Elektro handles everyday electronics calculations from the terminal — Ohm's law, resistor color codes, filter design, RF link budgets, 555 timers and more — and downloads component datasheets with a single command.

All values accept engineering notation: 4k7, 100n, 2.2u, 10M, 1meg, 1R5, 100nF, 1kΩ

The interface is available in English, Turkish, German and Russian.

🛠️ Installation

curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/0anes0/elektro/main/install.sh | bash

The script creates an isolated virtual environment in ~/.local/share/elektro and links the elektro command into ~/.local/bin. It does not touch your system Python and does not need pipx. If you installed an older version with pipx, it removes it for you.

Requirement: Python 3.9+ (on Debian/Ubuntu also python3-venv).

git clone https://github.com/0anes0/elektro.git
cd elektro
./install.sh                 # install
elektro update               # update to the latest version on GitHub
./install.sh --uninstall     # uninstall

🌍 Language

By default elektro follows your system language (LANG), falling back to English.

elektro language             # list languages
elektro language de          # save German as the default
elektro --lang ru ohm -v 5 -r 1k   # one-off
ELEKTRO_LANG=tr elektro      # via environment variable

Priority: --lang → ELEKTRO_LANG → saved setting (~/.config/elektro/config.json) → system language → English.

🚀 Usage

Run elektro for the command menu, elektro COMMAND --help for details, elektro helpall or man elektro for the full manual.

Every command accepts --json for machine-readable output: elektro ohm -v 12 -r 1k --json

Report output

Get results as tables for homework, lab reports or notes:

elektro ohm -v 12 -r 1k --md                 # Markdown table
elektro filter rc --r 1k --c 100n --latex    # LaTeX tabular
elektro cable -i 16 -l 25 --report lab.md    # append to lab.md (.tex → LaTeX)
elektro motor -p 7.5k --rpm 1450 --copy      # copy the output to the clipboard

With --report the normal output is still shown in the terminal; each command is appended together with its command line. Graphs saved with --plot are embedded in Markdown reports.

Terminal user interface (TUI)

elektro tui

Pick a command in the tree on the left (or search with Ctrl+F); its options open as a form and the command line is built as you type. Enter / Ctrl+R runs it and the colored result appears in the panel below. You can also type any elektro command into the command line directly.

In History, Enter on a row loads that command again.

Circuit editor and simulator

elektro tui circuit.json or F3 in the interface: draw a schematic with the keyboard, simulate it and see the result in a graph. The simulator is elektro's own solver (nodal analysis, nothing extra to install).

     A   B   C   D   E   F
  1  ·   ·   ·   ·   ·   ·
          5V        454.5mV
  2  ·   ●─[R1 10k]──●   ·
         +           │
  3  [V1 5V]     [R2 1k]
         │           │
  4  ·   ●───────────●   ·
       [GND]

For semiconductors the value is a model name (change it with e), optionally followed by parameters:

Nonlinear parts are solved with Newton-Raphson (diode: Shockley + breakdown, BJT: Ebers-Moll + Early effect, MOSFET: level 1, op-amp: single pole with GBW + rail limit). Junction capacitances are not modelled; results are meant for preliminary design.

Nodes are named like spreadsheet cells (the address of their top-left point: B2, E2). The plot shows the probes, or all node voltages when there are none. The same file can be solved from the command line:

Example library. Like Falstad's circuit simulator, a ready-made library of 93 circuits sorted into folders: basics (Ohm, Kirchhoff, Thevenin, RC/RL/LC transients), AC circuits and resonance, passive filters, diodes (rectifiers, clippers, clampers, voltage multipliers, zener, diode logic), BJTs, MOSFETs (switches, amplifiers, CMOS inverter), op-amps (amplifiers, comparators and nonlinear circuits, active filters), oscillators (relaxation, function generator, Wien bridge, phase shift, ring) and power supplies (buck, boost, buck-boost, regulators, charge pump). Every circuit opens with its probes and analysis ready and comes with a short explanation in four languages, so students can open it, run it and change values to see what happens.

SPICE netlists work too. Opening a .cir / .sp / .net file places the parts on the grid and connects them with net labels; unsupported lines are skipped with a warning.

elektro examples                               # the example library as a folder tree
elektro examples rc_lowpass                    # save it as rc_lowpass.json
elektro tui circuit.cir                        # import a SPICE netlist into the editor
elektro sim circuit.cir                        # solve a netlist directly
elektro sim circuit.json                       # DC operating point + the analysis in the file
elektro sim circuit.json -p "V(E2)" -p "I(B2,E2)"
elektro sim rc.json -a ".tran 5m" --plot rc.svg --csv rc.csv
elektro sim filter.json -a ".ac dec 50 10 1meg" --plot bode.svg
elektro sim circuit.json --spice > circuit.cir   # SPICE netlist

Interactive mode, variables, history

elektro shell                        # type commands without "elektro"; Tab completes, ↑ recalls
elektro set vin 12                   # save a value …
elektro ohm -v @vin -r 1k            # … and use it as @vin in any command
elektro set rload 4k7 --local        # per project (./.elektro.json)
elektro calc "vin / 2"               # variables also work by name in calc
elektro vars                         # list variables
elektro history                      # previous calculations
elektro history --run 3              # run one again

Basics

elektro ohm -v 12 -r 1k              # any two of V, I, R, P
elektro ohm                          # interactive wizard

elektro resistor bn bk rd gd         # color code → 1 kΩ ±5%  (3-6 bands)
elektro resistor yellow violet black brown brown
elektro resistor encode 4k7          # value → color code
elektro resistor smd 01C             # SMD code (103, 4R7, 1002, EIA-96)
elektro resistor table               # color table

elektro 555 astable --r1 1k --r2 10k --c 10u
elektro 555 astable -f 1k -d 60 --c 10n      # design R1/R2 from frequency
elektro 555 mono --t 5 --c 100u

elektro logic convert 0xFF           # decimal/hex/binary/octal
elektro logic convert --bits 8 -- -5 # two's complement
elektro logic truth xor
elektro logic expr "A & B | ~C"      # truth table of a boolean expression
elektro logic simplify "A&B | A&~B"  # minimal SOP + Karnaugh map
elektro logic simplify -m 1,3,7,11,15 -d 0,2,5

elektro opamp noninv --gain 11       # standard Rf/Rg pairs
elektro opamp inv --rf 47k --rin 4k7 --vin 0.5 --gbw 1M
elektro opamp diff --gain 5

elektro switch bjt --ic 500m -v 3.3  # base resistor for an NPN switch
elektro switch mosfet -v 10 --qg 40n -f 100k   # gate drive and losses
elektro charge --r 10k --c 100u --v 5 --to 3.3 # RC charge time + curve

Resistor colors can be given as IEC codes (bk bn rd og ye gn bu vt gy wh gd sr) or as names in any of the four languages (brown, kahverengi, braun, коричневый).

Passive components

elektro series 1k 2k2 470
elektro parallel 10u 22u --cap
elektro divider --vin 12 --r1 10k --r2 4k7
elektro divider --vin 5 --vout 3.3           # best E24 R1/R2 pairs
elektro led --vs 12 --vf 3.1 -i 15m -n 3     # LED resistor + power rating
elektro eseries 4k8                          # nearest standard values (E3-E192)
elektro cap 104                              # capacitor code ↔ value
elektro coil --l 1u --d 10                   # air-core coil turns (Wheeler)
elektro crystal --cl 12p                     # crystal load capacitors

Power & wiring

elektro regulator lm317 --vout 5             # R2 for an adjustable regulator
elektro regulator 7805 --vin 12 -i 500m      # dissipation of a linear regulator
elektro battery 2000 -i 15m                  # battery life
elektro battery 1200 --active 45m --active-time 2 --sleep 20u --sleep-time 58
elektro thermal -p 5 --rth-jc 3 --ta 50      # required heatsink
elektro wire --awg 22 -l 3 -i 2              # AWG ↔ mm², voltage drop
elektro trace -i 3                           # PCB trace width (IPC-2221)
elektro rectifier --vac 12 -i 1 --ripple 1   # bridge rectifier + reservoir capacitor
elektro acpower --v 400 --p 15k --pf 0.82 --phases 3 --target-pf 0.95
elektro stardelta delta 10 20 30             # Δ → Y conversion

Installation & machines

elektro cable -i 16 -l 25                    # cable size: current capacity + voltage drop
elektro cable -p 9k --phases 3 --pf 0.85 -l 40 --method C
elektro cable -i 120 --phases 3 -l 80 --material al --insulation xlpe --group 3
elektro breaker -i 14 --iz 21 --curve B --mm2 2.5 -l 30   # MCB selection, Zs, max. length
elektro breaker -i 40 --iz 50 --type fuse    # gG fuse
elektro shortcircuit --kva 630 --mm2 95 -l 50 --time 0.4  # Ik3, ip, Ik1, breaking capacity
elektro transformer --v1 230 --v2 12 --va 50 # ratio, currents, core area, turns, wire size
elektro motor -p 7.5k --rpm 1450             # current, torque, slip, starting current (Y-Δ)

Cable capacities come from the IEC 60364-5-52 tables (installation methods A1, B1, C, D, with temperature and grouping correction). Results are for preliminary sizing; check them against your local regulations.

Filters

elektro filter rc --r 1k --c 100n            # fc + frequency response (gain/phase)
elektro filter rc --fc 1k --c 10n            # give two values, get the third
elektro filter rc --r 10k --fc 50 --high
elektro filter rl --r 1k --l 10m
elektro filter lc --f 433.92M --c 10p
elektro filter rlc --r 10 --l 1m --c 100n
elektro filter notch --r 1k --l 1.013 --c 10u  # 50 Hz
elektro filter rc --r 1k --c 100n --plot bode.svg   # save a Bode plot
elektro charge --r 10k --c 100u --v 5 --plot charge.svg

Signal

elektro wave sine --rms 230                  # peak, average, RMS, crest/form factor
elektro wave pwm --vp 12 -d 25 -r 10         # DC and RMS of a PWM signal, power in a load
elektro wave square --vpp 5 --offset 2.5 --plot square.svg
elektro fft scope.csv                        # fundamental, harmonics, THD, THD+N
elektro fft adc.txt --rate 48k --window flattop --plot spectrum.svg

fft reads oscilloscope CSVs (Rigol, Siglent, Tektronix), ;-separated files with decimal commas and single-column raw data. The sample rate comes from the time column or the file header; otherwise give --rate.

Graphs are written as SVG without any extra dependency. For .png / .pdf install matplotlib into elektro's environment: ~/.local/share/elektro/venv/bin/pip install matplotlib.

RF

A plain number is MHz for frequency and km for distance (2.4G and 800m also work).

elektro rf fspl -f 868 -d 5
elektro rf link -f 868 -d 10 --tx 14 --sens -137   # link margin and max. range
elektro rf wave -f 433.92                          # wavelength, antenna lengths
elektro rf convert 14 dbm w
elektro rf convert 1.5 vswr                        # |Γ|, return loss, mismatch loss
elektro rf lora --sf 9 -p 20                       # LoRa time on air, sensitivity
elektro rf fresnel -f 868 -d 10                    # Fresnel zone / antenna height
elektro rf microstrip --z0 50 --h 1.6 --er 4.4     # 50 Ω trace width
elektro rf coax lmr400 -f 2.4G -l 20m              # cable loss

Embedded

elektro uart -c 16M -b 115200                # baud register and error (avr/stm32)
elektro pwm -c 72M -f 20k -m stm32 -d 25     # prescaler, ARR, compare value
elektro adc -b 12 --vref 3.3 --code 2048     # ADC code ↔ voltage
elektro i2c --cb 200p -s 400k                # I²C pull-up range
elektro crc "01 03 00 00 00 0A"              # CRC-8/16/32, Modbus, checksums

Tools

elektro calc "12V / (4k7 + 1k)"              # calculator with engineering notation
elektro calc "par(1k, 2k2, 4k7)" -u Ω
elektro calc "230∠0 / (10 + zl(100m, 50))" -u A        # complex numbers and phasors
elektro calc "100 + zl(10m, 1k) || zc(1u, 1k)" -u Ω -f 1k  # impedance → series R + L/C
elektro unit 25 c                            # °C/°F/K, mil/mm, dB, AWG …
elektro pinout                               # parts with a known pinout
elektro pinout ne555                         # IC / transistor pinout (offline)

In calc, j is the imaginary unit (3+4j, 3+j4), 10∠30 is polar form (degrees) and || is the parallel combination. Functions: re im abs arg conj polar zl zc.

Datasheet downloader

elektro datasheet lm358
elektro datasheet ams1117 --open       # download and open
elektro datasheet esp32 --list         # show candidates without downloading
elektro datasheet 2n2222 -o transistor.pdf
elektro datasheet --history            # previously downloaded (cached) datasheets

It checks manufacturer sites (TI, Espressif, onsemi, Diodes, Nexperia), then the LCSC/JLCPCB parts database, and finally DuckDuckGo. The download is verified to be a real PDF; if no source works, links for a manual search are printed. Downloads are cached in ~/.cache/elektro/, so the same part is available instantly next time.

🧪 Development

python3 -m venv .venv
.venv/bin/pip install -e ".[dev]"
.venv/bin/pytest

Translations live in elektro/i18n/ (en.py is the source). The tests check that every language has every key with the same placeholders.

Releasing to PyPI (package name elektro-cli): add a Trusted Publisher for this repository on PyPI (workflow publish.yml, environment pypi), then push a tag matching __version__: git tag v0.4.0 && git push origin v0.4.0.

📄 License

GPLv3 © Ahmet Enes KAYMAK