# Applications `simtools` are applications that execute a well defined task. The naming convention for simtools is `simtools-`, where `` is the name of the application in lower-case snake_case format. ## Configuration Applications in simtools are configured by the following four equivalent approaches: 1. command-line arguments 2. configuration files (in YAML format) 3. configuration dictionary when calling the {ref}`Configurator ` class 4. environment variables To illustrate this, the example below sets the path pointing towards the directory for all data products. Set the output directory using a command-line argument: ```console --output_path ``` Set the output directory using a configuration file in YAML format: ```yaml config_file: ``` Load the YAML configuration file into the application with: ```console --config ``` Configuration parameter read from a environmental variable: ```console EXPORT SIMTOOLS_OUTPUT_PATH="" ``` Configuration methods can be combined; conflicting configuration settings raise an Exception. Configuration parameters are generally expected in lower-case snake-make case. Configuration parameters for each application are printed to screen when executing the application with the `--help` option. Parameters with the same functionality are named consistently the same among all applications. ## List of applications ```{toctree} :glob: true :maxdepth: 1 simtools-calculate-trigger-rate simtools-convert-all-model-parameters-from-simtel simtools-convert-geo-coordinates-of-array-elements simtools-convert-model-parameter-from-simtel simtools-db-add-file-to-db simtools-db-add-simulation-model-from-repository-to-db simtools-db-add-value-from-json-to-db simtools-db-get-array-layouts-from-db simtools-db-get-file-from-db simtools-db-get-parameter-from-db simtools-db-inspect-databases simtools-derive-ctao-array-layouts simtools-derive-mirror-rnda simtools-derive-photon-electron-spectrum simtools-derive-psf-parameters simtools-docs-produce-array-element-report simtools-docs-produce-calibration-reports simtools-docs-produce-model-parameter-reports simtools-docs-produce-simulation-configuration-report simtools-generate-array-config simtools-generate-corsika-histograms simtools-generate-simtel-event-data simtools-generate-default-metadata simtools-generate-regular-arrays simtools-generate-sim-telarray-histograms simtools-merge-tables simtools-plot-array-layout simtools-plot-tabular-data simtools-plot-tabular-data-for-model-parameter simtools-production-derive-corsika-limits simtools-production-generate-grid simtools-production-derive-statistics simtools-print-version simtools-run-application simtools-simulate-light-emission simtools-simulate-prod simtools-simulate-prod-htcondor-generator simtools-submit-array-layouts simtools-submit-data-from-external simtools-submit-model-parameter-from-external simtools-validate-camera-efficiency simtools-validate-camera-fov simtools-validate-cumulative-psf simtools-validate-file-using-schema simtools-validate-optics simtools-verify-simulation-model-production-tables