Forward simulation of DNA sequences is a powerful tool for analyzing the impact of evolutionary forces on genetic variaiton. Forward simulation can generate sequence data under arbitrarily complex models that include nautral selection as well as demography. These models are difficult to handle analytically, and other simulation frameworks such as the coalescent cannot provide the same level of generality.
However, there remain some barriers to the adoption of population genetic simulators for many members of the genetics community. Simulation software tools can be daunting to master because of the vast number of input options and the density of the output data, and it is difficult to incorporate locus specific sequence annotations.
sfs_coder is a python based front end to the popular forward simulation software SFS_CODE. It allows python coders to easily execute and analyze simulations performed with SFS_CODE. It provides a number of useful cannonical models that are prepackaged and can be accessed and analyzed with just a few lines of code.
sfs_coder is currently under developement. A beta version is currently available (http://sourceforge.net/projects/sfscode/files/sfs_coder/). If you have any suggestions or would like to inquire about the development feel free to email Lawrence (lawrence.uricchio@ucsf.edu).
sfs_coder is free to use and distribute for personal or academic use. We hope that you will find it useful.