# Brightway LCA Software Framework

## What is Brightway?
Brightway is an open-source software package for [life cycle assessment](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Life-cycle_assessment) (LCA) written in Python. LCA is a method for evaluating the environmental impacts of a good or service. It involves analyzing all of the inputs and outputs of a the product's supply chain, including raw materials, energy use, and waste products, and quantifying the environmental impacts of these inputs and outputs over its life cycle.

Brightway is designed to make it easy to work with large datasets and perform LCA calculations quickly and accurately. It focuses on flexibility and performance, and offers many possibilities to break the limits of conventional LCA. Brightway has a strong user community in academia, and is increasingly gaining power users from industry and consulting.

## How can I learn Brightway?

::::{grid} 1 1 3 3
:gutter: 3

:::{grid-item-card} 📚 Read the Docs!

Brightway has extensive documentation. This includes the theory of life-cycle assessment the the Brightway software framework.
+++
You are here!
:::

:::{grid-item-card} 👨‍🏫 Learn it!
:link: https://learn.brightway.dev/
:link-type: url

Brightway has step-by-step tutorials for beginners and experts alike. Learn how to use Brightway to do life-cycle assessment.
+++
Learn more {fas}`arrow-right`
:::

:::{grid-item-card} 💻 Try it!
:link: https://docs.brightway.dev/projects/live
:link-type: url

Brightway has a live demo in a JupyterLite development environment where you can try out Brightway without installing anything.
+++
Learn more {fas}`arrow-right`
:::

::::

## What's New?

__October 2024__: New AI-powered [Algolia/DocSearch](https://docsearch.algolia.com) search engine. Thank you, @[michaelweinold](https://github.com/michaelweinold)! \
__September 2024__: Updated [Cheat Sheet](./content/cheatsheet/index.md) with all common Brightway commands. Thank you, @[cmutel](https://github.com/cmutel)! \
__May 2024__: Initial [Cheat Sheet](./content/cheatsheet/index.md) with some common Brightway commands. Thank you, @[KarinTreyer](https://github.com/KarinTreyer) and @[michaelweinold](https://github.com/michaelweinold)! \
__April 2024__: New [Glossay](./content/overview/glossary.md) page explaining the most important Brightway terms. Thank you, @[marc-vdm](https://github.com/marc-vdm)!

```{toctree}
---
hidden:
maxdepth: 1
---
content/installation/index
content/cheatsheet/index
content/overview/index
content/examples/index
content/faq/index
content/api/index
content/contact/contact

content/contributing/index
content/other/framework
content/other/support
content/other/credits
content/changelog/index
```