Unity software overview

Means of installing packages

apt package manager

The Ubuntu system package manager apt downloads its packages pre-compiled from the Ubuntu repository. These are placed in standard locations like /usr/bin so that they are always found in your $PATH. This can only be done by administrators. To avoid conflicts, most software is only available in one version. These packages will change with an (inevitable) operating system update. The admin team is trying to avoid apt installs for research computing software.

Environment modules

There are a wide variety of modules available with the module command. Most software requests are fulfilled here. These are compiled by the admins and are stored in /modules/apps/ or in /modules/spack/opt/spack/.

Relevant documentation:

• Introduction to environment modules
• How to use environment modules

Conda environments

The conda package manager allows users to compile software easily and without admin privileges. Conda environments can be created for any software set, and can be enabled/disabled dynamically not unlike modules.

Relevant Documentation:

• Conda environments

Virtual environments in Python

The venv module in Python creates a light virtual environment that allows users to isolate specific versions of the Python interpreter and software libraries for their projects. It comes with the standard library of Python and does not require a separate installation. Venv is ideal for project-based workflows.

Relevant documentation:

• Virtual environments in python

R package manager

Coming soon!

Docker (Singularity)

Coming soon!