Installation Guide
System Requirements
- Operating system: Windows, macOS (Apple Silicon or Intel), or Linux.
- CPU: multiple cores recommended. Fastest runtimes on Apple Silicon (M-series) Macs.
- RAM: 16 GB minimum; 32–64 GB recommended.
- Storage: SSD required.
Install the Pioneer App
Download the installer for the operating system from the releases page:
| Platform | Installer |
|---|---|
| Windows | PioneerSetup-v<version>-windows-x64.exe |
| macOS, Apple Silicon (M1 and later) | Pioneer-v<version>-macos-arm64.pkg |
| macOS, Intel | Pioneer-v<version>-macos-x64.pkg |
| Linux | Pioneer-v<version>-linux-x64.deb |
Then run it:
- Windows: double-click the setup file and follow the wizard. It can add a desktop shortcut, and its last page offers Launch Pioneer. Pioneer also appears in the Start Menu.
- macOS: double-click the
.pkgand follow the installer; it shows the license agreement and asks for an administrator password. The app is installed as Pioneer v<version> in/Applications. The installer is signed and notarized; the first launch can take about a minute while macOS verifies it. - Linux: install the package with
sudo apt install ./Pioneer-v<version>-linux-x64.deb. Pioneer appears in the applications menu.
The installer also adds the pioneer command for the Command Line.
The Quick Start Tutorial walks through a first analysis.
Installing Multiple Versions
Installing a different version keeps the versions already installed; reinstalling the same version replaces it. Each version gets its own app (Windows Start Menu entry, macOS app, Linux desktop entry), and the plain pioneer command uses the most recently installed version.
| Platform | Installed to | Run an exact version |
|---|---|---|
| Windows | C:\Program Files\Pioneer\<version> | use the full installation path |
| macOS | /usr/local/lib/pioneer/<version> | pioneer-<version> |
| Linux | /opt/pioneer/<version> | pioneer-<version>, or choose the default with sudo update-alternatives --config pioneer |
To uninstall a version on macOS, open that version's app, open Settings, and choose Uninstall this version. Settings, run history, libraries, and results are kept. On Windows, uninstall from Installed Apps; on Linux, remove the package with the package manager.
For Developers
To run Pioneer from source in Julia (1.12 or later):
git clone https://github.com/nwamsley1/Pioneer.jl.git
cd Pioneer.jl
julia --project=.julia> using Pkg; Pkg.instantiate()
julia> using PioneerThe Function Reference lists the functions behind each step. Thermo .raw conversion from source requires PioneerConverter.