Pycalphad Installation Guide

Pycalphad is a Python library for thermodynamic modeling, phase diagram calculation, and phase equilibrium investigations using the CALPHAD method. Follow the instructions below to install pycalphad based on your preferred method.

Installation with conda

Anaconda is a popular platform for scientific Python packages. If you don’t have Anaconda installed, you can download the Miniconda distribution.

To install pycalphad from conda-forge using conda:

conda install -c conda-forge pycalphad

Installing the Development Version

The source code for the latest development version of pycalphad is available on GitHub. A working version of git and a C++ compiler is required to install the development version.

Windows Requirements: Install git and Microsoft Visual C++ Build Tools version 14.X. Tutorials are available online to guide you through the process.

Steps to Install the Development Version:

  1. Clone the repository:

    git clone https://github.com/pycalphad/pycalphad.git
    cd pycalphad
    
  2. Install the dependencies and the package:

    pip install -U pip setuptools
    pip install -U -r requirements-dev.txt
    pip install -U --no-build-isolation --editable .
    
  3. Run automated tests to ensure everything is installed correctly:

    pytest pycalphad
    

Upgrading Development Version:

Changes to Python files (.py) in an editable install will take effect immediately upon saving. However, changes to Cython files (.pyx and .pxd) must be recompiled using:

python setup.py build_ext --inplace

Updating the Development Version:

To update the code to the latest changes in the current branch:

git pull

To switch to a different branch (e.g., master for the latest released version or another feature branch):

git checkout <branch>

Note

Replace <branch> with the name of the branch you want to switch to.

Root Directory Definition

The “root directory” refers to the top-level project directory containing:

  • pyproject.toml file

  • pycalphad/ package directory

Ensure you are in the root directory when running build commands.