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title: "Getting Started"
sidebar_label: "Getting Started"
sidebar_position: 1
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# MNE-CPP

[![DOI](https://zenodo.org/badge/DOI/10.5281/zenodo.593102.svg)](https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.593102)

MNE-CPP is an open-source, cross-platform C++ framework for real-time and offline processing of MEG, EEG, and related neurophysiological data. It is part of [The MNE Project](https://mne.tools/stable/index.html), a family of tools originating from Matti Hämäläinen's MNE-C software at the [Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging](https://martinos.org/).

**Related MNE projects:**

- [MNE-Python](https://mne.tools/stable/index.html) — Python reimplementation with extended visualization and analysis
- [MNE-MATLAB](https://mne.tools/stable/overview/matlab.html#mne-matlab) — MATLAB interface for MNE data structures
- [MNE-C](http://www.nmr.mgh.harvard.edu/martinos/userInfo/data/MNE_register/index.php) — the original C implementation ([Manual](https://mne.tools/mne-c-manual/MNE-manual-2.7.3.pdf))

## Applications

| | |
|---|---|
| ![MNE Scan](/img/icon_mne_scan_256x256.png) | [**MNE Scan**](manual/scan) — Real-time acquisition and processing of MEG/EEG data. Plugin-based architecture supporting MEGIN, BabyMEG, BrainAmp, eegosports, gUSBAmp, TMSI, Natus, LSL, and FieldTrip Buffer. In active clinical use at Boston Children's Hospital. |
| ![MNE Analyze](/img/icon_mne-analyze_256x256.png) | [**MNE Analyze**](manual/analyze) — Sensor- and source-level analysis GUI for pre-recorded data: raw browsing, filtering, averaging, co-registration, dipole fitting, and source localization. |
| ![MNE Browse](/img/icon_mne-browse_256x256.png) | [**MNE Browse**](manual/browse-raw) — Interactive viewer for raw MEG/EEG data in FIFF format with multi-channel navigation, scaling, filtering, and channel selection. |
| ![MNE Inspect](/img/icon_mne_inspect_256x256.png) | [**MNE Inspect**](manual/inspect) — Interactive 3D brain viewer for FreeSurfer surfaces, BEM models, source estimates, atlases, sensors, and functional connectivity networks. |
| | [**MNE Anonymize**](manual/anonymize) — Removes or modifies personal health information (PHI/PII) from FIFF files. GUI and command-line modes. |

In addition, MNE-CPP ships a set of [command-line tools](manual/tools-overview) for BEM model creation, forward/inverse computation, data conversion, and real-time streaming — all C++ ports of the original MNE-C utilities.

## Libraries

All applications are built on MNE-CPP's modular C++ libraries, which depend only on [Qt](https://www.qt.io/) and [Eigen](http://eigen.tuxfamily.org/). The libraries can be used independently to build custom neuroscience applications. See the [Library API documentation](development/api) for details.

**License:** BSD 3-Clause. **Versioning:** [Semantic Versioning](https://semver.org/).

## Getting Involved

MNE-CPP is a community-driven project. Contributions are welcome — see the [contributor guide](development/contribute) to get started, or browse the [GitHub repository](https://github.com/mne-tools/mne-cpp).

## Research Projects

MNE-CPP has been developed and extended through several funded research projects:

| Project | Duration | Funding | Description |
|---------|----------|---------|-------------|
| MNE-CE | 2017–2022 | NIH (1U01EB023820) | Device-independent, standardized software for real-time acquisition, control, and processing of electrophysiological data. |
| OCE | 2018–2021 | DFG / FWF (397686322) | Online neuronal connectivity estimation and neurofeedback with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS). Real-time MEG/EEG connectivity methods. |
| OSL | 2013–2015 | DFG (Ba 4858/1-1) | Online MEG source estimation using high-performance GPU computing. |
| AWS Credits | 2018–2019 | AWS | Cloud computing support for MNE-CPP via the AWS Credits for Research Program. |
| Azure Credits | 2016–2018 | Microsoft | Cloud computing support via the Microsoft Azure for Research program. |

### Funding Organizations

<div className="funding-logo-grid">
  <a href="https://www.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="National Institutes of Health">
    <img src="/img/funding_logos/nih.svg" alt="NIH" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.nibib.nih.gov/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="National Institute of Biomedical Imaging and Bioengineering">
    <img src="/img/funding_logos/nibib.svg" alt="NIBIB" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.dfg.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft">
    <img src="/img/funding_logos/dfg.png" alt="DFG" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.fwf.ac.at/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="FWF Der Wissenschaftsfonds">
    <img src="/img/funding_logos/fwf.svg" alt="FWF" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://aws.amazon.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Amazon Web Services">
    <img src="/img/funding_logos/aws.svg" alt="AWS" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://azure.microsoft.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Microsoft Azure">
    <img src="/img/funding_logos/azure.png" alt="Azure" />
  </a>
</div>

### Supporting Institutions

<div className="institution-logo-grid">
  <a href="https://martinos.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Martinos Center for Biomedical Imaging">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/martinos.svg" alt="Martinos Center" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.massgeneral.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Massachusetts General Hospital">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/MGH.svg" alt="MGH" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://hms.harvard.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Harvard Medical School">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/harvard.svg" alt="Harvard Medical School" />
  </a>
  <a href="http://www.childrenshospital.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Boston Children's Hospital">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/bch.svg" alt="Boston Children's Hospital" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.uth.edu/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="UTHealth Houston">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/uthealth.png" alt="UTHealth Houston" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.tu-ilmenau.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="TU Ilmenau">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/Ilmenau.svg" alt="TU Ilmenau" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.uniklinikum-jena.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Universitätsklinikum Jena">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/jena.png" alt="Universitätsklinikum Jena" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.uni-magdeburg.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Otto-von-Guericke-Universität Magdeburg">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/magdeburg.svg" alt="Universität Magdeburg" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.forschungscampus-stimulate.de/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Forschungscampus STIMULATE">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/stimulate_magdeburg.svg" alt="Forschungscampus STIMULATE" />
  </a>
  <a href="https://www.uibk.ac.at/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" title="Universität Innsbruck">
    <img src="/img/institution_logos/innsbruck.png" alt="Universität Innsbruck" />
  </a>
</div>

## Contact

For questions and feedback, reach out via the [MNE Forum](https://mne.discourse.group/) or [GitHub Issues](https://github.com/mne-tools/mne-cpp/issues). You can also contact the core team directly:

| Name | Affiliation | Email |
|---|---|---|
| Christoph Dinh | [Carl Zeiss AG](https://www.zeiss.com/) | christoph.dinh&#64;mne-cpp.org |
| Lorenz Esch | [Boston Children's Hospital](http://www.childrenshospital.org/) | lorenz.esch&#64;mne-cpp.org |
| Gabriel Motta | | gabrielbenmotta&#64;gmail.com |
| Juan Garcia-Prieto | [MGH](https://www.massgeneral.org/) | jgarciaprieto&#64;mgh.harvard.edu |
| Matti S. Hämäläinen | [Martinos Center / MGH](https://martinos.org/) | msh&#64;nmr.mgh.harvard.edu |
| Yoshio Okada | [Boston Children's Hospital](http://www.childrenshospital.org/) | yoshio.okada&#64;childrens.harvard.edu |
| John C. Mosher | [UTHealth Houston](https://www.uth.edu/) | John.C.Mosher&#64;uth.tmc.edu |
| Jens Haueisen | [TU Ilmenau](https://www.tu-ilmenau.de/) | jens.haueisen&#64;tu-ilmenau.de |
| Daniel Baumgarten | [Universität Innsbruck](https://www.uibk.ac.at/) | daniel.baumgarten&#64;uibk.ac.at |

For a full list of contributors see the [GitHub contributors page](https://github.com/mne-tools/mne-cpp/graphs/contributors).

## Legal Notice

MNE-CPP is a community-driven open-source project with no commercial interest. The source code is released under the [BSD 3-Clause License](https://github.com/mne-tools/mne-cpp/blob/main/LICENSE).
