Cadabra
Cadabra is an open-source computer algebra system designed specifically for advanced theoretical physics computations involving tensor polynomial simplifications. It has a modern codebase focused on flexibility, extensibility and understandability.
algebra
tensor
polynomial
simplification
physics
opensource
Cadabra: Open-Source Computer Algebra System
An open-source computer algebra system designed for advanced theoretical physics computations, with a modern codebase focused on flexibility, extensibility and understandability.
What is Cadabra?
Cadabra is an open-source computer algebra system designed specifically for advanced theoretical physics computations involving tensor polynomial simplifications. It has a modern C++ codebase focused on flexibility, extensibility and understandability.
Some key features of Cadabra include:
- Symbolic tensor manipulation, with support for abstract and component indices
- Computation and simplification of tensor polynomials
- Substitution rules and patterns to manipulate expressions
- A Python front-end to interface with the C++ computational kernel
- A modular architecture to allow new data types and algorithms to be added
- Visualization tools to display computational graphs and inspect expression properties
- Interfaces to communicate with computer algebra systems like Mathematica
Cadabra is well-suited for theoretical physicists who need to perform symbolic manipulations of tensor expressions involving curvatures, field strengths, covariant derivatives, etc. It has been used successfully in research areas like general relativity, supergravity theories, string theory and related field theory models. The combination of symbolic power, extensibility and customizability makes Cadabra a useful addition to a physicist's computational toolbox.
Cadabra Features
Features
- Symbolic tensor computations
- Component tensor computations
- Extensible architecture
- Python API
- TeX and LaTeX output
Pricing
- Open Source
Pros
Specialized for tensor computations in theoretical physics
Clean and modular codebase
Active development and support
Cons
Limited user base compared to more general CAS
Less comprehensive documentation
Fewer supported operations than Mathematica or Maple
Official Links
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