install

Getting Started with |Cyclus|

To model fuel cycles, you will need to install two things: first the main codebase (called :doc:`Cyclus <../basics/index>`), and then a set of fuel-cycle specific archetypes (called :doc:`Cycamore <cycamoreagents>`).

Warning

In the cyclus ecosystem, only versions whose micro or patch number (the third and last number) are zero are considered stable. Other releases where the version number is greater than zero are bugfix and maintainence releases and are considered unstable. For example, a release number of 1.42.0 is stable, while 1.42.3 is unstable.

1. Install |Cyclus| and Cycamore

The following methods of installation are listed in order of increasing sophistication, choose the option that best fits your needs. If you feel like none correspond to your needs please feel free to contact us using the Cyclus User mailing list, we will identify the best approach for you.

• :doc:`Binary installation on Linux (via Debian package or Conda) <install_binary>`:
  • Requires familiarity with Linux
  • Recommended for users wanting to run simulations locally (without internet)
• :doc:`Install Stable From Source (via Tarball) <install_from_tarball>`:
  • Requires programming skills/familiarity with compiling code
  • Recommended for users wanting to modify existing archetypes or write new archetypes (aka developers)
• :doc:`Install Main from Source (via Repository) <install_from_git>`:
  • Requires programming skills/familiarity with compiling code, basic understanding of Git/GitHub
  • Recommended for developers or users who require the bleeding edge version of |Cyclus|
  • Required for developers who wish to contribute to kernel development of |Cyclus|

.. toctree::
    :maxdepth: 1

    install_binary
    install_docker
    install_custom
    install_from_git
    install_from_tarball

2. Run Cyclus with a Sample XML File

Try running |Cyclus| for yourself. The result will be a :doc:`database <dbdoc>` named cyclus.sqlite. Use the drop down menu to load the sqlite file into Cyclist for data visualization, or use your favorite sqlite browser to peruse.

$ cyclus ~/path/to/cycamore/input/recycle.xml