User Support

The best place to get help with using LAMMPS is the LAMMPS user forum on MatSci.org. Also general questions about development should be asked there. Only specific bugs or feature requests should be posted to the GitHub issues page directly. Otherwise, one of the forum members will advise when it is best to move your inquiry elsewhere. Please review the posting guidelines first, and take note what you should not to ask in the forum.

LAMMPS user forum (MatSci.org)

The LAMMPS user forum on the Materials Science Community Discourse (MatSci.org) is the main place for communication among LAMMPS users and developers. Also general announcements like planned workshops or LAMMPS releases are posted there. MatSci.org hosts forums for dozens of materials-science codes, so you can also connect with users of related tools.

If possible, use one of the available sub-categories:

You can read and search old threads without joining; to post, sign up and log in via the MatSci.org button.

Before you post

Please read the forum’s sticky post, Guidelines and suggestions for posting LAMMPS questions. A well-prepared question — the LAMMPS version (a date), a minimal input that reproduces the problem, and the exact error text — gets a useful answer much faster. The LAMMPS manual also covers most commands and many how-to topics.

⚠️ Please do not use GitHub for usage questions

The GitHub issue tracker is only for bug reports and feature requests. Questions about how to use LAMMPS, set up a simulation, or interpret results belong on the forum, where far more people can help.

Other places people find help

  • Physics Stack Exchange — some LAMMPS and general molecular-dynamics questions are discussed and answered there.
  • Native-language communities — there are LAMMPS discussion groups and forums in languages other than English (for example, in China). If you are more comfortable in your native language, such a community may be able to help.

Developer questions

For questions specific to developing with or for LAMMPS — the library interface, writing new styles, build internals — email developers@lammps.org. This is also the catch-all email address if you have an administrative question or a question or grievance that you do not want to or cannot communicate in public.

There is also an invitation-only developer Slack workspace for informal communication among LAMMPS contributors. To request access, email slack@lammps.org and explain what part of LAMMPS you are working on. The Slack is for development discussion — not for usage help; for that, please use the forum.