# Introduction

**PRIMER 8 with PERMANOVA+** is a substantial upgrade on its predecessor, offering a host of marvelous new tools and statistical methods. These range from simple utilities to make your life easier (such as a tool to easily rename the levels of a factor), through to sophisticated novel analytical methods that are found no-where else (such as dissimilarity-based multivariate control charts, and a valid PERMANOVA test for differences in centroids when dispersions differ). 

This book has been written for those who have some familiarity with prior versions of PRIMER/PERMANOVA+ software. To get started quickly using PRIMER 8 software, first consult the following resource:
- Anderson, M.J. (2026). ["***Get Started with PRIMER 8***."](https://learninghub.primer-e.com/books/get-started-with-primer-8)  *PRIMER-e Learning Hub*. PRIMER-e, Auckland, New Zealand.

For additional details regarding the methods and tools available in the software produced by PRIMER-e, please consult the following ***historical books and manuals***, available in the [PRIMER-e Learning Hub](https://learninghub.primer-e.com):
- Clarke KR, Gorley RN, Somerfield PJ & Warwick RM. (2014). ["***Change in Marine Communities, 3rd edition***."](https://learninghub.primer-e.com/books/change-in-marine-communities) PRIMER-E Ltd: Plymouth, UK.
- Clarke KR & Gorley RN. (2015). ["***PRIMER v7: User Manual / Tutorial***."](https://learninghub.primer-e.com/books/primer-v7-user-manual-tutorial) PRIMER-E Ltd: Plymouth, UK.
- Anderson MJ, Gorley RN & Clarke KR. (2008). ["***PERMANOVA+ for PRIMER: Guide to Software and Statistical Methods***."](https://learninghub.primer-e.com/books/permanova-for-primer-guide-to-software-and-statistical-methods) PRIMER-E Ltd: Plymouth, UK.


In this text, we will refer to the new version (including PERMANOVA+) as '**P8**', and to the previous version as '**P7**'. What follows is a short list of the most important new features in P8. These items have been classified into two major groups: [***New Statistical Methods in P8***](https://learninghub.primer-e.com/link/952) and [***New Tools & Utilities in P8***](https://learninghub.primer-e.com/link/953). Just click on any link from within either of these lists to explore what is new!