Simple jupyter kernel for C++ (cpp, cplusplus) in pure python!
Project description
ipycpp
Simple and hackable jupyter kernel for running c++ (c plus plus) codes inside a python notebook.
Rather than providing a true interactive experience, this kernel would just extract the cpp code from the notebook, compile it on the fly and print the result. It is meant as a drop-in replacement for your main cpp file.
Install with:
pip install ipycpp
The package itself is in pure python, and will just call the cpp compiler already installed in your system. Of course, you have to provide a suitable cpp compiler, such as g++
in order to make it work. Advanced build tools such as make
should work as well.
Motivation
Other packages, such as xeus-cling
provide a better interactive experience when working with cpp, yet they introduce a lot of magic behind the scene. While developing algorithms with cpp
, you usually care more about speed and low level control. This package guarantees no overhead - it just transpiles your notebook into a plain .cpp
file: you may even check the result by yourself. Moreover, since this package is just a ~300lines pure python script, it's way easier to setup.
Usage
Note: you may find a complete example here, example.ipynb
First, you have to provide some configuration.
$$ipycpp_file
: this is the location where your code would be extracted$$ipycpp_build
: this is the command ipycpp should use to compile your code$$ipycpp_run
: this is the command ipycpp should use to compile your code
Create a cell with:
// $$ipycpp_file: src/main.cpp
// $$ipycpp_build: g++ src/main.cpp -o bin/main
// $$ipycpp_run: bin/main
/* you may also declare global variables and include directives */
#include <stdio.h>
auto hello = "hello world!";
Then, you may add other cells with some shared functions, for example:
void printHelloWorld(){
printf("%s\n", hello);
}
Finally, when you want to show some output value, you may declare the usual main function, just remembed to surround it with the special #ifdef IPYCPP_MAIN
guard
#ifdef IPYCPP_MAIN
#define IPYCPP_MAIN_METHOD
int main(){
printHelloWorld();
}
#endif
Keep in mind that the notebook is stateless. Everything will be recompiled EVERY time. If you change a variable inside a main function and then run another cell, the change will be overwritten.
Special formatting
You may provide non-textual data to the notebook, such as html or images, by printing some special tags. This feature is enabled by default, and let you create interactive notebooks.
disable
To disable any kind of special data for the rest of the cell, just print $$$ipycppr_disable_special_output$$$
at the beginning of your main.
For example:
printf("$$$ipycppr_disable_special_output$$$\n");
In this way, you will be sure that any further output will be printed "as is".
images
You may display an image by printing the special tag $$$ipycppr_image$$$
followed by the image path. For example:
printf("$$$ipycppr_image$$$%s\n", "myfolder/myimage.png");
html
Mark html regions with $$$ipycppr_html_start$$$
and $$$ipycppr_html_end$$$
(newline required). You may also add some javascript logic to create interactive widgets.
Basic example:
printf("$$$ipycppr_html_start$$$\n%s\n$$$ipycppr_html_end$$$\n", "<b>some bold text</b>");
Advanced example (this will create an interactive widget using the PetiteVue library; the widget will display a number and two buttons to increment or decrement it):
auto html = R""""(
<div class="widgetcontainer">
<div class="widget" v-scope="{ count: 0 }">
<button @click="count--">-</button>
{{ count }}
<button @click="count++">+</button>
</div>
<script>
if(!window.INSTALL_PETITE_VUE){
window.INSTALL_PETITE_VUE = true;
var script = document.createElement('script');
script.src = 'https://unpkg.com/petite-vue';
document.head.appendChild(script);
}
PetiteVue.createApp().mount(document.currentScript.previousElementSibling)
</script>
</div>
)"""";
#ifdef IPYCPP_MAIN
#define IPYCPP_MAIN_METHOD
int main(){
printf("$$$ipycppr_html_start$$$\n%s\n$$$ipycppr_html_end$$$\n", html);
}
#endif
Authors and license
Main author: Luca Fabbian luca.fabbian.1999@gmail.com
Freely distributed under MIT license.
Feel free to open a github issue to report bugs or submit feature requests!
Project details
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