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This book was written and maintained as a living technical artifact.

Its content was developed over several academic years through continuous teaching, experimentation, and refinement in real supercomputing environments, primarily at the Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya (UPC) and the Barcelona Supercomputing Center (BSC). Many of the examples, tasks, and workflows presented here were executed, revised, and validated on successive generations of the MareNostrum supercomputers.

The manuscript was written in English and prepared using a modular workflow designed to support iterative revision, partial updates, and long-term maintenance. Code examples, job scripts, and experimental configurations were developed and tested alongside the text to ensure technical coherence and reproducibility.

Artificial intelligence tools were used selectively during the writing process to explore alternative formulations, refine explanations, and improve clarity. These tools did not replace the author’s judgment or responsibility. Instead, they served as accelerators for iteration, editing, and conceptual exploration—reflecting in practice one of the core ideas discussed throughout the book about purpose: AI, when used appropriately, can amplify human productivity and understanding.

Typography, structure, and layout were chosen to favor readability, technical precision, and long-form study. Figures were designed to act as conceptual anchors rather than decorative elements, and are intended to be reused as reference models throughout the book.

This book is actively maintained. Updates, corrections, and new editions reflect both technological evolution and feedback from students, instructors, and practitioners who use the material in real educational and research settings.