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CANFAR Science Platform

CANFAR provides authenticated compute and storage for astronomical research. Launch a Session from a Container Image, work with mounted project storage or configured VOSpace Services, and preserve results outside temporary compute.

Choose a starting point

  • Get started: account, first Session, and first workflow.
  • Agent Skill: install the official skill and use CANFAR with your coding agent.
  • Platform concepts: Authentication, Server Selection, Sessions, Container Images, and Storage Identifiers.
  • Sessions: Notebook, Desktop, CARTA, Firefly, contributed, and headless workflows.
  • Storage: /arc, /scratch, VOSpace, fsspec, and data transfers.
  • Containers: choose or build a software environment.
  • Permissions: accounts, groups, and access control.
  • Support: troubleshooting and contact options.

Typical workflow

flowchart LR
    Account[Account and group access] --> Login[Authenticate]
    Login --> Session[Launch a Session]
    Session --> Data[Read mounted or remote data]
    Data --> Work[Run analysis]
    Work --> Result[Save result to persistent storage]

Use the Python client or CLI when the workflow should be repeatable from a script. Use the Demos for a guided command-line exercise.

Community and publication

The Community pages collect domain workflows such as ALMA. The DOI guide describes the Data Publication Service. If you use CANFAR in a publication, follow the acknowledgement wording.

Deployment and operator material lives in OpenCADC Deployments.