Tutorials and Guides

Start here to develop your first simulation scripts with NEST

First steps

• Installation instructions

• PyNEST Tutorial: A step-by-step introduction to creating your first scripts with NEST

• A simple example: A breakdown of a PyNEST script using one neuron

• A video tutorial: Showcasing how to create a simple neural network.

Create, connect, simulate, and record

• Models in NEST: Discover the available models to choose from

• Connection Management: A guide to building connections in NEST

• Simulation behavior: A guide describing various factors in running simulations

• Record from simulations: How to collect data from neurons and synapses.

Pointers for writing your PyNEST script

• Manipulating nodes (neurons and devices): understand basic functionality of nodes

• Manipulating connections (synapses): understand basic fucntionality of connections

• Parametrization: explore how to use parameter objects in NEST

See also

Check out our numerous example PyNEST scripts

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Additional topics

More about neurons

• Simulations with precise spike times

• Integrating neural models using exact integration

More about synapses

• Simulations with gap junctions

• Weight normalization

More about devices

• Stimulate the network: An overview of various stimulation devices.

Networks

• Spatially-structured networks: A deep dive into building 2D and 3D networks

• The microcircuit model: A network model example based on Potjans and Diesman 2014.

• The multi-area model: A network model of the visual cortex of the macaque monkey.

High performance computers (HPC)

• Guide to parallel computing: How NEST handles thread parallel and distributed computing

• Optimize performance of HPC Systems: Guides to optimize NEST performance in large scale simulations

• Benchmarking NEST: How to use the beNNch framework.

NEST behavior

• Built-in timers: A guide to the various timers available in NEST.

• Randomness in NEST Simulations: A guide to how random number are used in network simulations.

NEST SONATA guide

• SONATA with NEST: Guide to using the SONATA format

Connect to other tools

• NEST Server: A guide showcasing how to interact with NEST via a RESTful API.

• MUSIC Tutorial: how to transmit data between applications with the MUSIC interface, step-by-step.

• Using NEST with MUSIC: Additional guide for building scripts with MUSIC

Get the latest changes

• Update 2.X scripts to 3.X

• See the latest changes