Our software and systems team, led by Jeremy Espino, MD, MS, is using an Agile development process and the Scrum software development framework to develop “hardened and tested” software.

Early release versions of the software available for download or use include:

  • Causal-cmd – a Java library and command line implementation of algorithms for performing causal discovery on big data. Use this software if you are interested incorporating analysis via a shell script or in a Java-based program. The software currently includes Fast Greedy Search (FGS) for continuous variables, ­an optimized version of Greedy Equivalence Search (GES) tested with datasets that contain as many as 1 million continuous variables.
  • Causal-web – our user-friendly, web-based graphical interface for performing causal discovery analysis on big data using large memory servers at the Pittsburgh Supercomputing Center.  Use this software if you want to quickly try out a causal discovery algorithm or if you have big data that cannot be analyzed on your local hardware. The software currently includes Fast Greedy Search (FGS) for continuous variables.
  • Py-causal – a python module that wraps the Causal-API library. The software currently includes Fast Greedy Search (FGS) for continuous variables.
  • R-causal – an R module that wraps the Causal-API library. The software currently includes Fast Greedy Search (FGS) for continuous variables.

Documentation on our algorithms can be found here.

Please report any bugs that you might encounter via our bug tracker form.

Please also sign up for our CCD User Group listserv to receive updates on software releases, training events, hackathons, and datathons.

If you use our software in your research, please acknowledge the Center for Causal Discovery, supported by grant U54HG008540, in any papers, presentations, or other dissemination of your work.

All software is open-source and released under a dual licensing model. For non-profit institutions, the software is available under the GNU General Public License (GPL) v2 license. For-profit organizations that wish to commercialize enhanced or customized versions of the software will be able to purchase a commercial license on a case-by-case basis. The GPL license permits individuals to modify the source code and to share modifications with other colleagues/investigators. Specifically, it permits the dissemination and commercialization of enhanced or customized versions as well as incorporation of the software or its pieces into other license-compatible software packages, as long as modifications or enhancements are made open source.

The above software are early release versions. By using software provided by the Center for Causal Discovery, you agree that no warranties of any kind are made by Carnegie Mellon University or the University of Pittsburgh with respect to the data provided by the software or any use thereof, and the universities hereby disclaim the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, and non-infringement. The universities shall not be liable for any claims, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the data provided by the software or any use thereof.