# FASTA

> DNA and protein sequence alignment software package

**Wikidata**: [Q1111641](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1111641)  
**Wikipedia**: [English](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FASTA)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/fasta

## Summary
FASTA is a DNA and protein sequence alignment software package used in bioinformatics. It is distributed as free software under the Apache Software License 2.0 and is developed by William R. Pearson and David J. Lipman.

## Key Facts
- FASTA is a DNA and protein sequence alignment software package (Wikidata description: "DNA and protein sequence alignment software package").
- FASTA is used in bioinformatics.
- FASTA is instance_of free software; free software is software distributed under terms that allow users to freely run, study, change and distribute it and modified versions.
- License: Apache Software License 2.0 (an ASF-approved software license; approved by the Apache Software Foundation in 2004).
- Developers: William R. Pearson and David J. Lipman.
- David J. Lipman is an American biologist.
- Stable version listed: 36.3.8g (stable version; date qualifier 2018-10-01; reference: faculty.virginia.edu changes_v36.html).
- Other recorded releases: 36.3.8 (publication date 2015-07-28) and 36.3.8d (publication date 2016-04-13).
- Source code repository URL: https://github.com/wrpearson/fasta36.
- Operating systems: Unix-like operating systems; specifically listed: Linux, Microsoft Windows, macOS.
- Linux inception date (provided as context for platform): 1991-09-17.
- Microsoft Windows inception date (provided as context for platform): 1985-11-20.
- macOS inception date (provided as context for platform): 2001-03-24.
- Packaging / distribution entries:
  - AUR package name: fasta.
  - FreeBSD ports: biology/fasta3 and biology/fasta.
  - Gentoo package: sci-biology/fasta.
  - Debian stable package: fasta3.
  - Repology project name: fasta.
- Identifiers:
  - BabelNet ID: 00128323n.
  - Freebase ID: /m/03yxj1.
- Additional metadata:
  - sitelink_count: 14.
  - wikipedia_title: FASTA.
  - copyright_status: copyrighted.
  - wikipedia_languages: ar, az, bs, ca, cs, de, en, es, fa, fr, id, ja, pt, vi.
  - aur_package: fasta (repeated in packaging).
  - freebsd_port entries repeated: biology/fasta3, biology/fasta.
- Structured property "use" references bioinformatics (reference : ).
- repology project name: fasta.
- Source code repository qualifiers indicate GitHub hosting (qualifiers present in structured properties).

## FAQs
Q: What does FASTA do?
A: FASTA performs DNA and protein sequence alignment as a software package used in the field of bioinformatics.

Q: Who developed FASTA?
A: FASTA was developed by William R. Pearson and David J. Lipman; David J. Lipman is noted as an American biologist.

Q: Under what license is FASTA distributed?
A: FASTA is distributed under the Apache Software License 2.0, a license approved by the Apache Software Foundation in 2004.

Q: On which operating systems can FASTA run?
A: FASTA runs on Unix-like operating systems and specifically supports Linux, Microsoft Windows, and macOS.

Q: Where is FASTA's source code hosted and how can I access it?
A: The source code repository is hosted at https://github.com/wrpearson/fasta36.

Q: What are the notable released versions of FASTA?
A: Notable releases include 36.3.8 (published 2015-07-28), 36.3.8d (published 2016-04-13), and a stable noted release 36.3.8g (stable version dated 2018-10-01).

Q: How is FASTA packaged for Linux distributions?
A: FASTA appears in multiple packaging systems: AUR package name "fasta", Gentoo as sci-biology/fasta, Debian stable package "fasta3", and FreeBSD ports "biology/fasta3" and "biology/fasta".

Q: How widely documented is FASTA on Wikipedia?
A: FASTA has a Wikipedia entry titled "FASTA" and articles in at least 14 language editions (ar, az, bs, ca, cs, de, en, es, fa, fr, id, ja, pt, vi).

## Why It Matters
FASTA matters because it provides a concrete implementation for aligning DNA and protein sequences, a core task in bioinformatics. As a free software package, distributed under the permissive Apache Software License 2.0, it allows researchers and developers to run, inspect, modify, and redistribute the tools for sequence alignment. Its cross-platform availability (Unix-like systems, Linux, Windows, macOS) and presence in multiple distribution packaging systems make it accessible for a wide range of computational environments. The development and maintenance by recognized researchers (William R. Pearson and David J. Lipman) and the availability of source code on GitHub support reproducibility and community-driven improvements. Multiple recorded releases and a designated stable version demonstrate ongoing maintenance and versioned distribution.

## Notable For
- Being a focused software package for DNA and protein sequence alignment in bioinformatics.
- Distributed as free software under the Apache Software License 2.0, allowing broad reuse and modification.
- Developed by William R. Pearson and David J. Lipman, with Lipman noted as an American biologist.
- Cross-platform support for Unix-like systems, Linux, Microsoft Windows, and macOS.
- Multiple released versions with explicit dated releases: 36.3.8 (2015-07-28), 36.3.8d (2016-04-13), and a stable 36.3.8g (2018-10-01).
- Public source code repository hosted at GitHub: https://github.com/wrpearson/fasta36.
- Packaged across ecosystem repositories: AUR (fasta), Gentoo (sci-biology/fasta), Debian (fasta3), FreeBSD ports (biology/fasta3, biology/fasta).
- Presence in many language editions of Wikipedia (14 languages) and multiple external identifiers (BabelNet, Freebase).

## Body

### History and Development
- FASTA was developed by William R. Pearson and David J. Lipman.
- David J. Lipman is identified as an American biologist.
- Development and release history includes multiple numbered releases recorded in project changelogs and release repositories.

### Versions and Release Dates
- Release 36.3.8: publication date 2015-07-28 (reference to GitHub release tag v36.3.8).
- Release 36.3.8d: publication date 2016-04-13; marked as preferred in structured properties.
- Stable version 36.3.8g: stable version qualifier dated 2018-10-01; also listed in structured properties as preferred in one entry.
- Release metadata is recorded in changelogs and GitHub releases pages referenced by the repository.

### License and Copyright
- License: Apache Software License 2.0.
- The Apache Software License 2.0 is noted as a software license approved by the Apache Software Foundation in 2004.
- FASTA is categorized with copyright_status listed as "copyrighted" while being distributed under the Apache 2.0 license.

### Purpose and Use
- FASTA's stated use is in bioinformatics for DNA and protein sequence alignment.
- Bioinformatics is the interdisciplinary science combining biology, computer science, and statistics to analyze and understand biological data.
- FASTA's instance_of classification is free software, aligning with the free software definition that permits running, studying, changing, and distributing the software and modified versions.

### Platforms and System Requirements
- FASTA runs on Unix-like operating systems; specific platforms mentioned are Linux, Microsoft Windows, and macOS.
- Contextual platform inceptions provided: Linux (1991-09-17), Microsoft Windows (1985-11-20), macOS (2001-03-24).

### Source Code, Repository, and Identifiers
- Official source code repository URL: https://github.com/wrpearson/fasta36.
- Repository metadata in structured properties includes qualifiers indicating GitHub hosting.
- External identifiers associated with FASTA:
  - BabelNet ID: 00128323n.
  - Freebase ID: /m/03yxj1.

### Packaging, Distribution, and Ecosystem
- AUR package name: fasta.
- Gentoo package: sci-biology/fasta.
- Debian stable package: fasta3.
- FreeBSD ports: biology/fasta3 and biology/fasta.
- Repology project name: fasta.
- These packaging entries indicate availability across multiple operating system distributions and packaging ecosystems.

### Classification and Related Concepts
- FASTA is classified under free software (software that allows users to run, study, change, and redistribute it and modified versions).
- It is used in bioinformatics, the interdisciplinary field combining biology, computer science, and statistics.
- License classification is Apache Software License 2.0; the license itself is an ASF-approved license (2004).

### Metadata and Public Presence
- Wikipedia title: FASTA.
- The project has Wikipedia articles in at least 14 languages: Arabic (ar), Azerbaijani (az), Bosnian (bs), Catalan (ca), Czech (cs), German (de), English (en), Spanish (es), Persian (fa), French (fr), Indonesian (id), Japanese (ja), Portuguese (pt), Vietnamese (vi).
- sitelink_count for the entity is listed as 14.
- Additional sitelink_count context provided for related classes: free software (120) and bioinformatics (87), indicating broad topical coverage in related Wikidata entries.

### Community and Maintenance
- Project releases are recorded and referenced via changelogs and GitHub releases.
- The presence of packages in multiple OS repositories and ports indicates packaging and distribution efforts across various communities (AUR, Gentoo, Debian, FreeBSD).

### References and Source Notes
- Version and release information references include changelog and GitHub release pages (for example, faculty.virginia.edu changelog for changes_v36.html and GitHub release tags).
- Structured properties include references and qualifiers tied to the repository and release metadata.

(End of entry)

## References

1. [Source](http://faculty.virginia.edu/wrpearson/fasta/changes_v36.html)
2. [Release 36.3.8. 2015](https://github.com/wrpearson/fasta36/releases/tag/v36.3.8)
3. [Release 36.3.8d. 2016](https://github.com/wrpearson/fasta36/releases/tag/v36.3.8d)
4. Freebase Data Dumps. 2013
5. BabelNet