Golly 1.3

Golly is an open-source, cross-platform application designed for the simulation and exploration of Conway's Game of Life, along with a wide range of other cellular automata. Its versatile features cater to both casual users and researchers seeking advanced functionalities.

Notable features include support for both bounded and unbounded universes, with cells capable of possessing up to 256 states. The software accommodates multiple algorithms, notably incorporating Bill Gosper's highly optimized Hashlife algorithm for efficient computation of large or complex patterns.

Golly offers a broad selection of cellular automata types, such as John von Neumann's 29-state CA, Wolfram's one-dimensional rules, WireWorld, Generations, Langton's Loops, and Larger than Life variants. It supports various file formats including RLE, macrocell, Life 1.05/1.06, DBlife, and MCell, facilitating import and export operations.

The application enables users to extract patterns and rules from archived zip files and provides access to online repositories for downloading additional patterns and rule sets. Its extensive pattern collection is maintained with the ability to undo and redo an unlimited number of actions, supporting iterative experimentation.

An integrated help system includes a comprehensive Life Lexicon to assist users in understanding terminology and concepts related to cellular automata. Overall, Golly serves as a robust tool for both analysis and creative exploration within the cellular automata community.