Whether you’re docking ligands, analyzing interactions, or visualizing complex biomolecular systems, you’re likely using a variety of software tools. That means juggling multiple installs, figuring out compatibility issues, and jumping between separate interfaces. It’s time-consuming—especially when all you want to do is focus on the science.
If this sounds familiar, SAMSON’s integrated Apps system might be exactly what you’ve been missing.
What Are SAMSON Apps?
In SAMSON, Apps are modular extensions that augment your molecular modeling workflow. These aren’t just utilities—they can be powerful connectors to external programs, complete interfaces to web services, or fully-fledged tools built atop the SAMSON API. For example, the AutoDock Vina Extended App integrates molecular docking directly into your environment—no need to switch contexts or prepare input files manually.
Why This Matters for You
- Simplifies workflows: Instead of launching external tools, you can run everything in one place. Imagine doing docking, visualization, and analysis without leaving your main application.
- Centralized access: You don’t have to search across different websites or platforms. You’ll find available apps inside the platform itself, under
Home > Apps. - Expandable platform: SAMSON comes with a set of default apps, but you can explore and add more from SAMSON Connect—no complex installation steps. Just browse, click, and integrate.
Example: Integrating Docking Directly
The image above showcases the AutoDock Vina Extended App. With it, you can run docking simulations with a familiar interface, without setting up AutoDock Vina separately. It’s an example of how SAMSON apps can wrap existing tools in an interface that’s native to your modeling platform.
Want to Go Beyond? Build Your Own Apps
If your lab has custom Python or C++ code—or if you’ve always wanted to tailor your modeling environment to fit your specific research—you’re not limited to prebuilt tools. With SAMSON’s Extension Generator and detailed developer documentation, you can start building SAMSON apps that plug directly into the system.
This flexibility is especially useful if you’re developing workflows or integrating AI models into molecular design. One app can link SAMSON with external resources via APIs or enable pipelines that weren’t available out-of-the-box.
Where to Start
To manage, add, or explore SAMSON apps, just navigate to Home > Apps within the platform. You’ll see a full list of available apps and can easily install new ones. For developers, the next step is browsing the Extension Generator and the Developer Documentation Center.
Learn more in the complete documentation on Apps at https://documentation.samson-connect.net/users/latest/apps/.
Note: SAMSON and all SAMSON Extensions are free for non-commercial use. You can download SAMSON at https://www.samson-connect.net.