Getting Started

The following is a quick guide to running your first Nutils simulation in three simple steps.

Step 1: Install Nutils

With Python version 3.5 or newer installed, Nutils and its dependencies can be installed via the Python Package Index using the pip package installer. In a terminal window:

python -m pip install --user nutils

Most applications will require Matplotlib for visualization, but since this is not a direct dependency it needs to be installed separately:

python -m pip install --user matplotlib

Another useful utility is BottomBar, which Nutils will use to provide runtime information in the bottom line of the terminal window:

python -m pip install --user bottombar

Step 2: Create a simulation script

Open a text editor and create a file poisson.py with the following contents:

from nutils import mesh, function, solver, export, cli

def main(nelems: int = 10):
  domain, x = mesh.unitsquare(nelems, etype='square')
  u = function.dotarg('udofs', domain.basis('std', degree=1))
  g = u.grad(x)
  J = function.J(x)
  cons = solver.optimize('udofs',
    domain.boundary.integral(u**2 * J, degree=2), droptol=1e-12)
  udofs = solver.optimize('udofs',
    domain.integral((g @ g / 2 - u) * J, degree=1), constrain=cons)
  bezier = domain.sample('bezier', 3)
  x, u = bezier.eval([x, u], udofs=udofs)
  export.triplot('u.png', x, u, tri=bezier.tri, hull=bezier.hull)

cli.run(main)

Note that while we could make the script even shorter by avoiding the main function and cli.run, the above structure is preferred as it automatically sets up a logging environment, activates a matrix backend and handles command line parsing.

Step 3: Run the simulation

Back in the terminal, the simulation can now be started by running:

python poisson.py

This should produce the following output:

nutils v7.0
optimize > constrained 40/121 dofs
optimize > optimum value 0.00e+00
optimize > solve > solving 81 dof system to machine precision using arnoldi solver
optimize > solve > solver returned with residual 6e-17
optimize > optimum value -1.75e-02
u.png
log written to file:///home/myusername/public_html/poisson.py/log.html

If the terminal is reasonably modern (Windows users may want to install the new Windows Terminal) then the messages are coloured for extra clarity, and a BottomBar will be shown for the duration of the simulation.

The last line of the log shows the location of the simultaneously generated html file that holds the same log as well as a link to the generated image.

Next steps and support

Be sure to read the Installation guide for alternative installation methods, as well as tips for setting up the broader compute environment.

After that, the best way to get going is by reading the Tutorial, to familiarize yourself with Nutils’ concepts and syntax, and by studying the Examples that demonstrate implementations of several solid and fluid mechanics problems. Most simulations will have components in common with the example scripts, so a mix-and-match approach is a good way to start building your own script.

Documentation of individual functions can be found in the Nutils API Reference. For questions that are not answered by the API reference there is the nutils-users support channel at #nutils-users:matrix.org. Note that you will need to create an account at any Matrix server in order to join this channel.

Finally, if you are using Nutils in academic research, please consider citing Nutils.