Frequently Asked Questions

What is OpenSHMEM, and how is it different from SHMEM?

OpenSHMEM is a standard for SHMEM library implementations. Many SHMEM libraries exist but they do not conform to a particular standard and have similar but not identical APIs and behavior, which hinders portability.

Why should I use OpenSHMEM?

  • Follows the PGAS programming model hence it inherits all the advantages of having a global address space along with a private space for each processor
  • When implementations support RDMA, this allows direct access to remote data without involving the target
  • OpenSHEMM is a library, so no special compiler support or language extensions are required

Where can I learn more about OpenSHMEM?

More information about the OpenSHMEM project can be found under the Documentation Section.

Who is working on OpenSHMEM?

  • U.S. Department of Defense
  • Oak Ridge National Laboratory
  • University of Houston
  • U.S. Department of Energy

Where can I get OpenSHMEM?

Multiple implementations of OpenSHMEM for different environments are available under Source Releases.