Editing Swarm (simulation)

{{Infobox software
| name                   = Swarm
| title                  = Swarm
| logo                   = <!-- Image name is enough -->
| logo caption           = 
| logo_size              = 
| logo_alt               = 
| screenshot             = <!-- Image name is enough -->
| caption                = 
| screenshot_size        = 
| screenshot_alt         = 
| collapsible            = 
| author                 = 
| developer              = [[Swarm Development Group]]
| released               = {{Start date and age|1997|11}} 
| discontinued           = 
| latest release version = 2.4.1
| latest release date    = {{Start date and age|2009|04}}
| latest preview version = 
| latest preview date    = <!-- {{Start date and age|YYYY|MM|DD|df=yes/no}} -->
| frequently updated     = <!-- DO NOT include this parameter unless you know what it does -->
| status                 = 
| programming language   = [[Objective-C]], [[Java (programming language)|Java]]
| operating system       = [[Unix-like]], [[Microsoft Windows]]
| platform               = 
| size                   = 
| language               = 
| language count         = <!-- DO NOT include this parameter unless you know what it does -->
| language footnote      = 
| genre                  = [[Scientific software]]
| license                = [[GNU General Public License]]
| alexa                  = 
| website                = {{URL|http://www.swarm.org}}
| standard               = 
| AsOf                   = October 2013
}}

'''Swarm''' is an open-source [[agent-based model]]ing simulation package, useful for simulating the interaction of [[Intelligent agent|agent]]s (social or biological) and their [[emergence|emergent]] collective behavior. Swarm was initially developed at the [[Santa Fe Institute]] in the mid-1990s, and since 1999 has been maintained by the non-profit [[Swarm Development Group]].  Also known as the Swarm Simulation System,<ref>[http://www.swarm.org/wiki/Swarm_main_page Swarm]</ref> it is available for free <ref>[http://www.swarm.org/wiki/Swarm:_software_main_page download Software main page downloads]</ref> and use, covered by the [[GNU General Public License]].<ref>[https://www.gnu.org/copyleft/gpl.html GNU General Public License]</ref>

Early development work on Swarm was completed by [[Chris Langton]] (SFI), Roger Burkhart (John Deere), Nelson Minar (SFI), Manor Askenazi (SFI), Glen Ropella (SFI), Marcus Daniels (SFI), and Alex Lancaster (SFI). Since that time, many hundreds of people around the world have contributed to the continued open source development of the suite of Swarm ABM tools.

== Applications ==

=== Scientific applications===
Agent-based modeling seeks to replicate these complexities and adaptations in computational environments where these interactive [[emergent behavior]]s can be analyzed multi-dimensionally. By defining and assigning agencies reflective of prescribed behaviors, known or estimated, to active software agents in a [[computer simulation]], scientists can approximate experimental results not possible in natural temporal frameworks.

Swarm and other agent-based modeling platforms afford scientists the opportunity to conduct and [[Scientific visualization|visualize]] experiments in these synthetic macro and microenvironments for testing scientific theories, natural data sets, and other analyses while free of pressing constraints like time, volume, hazards, or many other parameters.

=== Commercial applications ===
Agent-based models have been used since the mid-1990s to solve a variety of business and technology problems. Examples of applications include:
* [[supply chain optimization]] and [[logistics]];
* modeling of [[consumer behavior]], including [[word of mouth]] and [[social network]] effects;
* [[distributed computing]];
* [[workforce management]];
* [[traffic management]]; and
* [[Investment management|portfolio management]].
In these and other applications, the system of interest is simulated by capturing the behavior of individual agents and their interconnections. Agent-based modeling tools can be used to test how changes in individual behaviors will affect the overall, emergent system behavior.

==See also==
*[[Agent-based social simulation]]
*[[Repast (Modeling toolkit)|Repast]]
*[[NetLogo]]
*[[Sugarscape]]
*[https://code.google.com/p/gama-platform/ GAMA]

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
*[http://www.swarm.org/ Swarm Homepage]

{{collective animal behaviour}}

[[Category:Agent-based model]]
[[Category:Scientific simulation software]]
[[Category:Emergence]]