SMILES (Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry System)

SMILES (Simplified Molecular Input Line Entry System) is a way to represent molecules using text, making it easier for computers to store, search, and analyze chemical structures. It encodes the arrangement of atoms and bonds in a compact, standardized string of characters, capturing the molecule’s connectivity and shape. This text-based format allows chemists and software to quickly communicate complex structures without detailed drawings, facilitating tasks like database searching, molecular modeling, and data sharing across electronic platforms. Essentially, SMILES converts three-dimensional chemical information into a simple, readable code suitable for digital applications.