OpenCFD currently distribute OpenFOAM for Linux operating systems in the
following ways. The latest release is version 2.2.0, please see Version 2.2.0 Release
Announcement for more information.
Ubuntu Deb Pack
Version 2.2.0, released 06/03/13, updated periodically
The Ubuntu Deb pack is a good option for a user that wants to install
OpenFOAM on a personal computer on which they have Ubuntu Linux running
either as the native operating system or within a virtual machine. The pack
contains both source code and binaries and includes a list of dependent
system software which can be installed automatically to reduce the system
administration overhead. It is therefore the simplest installation option,
making it the ideal choice for those people with no experience of Linux.
The pack is updated periodically to incorporate new features and bug
fixes.
Version 2.2.0, released 06/03/13, updated periodically
OpenFOAM is also released as a source/binary pack for SuSE Linux. It is a little
more difficult to install than the Ubuntu pack (above) because not all the
dependent software are available as standard SuSE packages, so some additional
administration effort is required.
This source pack distribution allows compilation a wide range of Linux
distributions and versions used by OpenFOAM users running on personal
computers, clusters, high-performance machines, etc. This installation requires
some knowledge of Linux system administration, particularly to ensure that
dependent software, e.g. compilers and libraries, are installed correctly. The
source pack comes with a pack of third-party software that is used by
OpenFOAM.
Those users compiling from source can receive regular updates to OpenFOAM by
downloading the Git repository distribution of OpenFOAM. Known as 2.2.x, this
version is managed and updated daily by the OpenFOAM Foundation and
can be conveniently “pulled” using the Git distributed revision control
system.