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<div><h1>using packages</h1>
<div>A package is a body of Macaulay2 source code devoted to a particular topic. Many packages are distributed with Macaulay2, and others are available from various users on the internet.<p/>
For more detailed information about packages, see <a href="___Package.html" title="the class of all packages">Package</a>.<p/>
To load a package, say FirstPackage, use <a href="_load__Package.html" title="load a package">loadPackage</a> or <a href="_needs__Package.html" title="load a package if not already loaded">needsPackage</a>, as in:<pre> loadPackage "FirstPackage"</pre>
or<pre> needsPackage "FirstPackage"</pre>
Macaulay2 searches for the file FirstPackage.m2 on your search <a href="_path.html" title="list of directories to look in">path</a>. The packages provided with Macaulay2 are on your search path, as is your current working directory.<p/>
Documentation for the packages provided with Macaulay2 is already installed. TO install documentation for another package, use <a href="_install__Package.html" title="load and install a package and its documentation ">installPackage</a>.<pre> installPackage FirstPackage</pre>
You may see what packages have been loaded with the variable <a href="_loaded__Packages.html" title="the list of loaded packages">loadedPackages</a>.<pre> loadedPackages</pre>
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<div class="single"><h2>See also</h2>
<ul><li><span><a href="_packages_spprovided_spwith_sp__Macaulay2.html" title="">packages provided with Macaulay2</a></span></li>
<li><span><a href="_creating_spa_sppackage.html" title="">creating a package</a></span></li>
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