+++
date = "2018-02-27T11:00:13+01:00"
title = "Introduction"
author = "Lars Bilke"
weight = 1

aliases = [ "/docs/userguide/",
            "/docs/quickstart/",
            "/docs/quickstart/basics/quickstart" ] # Redirect for Hydrology III tutorial

[menu]
  [menu.userguide]
    parent = "basics"
+++

## Download

Download the latest release of OpenGeoSys from the [Releases](/releases)-page. Be sure to pick the correct file for your operating system.

## Installation

OGS itself is a simple executable file so you can put it anywhere you like. For convenience you may put into a location which is in your `PATH`-environment variable which allows you to start the executable without specifying its full file path.

## Download benchmarks

Download the latest benchmark files from [GitHub as a .zip-package](https://github.com/ufz/ogs-data/archive/master.zip). Unzip it. See [the Benchmarks section](/docs/benchmarks/) for more information.

## Running

OGS is a command line application and requires the path to a [`.prj`-file](https://doxygen.opengeosys.org/ogs_file_param__ProjectFile.html) as an argument.

::: {.win}
To run it open a new command line shell (called *cmd.exe*). Now simply type `ogs` (if the executable is in your `PATH`-environment variable) or specify its full path (e.g.: `C:\Users\MyUserName\Downloads\ogs.exe`) and hit `ENTER`.

OGS prints out its usage instructions:

```
PARSE ERROR:
             Required argument missing: project-file

Brief USAGE:
   ogs  [--] [--version] [-h] <PROJECT FILE>

For complete USAGE and HELP type:
   ogs --help
```

You can see that there is the project-file missing.

Then simply supply the path to a project file as an argument to the OGS executable:

```
$ ogs .\Path\to\BenchmarkName.prj
```
:::

::: {.linux}
To run it open a new command line shell (*Terminal*). Now simply type `ogs` (if the executable is in your `PATH`-environment variable) or specify its full path (e.g.: `./path/to/ogs`) and hit `ENTER`.

OGS prints out its usage instructions:

```
PARSE ERROR:
             Required argument missing: project-file

Brief USAGE:
   ogs  [--] [--version] [-h] <PROJECT FILE>

For complete USAGE and HELP type:
   ogs --help
```

You can see that there is the project-file missing.

Then simply supply the path to a project file as an argument to the OGS executable:

```
$ ogs ./path/to/BenchmarkName.prj
```
:::

::: {.mac}
See Linux tab!
:::