XpongeCPP

Preview beta: XpongeCPP is currently a preview release and is under active beta testing.

预览版说明：XpongeCPP 当前仍处于预览阶段，正在进行 Beta 测试。

Docs / 文档入口

• English:
  • Installation Guide
  • API Overview
  • Release Guide
• 中文：
  • 安装说明
  • 接口概览
  • 发布说明

XpongeCPP is a new C++ implementation of common Xponge workflows with a thin Python compatibility layer.

The original Xponge repository is used only as a reference implementation and regression baseline. This repository does not share the original Python object model internally.

Installation

PyPI-style installation target

The packaging target is:

pip install XpongeCPP

After installation, both of these should work:

import XpongeCPP
import Xponge

The wheel is configured to include both:

• src/XpongeCPP
• src/Xponge

so old Xponge package-name imports can continue to work after installation.

Automatic optional chemistry dependencies

The package now declares a practical default dependency set for pip users:

• numpy
• geometric
• matplotlib
• PubChemPy
• MDAnalysis
• rdkit
• pyscf on non-Windows platforms
• mokda-xpongelib (imported as XpongeLib)

Windows automatically skips pyscf through environment markers.

mokda-xpongelib is included so legacy gaff.parmchk2_gaff(...) workflows can resolve the XpongeLib bridge automatically after installation.

See:

• docs/installation.md

GitHub Actions packaging matrix

The repository CI currently builds packages on:

• Linux x64: ubuntu-24.04
• Linux arm64: ubuntu-24.04-arm
• macOS Intel: macos-15-intel
• macOS arm64: macos-15
• Windows x64: windows-2025

Validation is split into two layers:

• all platforms run a minimal wheel smoke test with numpy installed
• Linux x64 additionally runs a full dependency install smoke test

This keeps wheel validation broad across operating systems and CPU architectures without making every matrix job depend on the full optional chemistry stack.

v1 Scope

• Amber-first force-field workflows.
• Flat C++ storage with Molecule, Residue, and ResidueType view semantics.
• Common Python entry points such as load_pdb, load_mol2, Add_Solvent_Box, Set_Box_Padding, Save_SPONGE_Input, and Assign.
• Numeric equivalence goals for SPONGE input, not byte-for-byte compatibility.

Amber lipid force fields

Both Lipid17 and Lipid21 are packaged. Import exactly one lipid base family:

import XpongeCPP.forcefield.amber.ff14sb
import XpongeCPP.forcefield.amber.gaff2
import XpongeCPP.forcefield.amber.lipid21  # or lipid17

Either lipid import automatically registers the shared PI/phosphoinositide/LysoPL extension. Input remains Amber's split-residue representation, such as PA + SPM + SA; full lipid names such as PSM and POPC are not automatically split. The extension's mixed Lipid/GLYCAM/phosphate/GAFF2 provenance is reported when it is loaded.

Within one Python process, ff14sb/ff19sb, gaff/gaff2, and lipid17/lipid21 are mutually exclusive pairs. Different families may be combined; use separate processes to compare alternatives in the same family.

Development Environments

The lightweight development path still uses rtk uv:

rtk uv pip install -e . --force-reinstall --no-cache-dir
rtk uv run pytest -q

Full Assign validation needs optional chemistry backends. Use pixi for a reproducible environment with RDKit, PubChemPy, and PySCF:

pixi run install-dev
pixi run test-assign-full
pixi run test-resp
pixi run test

Bundled SPONGE HDF5 I/O is implemented in the native C++ backend. Its build dependencies match SPONGE: HighFive and the HDF5 C library. The pixi environment installs both automatically. Manual source builds must provide a discoverable HDF5 C installation; when HighFive is unavailable, CMake fetches the pinned HighFive 3.3.0 source archive automatically.

The default SPONGE input format remains the legacy raw-text layout. Bundled input v2 can be selected from the common API, while both format-specific entry points remain available:

XpongeCPP.save_sponge_input(molecule, "system", "inputs", format="bundle")
XpongeCPP.save_sponge_input_raw(molecule, "system", "inputs")
XpongeCPP.save_sponge_input_bundle(molecule, "system", "inputs")

RESP automatically selects the first available backend:

• preferred backend: PySCF
• fallback backend: Psi4
• shared dispatch layer: XpongeCPP.qm

Example:

assign.calculate_charge("resp", backend="pyscf")
assign.calculate_charge("resp", backend="psi4")

from XpongeCPP import qm

qm.run_scf(assign, backend="pyscf")
qm.optimize_geometry(assign, backend="pyscf")

Windows does not install PySCF automatically. If a compatible PySCF is available, it is selected; otherwise install Psi4 separately as the fallback:

conda install -c conda-forge psi4
pip install XpongeCPP

PubChem network tests remain opt-in through the test environment; default Pixi tests use local mocks or dependency checks and do not require live network access.

Documentation

• Installation guide:
  • docs/installation.md
  • docs/installation.zh-CN.md
• API overview:
  • docs/api-overview.md
  • docs/api-overview.zh-CN.md
• Release guide:
  • docs/releasing.md
  • docs/releasing.zh-CN.md
• Architecture / migration status:
  • docs/xponge-vs-xpongecpp-architecture-status.md

Packaging roadmap note

The current repository uses a hand-written GitHub Actions workflow plus scripts/build_pypi.py for packaging validation. We are deliberately keeping this simpler workflow for now because it makes the Xponge/XpongeCPP dual package layout and the minimal-vs-full smoke split easy to audit.

cibuildwheel is still a good future option once the wheel matrix and release policy stabilize further, but it is not the current default.