Quantum chemistry computer programs are used in computational chemistry to implement the methods of quantum chemistry. Most include the Hartree–Fock (HF) and some post-Hartree–Fock methods. They may also include density functional theory (DFT), molecular mechanics or semi-empirical quantum chemistry methods. The programs include both open source and commercial software. Most of them are large, often containing several separate programs, and have been developed over many years.

Overview

The following tables illustrates some of the main capabilities of notable packages:

Numerical details

PackageLicense†LanguageMPIOpenMPGPUI/O librariesParallel I/O
ABINITFree, GPLFortranYesYesYes, CUDAYes, HDF5, NetCDFYes, Fortran and HDF5
ACESFree, GPLFortran, C++YesNoYesUnknownUnknown
ADF, Amsterdam Modeling SuiteCommercialFortranUnknownUnknownYes, CUDAYes, HDF5, customUnknown
AMPACAcademicUnknownUnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
Atomistix ToolKit (QuantumATK)CommercialC++, PythonYesYesYes, CUDAYes, HDF5, NetCDFYes, HDF5
BigDFTFree, GPLFortranYesYesYesYes, HDF5, NetCDFYes, HDF5, NetCDF
CADPACAcademicFortranUnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
CASINO (QMC)AcademicFortran 2003YesYesYes, OpenACCNoNo
CASTEPAcademic, commercialFortran 95, Fortran 2003YesYesNoUnknownUnknown
COLUMBUSFree, LGPLFortranYesNoNoNoNo
CONQUESTFree, MITFortran 90YesYesNoUnknownUnknown
CP2KFree, GPLFortran 95YesYesYes, CUDA and OpenCLUnknownUnknown
CPMDAcademicFortranYesYesNoUnknownUnknown
CRYSTALAcademic (UK), Commercial (IT)FortranYesYesNoUnknownUnknown
DaltonFree, LGPLFortranYesYes, LSDaltonNoUnknownUnknown
DFTKFree, MITJuliaYesYesYes, CUDA, ROCmYes, HDF5Unknown
DIRACFree, LGPLFortran 77, Fortran 90, CYesNoNoUnknownUnknown
DMol3CommercialFortran 90YesUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
FLEURFree, MITFortran 95YesYesYes, OpenACC, CuBLASYes, HDF5, customYes, HDF5
FHI-aimsAcademic, commercialFortranYesUnknownYesUnknownUnknown
FreeON (formerly MondoSCF)Free, GPLFortran 95UnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
Firefly (formerly PC GAMESS)AcademicFortran, C, AssemblyUnknownUnknownYesUnknownUnknown
GAMESS (UK)Academic UK, CommercialFortranUnknownUnknownYesUnknownUnknown
GAMESS (US)AcademicFortranYesYesYesUnknownUnknown
GaussianCommercialFortranUnknownUnknownYes, CUDAUnknownUnknown
JaguarCommercialFortran, CUnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
MADNESSFree, GPLC++UnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
MOLCAS / OpenMolcasAcademic, commercial / LGPLFortran, C, C++, Python, PerlYesYesYesYes, HDF5Unknown
MOLPROCommercialFortranYesYesYesUnknownUnknown
MOPACFree, LGPLFortranUnknownUnknownYesUnknownUnknown
MPQCFree, LGPLC++YesUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
NESSIEFree, BSD v2FortranYesYesUnknownUnknownUnknown
NWChemFree, ECL v2Fortran 77, CYesYesYes, CUDAUnknownUnknown
OctopusFree, GPLFortran 2008, C, C++YesYesYes, CUDA and ROCmYes, NetCDFYes, custom
ONETEPAcademic, CommercialFortran 2003YesYesYes, CUDAYes, HDF5Unknown
OpenAtomAcademicCharm++ (C++)UnknownUnknownYesUnknownUnknown
OpenMXFree, GPLCYesYesNoNoNo
ORCAAcademic, commercialC++YesUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
PARSECFree, GPLFortranYesYesNoUnknownUnknown
PQSCommercialUnknownUnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
PSIFree, LGPL v3C, C++, PythonNoYesWith plugin,UnknownUnknown
PySCFFree, BSDPythonYesYesWith plugin,UnknownUnknown
QboxFree, GPLC++YesYesNoUnknownUnknown
Q-ChemAcademic, commercialFortran, C, C++YesYesWith plugin,UnknownUnknown
QMCPACKFree, UIUC/NCSAC++YesYesYes, CUDA, HIP, SYCLYes, HDF5, XMLYes, HDF5
Quantum ESPRESSOFree, GPLFortranYesYesYes, CUDAYes, HDF5Yes, HDF5
RMGFree, GPLC, C++UnknownUnknownYes, CUDAUnknownUnknown
SAMSONFreeC++, PythonUnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
ScigressCommercialC++, C, Java, FortranUnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
SIESTAFree, GPLFortran 2003YesYesYesYes, NetCDFYes, NetCDF
SpartanCommercialFortran, C, C++UnknownUnknownNoUnknownUnknown
TeraChemCommercialC, CUDAUnknownUnknownYes, CUDAUnknownUnknown
TURBOMOLECommercialFortran, C, C++YesYesYesUnknownUnknown
VASPAcademic (AT), CommercialFortranYesYesYesYes, HDF5Unknown
WIEN2kCommercialFortran 90, CYesYesNoNoNo
YamboFree, GPLFortranYesYesYes, CUDAYes, HDF5, NetCDFYes, HDF5
PackageLicense†LanguageMPIOpenMPGPUI/O librariesParallel I/O

Quantum chemistry and solid-state physics characteristics

PackageBasisPeriodic‡MDSemi-emp.HFTDHFPost-HFMPMRCICCDFTTDDFTGWA
ABINITPW3dYesNoNoUnknownNoNoNoNoYesYesYes Slater-type_orbital
ACESGTONoNoNoYesUnknownYesUnknownNoup to QYesUnknownUnknown
AMS: ADF, BAND, DFTBSTO, NAOAnyYesYesYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYes
AMPACUnknownUnknownNoYesNoUnknownNoUnknownNoNoNoUnknownUnknown
Atomistix ToolKit (QuantumATK)NAO, EHT, PWAnyYesYesNoUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownYes
BigDFTWaveletanyYesNoYesUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesYesNo
CADPACGTONoNoNoYesUnknownYesUnknownNoup to DYesUnknownUnknown
CASINO (QMC)GTO, PW, Spline, Grid, STOanyNoNoNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoNo
CASTEPPW3dYesNoYesUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesYesUnknown
COLUMBUSGTONoNoNoYesNoYesNoYesNoNoNoNo
CONQUESTNAO, Spline3dYesNoYes5UnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
CP2KHybridGTO, PWanyYesYesYesUnknownYesYesNoNoYesYesYes
CPMDPW3dYesNoYesUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
CRYSTALGTOanyYesNoYesUnknownYes10YesNoYesYesNoNo
DaltonGTONoNoNoYesUnknownYesYesYesup to (T)YesUnknownUnknown
DFTKPWanyNoNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNo
DIRACGTONoNoNoYesUnknownYesYesYesup to (T)YesYesNo
DMol3NAOanyNoNoNoUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesYesUnknown
eTGTONoNoNoYesYesYesNoNoup to (T)NoNoNo
FHI-aimsNAOanyYesNoYesUnknownYesYesNoNoYesUnknownYes
Firefly (formerly PC GAMESS)GTONoYesYesYesUnknownYesUnknownYesNoYesUnknownUnknown
FLEURFP-(L)APW+lo2d, 3dNoNoYesNoYesNoNoNoYesNoYes
FreeON (formerly MondoSCF)GTOanyYesNoYesUnknownYesUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
GAMESS (UK)GTONoNoYesYesUnknownYesYesYesup to (T)YesNoNo
GAMESS (US)GTONoYes2YesYesUnknownYesYesYesup to (T)YesUnknownUnknown
GaussianGTOanyYesYesYesUnknownYesYesNoup to (T)YesYesNo
JaguarGTONoYesNo11YesUnknownYesUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
MADNESSWaveletNoNoNoYesUnknownYesUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
MOLCASGTONoYesYesYesNoYesYesYesup to (T)YesNoNo
MOLPROGTONoNoNoYesUnknownYesUnknownYesup to (T)YesUnknownUnknown
MOPACMinimal GTOanyNoYesNoUnknownNoUnknownNoNoNoUnknownUnknown
MPQCGTONoNoNoYesUnknownYesYesNoup to (Q)YesUnknownUnknown
MRCCGTONoNoYesYesYesYesYesYesarbitrary orderYesYesNo
NESSIEFinite ElementYesNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYesYesYes
NWChemGTO, PWYes (PW), No (GTO)YesNoYesYesYesYesNoup to (Q)YesYesUnknown
OctopusGridanyYesNoYesUnknownNoNoNoNoYesYesYes
ONETEPPW3dYesNoYesUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
OpenAtomPW3dYesNoNoUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
OpenMXNAOanyYesNoNoUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
ORCAGTONoYesYesYesYesYesYesYesup to (T)YesYesNo
PARSECGridanyYesNoYesUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
PQSUnknownUnknownYesYesYesUnknownYesUnknownNoup to (T)YesUnknownUnknown
PSIGTONoNoNoYesYesYesYesYesup to (T)YesYesUnknown
PyQuanteGTONoNoYesYesUnknownYesUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
PySCFGTOYesNoNoYesYesYesYesNoup to (T)YesYesUnknown
QboxPW3dYesNoYesUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
Q-ChemGTONoYesYesYesUnknownYesYesNoup to (T)YesYesNo
Quantum ESPRESSOPW3dYesNoYesUnknownNoNoNoNoYesYesYes
RESCUGrid, NAO, PWAnyNoNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYesNoNo
RMGGridanyYesNoNoUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
ScigressGTOYesYesYesNoUnknownNoUnknownNoNoYesUnknownUnknown
SIESTANAO3d12YesNoNoNoNoNoNoNoYesYesNo21
SpartanGTONoYesYesYesUnknownYesUnknownNoup to (T)YesUnknownUnknown
TURBOMOLEGTOYesYesYesYesYesYesYesNoup to (T)YesYesYes
VASPPW3dYesNoYesYesYesYesNoNoYesYesYes
WIEN2kFP-(L)APW+lo3dYesNoYesNoNoNoNoNoYesNoYes
YamboPW3dNoNoYesYesYesUnknownNoNoNoNoYes
PackageBasisPeriodic‡MDSemi-emp.HFTDHFPost-HFMPMRCICCDFTTDDFTGWA

Post processing packages in quantum chemistry and solid-state physics

PackageLicense†LanguageInputOutput
ezSpectraFreeC++Interfaces with Q-Chem and other packagesFranck-Condon factors, photoionization cross-sections, photoelectron angular distributions, magnetic properties
LibwfaFreeC++Interfaces with Q-Chem and MOLCASNatural orbitals, natural transition orbitals, exciton descriptor, density difference, and others

See also

Footnotes

† "Academic": academic (no cost) license possible upon request; "Commercial": commercially distributed.

‡ Support for periodic systems (3d-crystals, 2d-slabs, 1d-rods and isolated molecules): 3d-periodic codes always allow simulating systems with lower dimensionality within a supercell. Specified here is the ability for simulating within lower periodicity.

2 QuanPol is a full spectrum (HF, MCSCF, GVB, MP2, DFT, TDDFT, CHARMM, AMBER, OPLSAA) QM/MM package integrated in GAMESS-US.

10 Through 2019-12-26 at the Wayback Machine program.

Further reading

  • Young, David (2001). Computational Chemistry: A Practical Guide for Applying Techniques to Real World Problems. New York: John Wiley & Sons. pp. 322–359. ISBN 978-0-471-33368-5.
  • . NVIDIA.
  • . GitHub.