The Software

folding-iconOur goal is to solve massive computational problems related to protein folding research. The problems require so many calculations, we ask people to donate their unused computer power to help us crunch some of the numbers. Servers at Stanford University deliver individual “work units” to thousands of computers around the world. Each of these work units is a small piece of a massive problem. When a computer finishes a work unit, it sends the results back to Stanford and gets a new work unit. Stanford’s computers then stitch together all the results to solve bigger problems.

Folding@home

In 2000 we released our software to the public and very soon after we had thousands of computers donating otherwise unused computer power. We called the software Folding@home because the software runs while you do other things like cooking, playing, and working. It runs even while you sleep.

You will notice your computer working a little harder than usual, but for most people it doesn’t get in the way of your doing your normal work.

How to “START FOLDING”

Step 1. Download protein folding simulation software called Folding@home.

Step 2. Run the installation. The software will automatically start up and open a web browser with your control panel.

Step 3. Follow the instructions to Start Folding.

Stanford University will send your computer a folding problem to solve. When your first job is completed, your computer will swap the results for a new job.

button-start-folding

Supporting Software

OpenMM

The GPU core for Folding@home extensively uses the OpenMM MD package.

Gromacs

We have recently incorporated and heavily modified the Gromacs molecular simulation package for Folding@home. We are continuing to work with the Gromacs developers to further improve Gromacs. For more details, see our Gromacs page.

More about the software.

This is some of the documentation for the Folding@home software.

You can find help and all the FAQs at Community Support. Learn more about the science of protein folding on The Science page.

Add your computer's power to over 327,000 others that are helping us find cures to Alzheimer's, Huntington's, Parkinson's and many cancers ...

... in just 5 minutes.

Step 1.

Download protein folding simulation software called

Folding@home

.

Step 2.

Run the installation. The software will automatically start up and open a web browser with your control panel.

Step 3.

Follow the instructions to Start Folding.

Stanford University

will send your computer a folding problem to solve. When your first job is completed, your computer will swap the results for a new job.

Step 1.

For OS ()

Download the protein folding simulation software that fits your machine.

()


Installation guide
Or download Folding@home for your Android (4.4+) phone.
See all downloads