4 title: Welcome to Arvados!
7 _If you are new to Arvados, please try the Quickstart on <a href="http://doc.arvados.org">the documentation homepage</a> instead of this detailed User Guide._
9 This guide provides a reference for using Arvados to solve big data bioinformatics problems, including:
11 * Robust storage of very large files, such as whole genome sequences, using the "Arvados Keep":{{site.baseurl}}/user/tutorials/tutorial-keep.html content-addressable cluster file system.
12 * Running compute-intensive genomic analysis pipelines, such as alignment and variant calls using the "Arvados Crunch":{{site.baseurl}}/user/tutorials/intro-crunch.html cluster compute engine.
13 * Storing and querying metadata about genome sequence files, such as human subjects and their phenotypic traits using the "Arvados Metadata Database.":{{site.baseurl}}/user/topics/tutorial-trait-search.html
14 * Accessing, organizing, and sharing data, pipelines and results using the "Arvados Workbench":{{site.baseurl}}/user/getting_started/workbench.html web application.
16 The examples in this guide use the Arvados instance located at <a href="{{site.arvados_workbench_host}}/" target="_blank">{{site.arvados_workbench_host}}</a>. If you are using a different Arvados instance replace @{{ site.arvados_workbench_host }}@ with your private instance in all of the examples in this guide.
18 Curoverse maintains a public Arvados instance located at <a href="https://workbench.qr1hi.arvadosapi.com/" target="_blank">https://workbench.qr1hi.arvadosapi.com/</a>. You must have an account in order to use this service. If you would like to request an account, please send an email to "arvados@curoverse.com":mailto:arvados@curoverse.com.
20 h2. Typographic conventions
22 This manual uses the following typographic conventions:
26 <li>Code blocks which are set aside from the text indicate user input to the system. Commands that should be entered into a Unix shell are indicated by the directory where you should enter the command ('~' indicates your home directory) followed by '$', followed by the highlighted <span class="userinput">command to enter</span> (do not enter the '$'), and possibly followed by example command output in black. For example, the following block indicates that you should type <code>ls foo.*</code> while in your home directory and the expected output will be "foo.input" and "foo.output".
27 <pre><code>~$ <span class="userinput">ls foo.*</span>
32 <li>Code blocks inline with text emphasize specific <code>programs</code>, <code>files</code>, or <code>options</code> that are being discussed.</li>
33 <li>Bold text emphasizes <b>specific items</b> to review on Arvados Workbench pages.</li>
34 <li>A sequence of steps separated by right arrows (<span class="rarr">→</span>) indicate a path the user should follow through the Arvados Workbench. The steps indicate a menu, hyperlink, column name, field name, or other label on the page that guide the user where to look or click.