GAP ( Groups, Algorithms and Programming) is a computer algebra system for computational discrete algebra similar to Mathematica with particular emphasis on, but not restricted to, computational group theory. GAP was developed at Lehrstuhl D für Mathematik (LDFM), RWTH Aachen, Germany from 1986 to 1997. After the retirement of J. Neubüser from the chair of LDFM, the development and maintenance of GAP is coordinated by the School of Mathematical and Computational Sciences at the University of St. Andrews, Scotland.

GAP and its sources, including packages (sets of user contributed programs), data library (including a list of small groups) and the manual, are distributed freely, subject to " copyleft" conditions. GAP runs on any Unix system, under Windows, and on Macintosh systems. It requires a minimum of 32 MB disk space; the full distribution takes about 300 MB. To run GAP one needs a minimum of 20 MB of main memory - for most purposes 128 MB are sufficient.

There were (July 1999) two versions in distribution:

• Version 4.3 (GAP 4r3), incorporated several new features.
• Version 3.4, patchlevel 4, (GAP 3.4.4) released April 1997.

In April 2004, GAP 4r4 was released.

An interface is available for using the SINGULAR computer algebra systemSINGULAR is a computer algebra system for polynomial computations with special emphasis on the needs of commutative algebra, algebraic geometry, and singularity theory. Mainly from Singular home site: SINGULAR is a Computer Algebra system for polynomial c from within GAP.

External links

• GAP official site: Details about the system, the software itself and instructions how to obtain and to install it.
• The interface from GAP to Singular