A new molecular modeling platform can feel harder to start than it should. You may have installed the software successfully, yet still be unsure whether your computer meets the requirements, how to launch the application, or what to do after the first window appears. A short, deliberate setup sequence can make that first session much less frustrating.
SAMSON is a platform for computational nanoscience, with applications across life science, materials science, physics, electronics, chemistry, and education. Its open architecture can be extended with tools for different workflows. The practical challenge for a new user is not to explore everything at once, but to establish a working starting point.
Before launching: check the basics
Start with the Requirements and platforms guide. Confirm that your operating system is supported, review the hardware expectations, and check any Linux dependencies if you use Linux. This simple check can help distinguish an installation issue from a system or graphics setup issue.
Then follow Install SAMSON for the installer workflow, including sign-in and key entry. If installation or graphics setup does not behave as expected, use the Troubleshooting guide rather than repeating the installation without knowing what went wrong.
Choose the launch route for your system
- Windows: Search for SAMSON from the Start menu. The documentation lists an executable path under
C:/Users/%USERNAME%/OneAngstrom/SAMSON-Application/11.0.0/Binaries/SAMSON-Core.exe. - Mac: Open SAMSON from Launchpad or the Applications folder. The documented application location is
$HOME/Applications/SAMSON.app/. - Linux: Launch it from the Apps dashboard or run
./SAMSON-Core.shfrom the Binaries folder in the installation directory. If you want a terminal shortcut, the documentation also shows how to create asamsonalias in~/.bashrcor~/.zprofile.
One detail is worth noticing: the page identifies 2026 R1 as the current version, while its sample executable paths contain the folder name 11.0.0. Treat those paths as examples, not as a reason to assume something is wrong if your installed folder differs. Use the location created by your installation.
Make the first session manageable
On the first start, SAMSON downloads a set of default SAMSON Extensions from SAMSON Connect. Extensions can include apps, editors, controllers, models, and parsers. They support tasks such as building models, running calculations or simulations, and visualizing results. You do not need to choose every possible extension before getting oriented: begin with the defaults, then customize your setup when you know what your workflow needs.
A useful next step depends on the question you want to answer. For a tour of the interface, open First look: the interface. To open a structure, continue to Loading molecules. For a compact overview of navigation, documents, visualizations, simulations, and help routes, use the Quick Start Guide.
This sequence keeps setup decisions in the right order: verify requirements, install, launch using the route for your operating system, then choose a first learning task. For the complete onboarding page, learn more in the SAMSON Getting Started documentation.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. Get SAMSON.