Compendium

Modern research software is becoming more complex and often involves dependencies that are difficult to model in an HPC environment. One way to deal with this is to containerize the application. Popular technologies in this environment include Docker and Singularity.

What is Singularity

Singularity allows you to create your own environment within a container. You can install all workflows, software, and libraries you need into that container. Maybe you have heard of the popular container software 'Docker'? You could describe Singularity in a sloppy way as 'Docker for HPC-Systems'. Later you can execute the software in your container on BinAC in the same way as you execute 'normal' software, namely via the the batch system. The 'Getting Started' guide shows you how to create your own container and execute it on BinAC.

Problems Singularity can solve

• You want to use some software/library/etc. that is not installed on BinAC.
• You want to use some software that is not available for RHEL or CentOS (but for other linux distributions).
• You want to use software/libraries/etc that is available as Docker container.

Learn more:

• Dealing with singularity