High-throughput computing is for problems that can be divided in many different tasks, independent for each other. The Grid can be used to schedule the tasks, with the goal of putting unused processor cycles (often from idle workstations) to work.

A very well known example is the class of "@home" applications that many people have as screen savers on their PCs. The totally independent nature of the tasks involved means that it doesn't matter whether some tasks take a long time or never return. After a "time-out" period, unfinished tasks can just be resent elsewhere to be processed.

Here are some existing examples (link to Robindra's application list):

- SETI@home the search for signs of extraterrestrial intelligence, the mother of all @home applications is still going strong..
- Folding@home is a protein folding simulation for sifting potential drugs,
- Xpulsar@home filters astronomical data looking for pulsars.
- Evolutionary@home tackles problems in population dynamics,
- fightAIDS@home models the evolution of drug resistance and design anti-HIV drugs necessary to fight AIDS.

There are also commercial companies offering services based on @home type technology. For example Entropia and United Devices (the latter a spinoff of SETI@home)