# Getting Started

## What is GeoCAT Applications?

```{include} README.md
:start-after: <!-- readme_start -->
:end-before: <!-- readme_end -->
```

## New to Python?
If you are new to Python or want to learn more, [Project Pythia](https://projectpythia.org/) offers high-quality,
geoscience-oriented Python tutorials

[Pythia Foundations](https://foundations.projectpythia.org) covers prerequisites that
will be helpful to learn for GeoCAT Applications like:

- Getting Started with Python
- Getting Started with Jupyter
- Working with NumPy and Pandas
- Plotting with Matplotlib

## New to Jupyter Notebooks?

[Jupyter Notebooks](https://docs.jupyter.org/en/latest/)
provide an interactive interface to write, execute, and visualize code. Traditionally, code is written in a script and
executed in order from beginning to end each time a script is run. Instead, Jupyter Notebooks allow you to divide code into cells that can be executed individually and in any order. Each cell in a Jupyter Notebook
can be filled with executable code, markdown, or raw code. Jupyter Notebooks have grown in popularity because they offer a simple
method to include plain English description alongside code to improve readability. In addition, because each cell
can be run in any order, it is possible to organize a notebook to avoid having to constantly re-run parts of a script that might
take longer to run than others, like like retrieving data. The outputs of each cell appear below the cell without the
need for typing `print` or `plt.show()`.

In addition to Pythia Foundations "[Getting Started with Jupyter](https://foundations.projectpythia.org/foundations/getting-started-jupyter)"
, you can see the [Project Jupyter Documentation](https://docs.jupyter.org/en/latest/#what-is-a-notebook) for more information.
or [try it out yourself](https://jupyter.org/try) online.

Each tutorial and resource page of GeoCAT Applications is built from Jupyter notebooks, however, on the GeoCAT Applications
webpage, each page is a static resource. For information about how to download GeoCAT application to run locally, please see
the [Contributor Guide](https://ncar.github.io/geocat-applications/CONTRIBUTING.html).

If you have any questions, please leave us a message on [GeoCAT Applications Issues](https://github.com/NCAR/geocat-applications/issues)
or in [GeoCAT Applications Discussions](https://github.com/NCAR/geocat-applications/discussions). You can also reach us by email at
[geocat@ucar.edu](mailto:geocat@ucar.edu).