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Avida is a free, open source software platform for conducting and analyzing experiments with self-replicating and evolving computer programs. It provides detailed control over experimental settings and protocols, a large array of measurement tools, and sophisticated methods to analyze and post-process experimental data.

The following articles provide a good introduction to Avida:

• Testing Darwian by Carl Zimmer (Cover story of Feb 2005 Discover Magazine).
• Twice as Natural by Richard Lenski (2001)
• Meet the Scientist podcast interview of Charles Ofria by Carl Zimmer (2010)

More detailed materials:

• Avida: A Software Platform for Research in Computational Evolutionary Biology by C. Ofria, D.M. Bryson, and C. Wilke (2009).
• The latest documentation supplied with Avida (found in the avida-core directory of the source folder)
• The contents of this Wiki

If you would like to contribute to this documentation, please create an account via the log-in link at the top-right of the page.

New User Information

General Information

• Overview
• A Guided Tour of the Ancestor and its Hardware
• The Text Viewer
• Configuration and Command Reference
• Experiment and Analysis Guides

F.A.Q.

• What should I do if I find incorrect documentation?

Ideally, create a log-in and fix it yourself! Your other option is to hit the "Issue Trac" tab on the top of the page and create a ticket; set the "Component" to "documentation" and be as clear and precise as possible about what is wrong, including why you know it is wrong.

Developer Resources

• Developers Guide
• Getting Started
• Avida 3 API