SuperKernel

SuperKernel brings remote compute into your daily notebook.

It is a Jupyter-compatible Python kernel that connects a local notebook to a configured SuperKernel runtime. Your existing Jupyter tools continue to manage the notebook connection while code runs on the selected remote Python, MPI, or PyTorch environment.

Features

• Works as a standard Jupyter kernel in JupyterLab and VS Code.
• Streams remote output back to notebook cells as it is produced.
• Preserves a separate Python namespace for each notebook session.
• Executes cells sequentially and supports interrupt and restart actions.
• Reconnects interrupted output streams without submitting the cell twice.
• Keeps authentication tokens out of Jupyter kernelspecs and command-line arguments.

Installation

SuperKernel requires Python 3.10 or newer.

uv pip install superkernels

The JupyterLab or VS Code SuperKernel integration normally installs and configures the notebook kernels for you. A configured kernel can then be selected from the standard Jupyter kernel picker like any other kernel.

This package contains the notebook runtime only. Gateway login, remote runtime creation, and local kernel registration are handled by a compatible SuperKernel client integration.

The PyPI distribution is named superkernels. The Python import remains superkernel.

Python API

The kernel class is available for integrations that need to inspect or extend the local runtime:

from superkernel import SuperKernel

The supported process entry point for a configured Jupyter kernelspec is:

python -m superkernel.kernel

Its connection and authentication arguments are generated by the client integration and are not intended to be entered manually.

Security

SuperKernel reads authentication from a client-managed local file immediately before each remote request. Credentials are not embedded in the kernelspec, stored by this package, or passed directly on the process command line. The runtime fails closed when its authentication file is missing or invalid.

Project status

Version 0.9.0 is the first public alpha release. The package is suitable for evaluation, but its integration contract may still evolve before 1.0.

Learn more at superkernel.leoustc.com.