org/pub/swarm

Getting user support

User support is obtained by joining the Swarm support email list, where questions are likely to be answered by one of your many generous fellow Swarm users.

Numbering convention

Swarm is divided into three main pieces: source, documentation, and applications. They are each bestowed version numbers that are independently increased except for major releases of the source. The version map right now is:

source: 2.2 
docs: 2.2
apps: 2.1.1 (being updated)
       heatbugs: 2.1.1
       template: 2.1.1
         market: 2.1.1
      mousetrap: 2.1.1
       tutorial: 2.1.1
    hello-world: 2.1.1