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+====
+pytc
+====
+A python software package for analyzing Isothermal Titration Calorimetry data.
+The name is a `portmanteau <https://xkcd.com/739/>`_ of Python and ITC.  
+
+Introduction
+============
+`pytc <https://github.com/harmslab/pytc>`_ is python software used to extract
+thermodynamic information from isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC)
+experiments.  It fits arbitrarily complex thermodynamic models to multiple ITC
+experiments simultaneously.  We built it with three design principles:
+
+ + **Open source and cross platform**. The full source code should be available.
+   The program should not require proprietary software to run. 
+ + **Ease of use**. Fitting basic models should be easy.  Implementing completely
+   new thermodynamic models should be straightforward. 
+ + **Accessible for users and programmers**.  It should have both a GUI and a 
+   well-documented API. 
+
+Our implementation is built on `python3 <https://www.python.org/>`_ extended with  `numpy <http://www.numpy.org/>`_,
+`scipy <https://www.scipy.org/>`_, `matplotlib <http://matplotlib.org/>`_ and
+`emcee <http://dan.iel.fm/emcee/current/>`_.  The GUI is built on
+`pytq5 <http://pyqt.sourceforge.net/Docs/PyQt5/installation.html>`_.
+
+Features
+========
+
+ + Clean, pythonic API
+ + Simple, cross-platform GUI based on `PyQt5 <https://riverbankcomputing.com/software/pyqt/intro>`_.
+ + New models can be defined using a few lines of python code.
+ + Easy integration with `jupyter <https://jupyter.org/>`_ notebooks for 
+   writing custom fitting scripts.
+
+Documentation
+=============
+
+ + `Installation <installation.html>`_
+ + `Fitting models using the API <https://github.com/harmslab/pytc-demos/>`_.
+ + `Fitting models using the GUI <https://pytc-gui.readthedocs.io/en/latest/>`_.
+ + `Fitting and statistics <statistics.html>`_.
+ + `Description of individual experiment models included in package <indiv_models.html>`_.
+ + `Description of global fits included in package <global_models.html>`_.
+ + `Defining new models <writing_new_models.html>`_.
+
+.. warning::
+    **pytc** will fit all sorts of complicated models to your data. It is up to
+    you to make sure the fit is justified by the data.  See the 
+    `Fitting and statistics <statistics.html>`_ section to see what **pytc** 
+    reports to help in this decision making.
+
+API Quick Start
+===============
+
+If you already have a python3-based scientific computing environment installed, 
+you can start using the API by:
+
+.. sourcecode:: bash
+
+    # Install pytc
+    pip3 install pytc-fitter
+
+    # Clone the demos repo
+    git clone https://github.com/harmslab/pytc-demos
+
+    # Fire up jupyter 
+    cd pytc-demos
+    jupyter notebook
+
+
+Example code using the API
+==========================
+
+Fit a :math:`Ca^{2+}/EDTA` binding experiment to a single-site binding model.
+
+.. sourcecode:: python
+
+    import pytc
+
+    # Load in integrated heats from an ITC experiment
+    e = pytc.ITCExperiment("demos/ca-edta/tris-01.DH",
+                           pytc.indiv_models.SingleSite)
+
+    # Create the global fitter, add the experiment, and fit
+    g = pytc.GlobalFit()
+    g.add_experiment(e)
+    g.fit()
+
+    # Print the results out
+    g.plot()
+    print(g.fit_as_csv)
+
+GUI
+===
+
+The GUI is installed separately from the API. Instructions are 
+`here <https://pytc-gui.readthedocs.io/en/latest/installation.html>`_.  The GUI
+docs are `here <https://pytc-gui.readthedocs.io/en/latest/>`_.  A few 
+screenshots showing the GUI in action are below.
+
+.. image:: images/gui_01.png
+.. image:: images/gui_02.png
+
+
+.. toctree::
+   :maxdepth: 2
+   :caption: Contents:
+
+   _api/pytc.rst
+
+Indices and tables
+==================
+
+* :ref:`genindex`
+* :ref:`modindex`
+* :ref:`search`