mirror of
https://github.com/JuliaFEM/JuliaFEM.jl.git
synced 2026-08-06 04:21:33 +00:00
docs: Reorganize documentation into three-tier structure
**Three Manuals for Three Audiences:** 1. **User Manual** (docs/user/) - "Just Get It Done" - For end users, engineers, students - Simple, practical, step-by-step - Quick start, tutorials, examples, troubleshooting - Philosophy: Show me how to solve my problem 2. **Contributor Manual** (docs/contributor/) - "Show Me the Code" - For developers, contributors, advanced users - Technical, detailed, design rationale - Testing, architecture, performance, CI/CD - Philosophy: Explain HOW and WHY 3. **The JuliaFEM Book** (docs/book/) - "Let Me Show You How I Think" - For researchers, theory nerds, and Jukka - Comprehensive, educational, opinionated, personal - Math foundations, design philosophy, history, research - Philosophy: Mix theory, code, and personal experience **Reorganization:** - Moved: TESTING_PHILOSOPHY.md → contributor/testing_philosophy.md - Moved: STATUS.md → contributor/status.md - Moved: TEST_FIXES_NEEDED.md → contributor/test_fixes_needed.md - Moved: lagrange_basis_functions.md → book/lagrange_basis_functions.md - Moved: benchmarks/ → book/benchmarks/ - Created: docs/README.md (main index explaining structure) - Created: README.md in each section explaining audience and contents - Updated: All references in scripts and source files **Naming:** All docs now lowercase (testing_philosophy not TESTING_PHILOSOPHY) **Benefits:** - Clear separation of concerns - Users don't get overwhelmed with implementation details - Contributors get technical depth - Book preserves deep theory and personal insights - Each manual optimized for its audience **Next:** Populate each section with appropriate content
This commit is contained in:
Jukka Aho
+118
@@ -0,0 +1,118 @@
|
||||
# JuliaFEM Documentation
|
||||
|
||||
Welcome! JuliaFEM documentation is organized into **three manuals** for three different audiences:
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## 📘 [User Manual](user/) - "Just Get It Done"
|
||||
|
||||
**For:** End users, engineers, students who want to run simulations.
|
||||
|
||||
**Style:** Simple, practical, step-by-step.
|
||||
|
||||
**Contents:**
|
||||
- Quick start and installation
|
||||
- Tutorials and examples
|
||||
- API reference
|
||||
- Troubleshooting
|
||||
|
||||
**Philosophy:** Show me how to solve my problem, skip the lectures.
|
||||
|
||||
👉 **[Start Here](user/README.md)** if you want to run simulations.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## 🔧 [Contributor Manual](contributor/) - "Show Me the Code"
|
||||
|
||||
**For:** Developers, contributors, advanced users who want to extend JuliaFEM.
|
||||
|
||||
**Style:** Technical, detailed, design rationale.
|
||||
|
||||
**Contents:**
|
||||
- Testing philosophy
|
||||
- Code style and architecture
|
||||
- Performance guidelines
|
||||
- How to add elements
|
||||
- CI/CD and git workflow
|
||||
|
||||
**Philosophy:** Explain HOW the code works and WHY we made these choices.
|
||||
|
||||
👉 **[Start Here](contributor/README.md)** if you want to contribute code.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## 📖 [The JuliaFEM Book](book/) - "Let Me Show You How I Think"
|
||||
|
||||
**For:** Advanced researchers, theory nerds, those who want to understand deeply. And Jukka.
|
||||
|
||||
**Style:** Comprehensive, educational, opinionated, personal.
|
||||
|
||||
**Contents:**
|
||||
- Mathematical foundations (Lagrange basis, contact mechanics, etc.)
|
||||
- Design philosophy and technical vision
|
||||
- Strategic mistakes and lessons learned (2015-2019)
|
||||
- Research directions (nodal assembly, matrix-free, etc.)
|
||||
- Personal reflections on the journey
|
||||
|
||||
**Philosophy:** Mix theory, software design, and personal experience. Teach FEM through implementation.
|
||||
|
||||
👉 **[Start Here](book/README.md)** if you love deep dives and want to understand the "why" behind everything.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Quick Navigation
|
||||
|
||||
### I want to...
|
||||
|
||||
- **Solve a heat transfer problem** → [User Manual](user/)
|
||||
- **Add a new element type** → [Contributor Manual](contributor/)
|
||||
- **Understand Lagrange basis functions** → [Book: Lagrange Basis](book/lagrange_basis_functions.md)
|
||||
- **Learn about testing** → [Contributor: Testing Philosophy](contributor/testing_philosophy.md)
|
||||
- **See benchmark results** → [Book: Benchmarks](book/benchmarks/)
|
||||
- **Understand the design philosophy** → [Book: Philosophy](book/)
|
||||
- **Report a bug** → GitHub Issues
|
||||
- **Ask a question** → GitHub Discussions
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Documentation Philosophy
|
||||
|
||||
### Why Three Manuals?
|
||||
|
||||
Different readers have different needs:
|
||||
|
||||
1. **Users** don't care about implementation details - they just want working code.
|
||||
2. **Contributors** need technical depth but not necessarily all the theory.
|
||||
3. **Researchers** (and Jukka) want to understand everything from first principles.
|
||||
|
||||
Mixing these audiences in one manual makes it too complex for users and too shallow for researchers.
|
||||
|
||||
### Design Principles
|
||||
|
||||
- **User Manual:** Optimize for time-to-first-result
|
||||
- **Contributor Manual:** Optimize for correctness and maintainability
|
||||
- **Book:** Optimize for understanding and education
|
||||
|
||||
### Cross-References
|
||||
|
||||
Manuals link to each other when appropriate:
|
||||
- User manual links to theory when deeper understanding helps
|
||||
- Contributor manual links to book for design rationale
|
||||
- Book links to code examples and practical guides
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
## Contributing to Documentation
|
||||
|
||||
Documentation improvements are always welcome!
|
||||
|
||||
- **User docs:** Fix errors, add examples, improve clarity
|
||||
- **Contributor docs:** Update for new features, clarify architecture
|
||||
- **Book:** Add theory, share insights, document research
|
||||
|
||||
See [Contributor Manual](contributor/) for guidelines.
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**License:** MIT (same as code)
|
||||
**Questions?** Open an issue or discussion on GitHub
|
||||
@@ -0,0 +1,82 @@
|
||||
# The JuliaFEM Book
|
||||
|
||||
**Audience:** Advanced researchers, theory nerds, those who want to understand the "why" and "how" at a deep level. And Jukka.
|
||||
|
||||
This is the **JuliaFEM Bible** - a comprehensive manual mixing theory, philosophy, software design, and personal experience. It's educational, opinionated, and unapologetically deep.
|
||||
|
||||
## What's Here
|
||||
|
||||
- **Mathematical Foundations:** Lagrange basis functions, weak forms, contact mechanics
|
||||
- **Design Philosophy:** Why JuliaFEM exists, what problems it solves (and doesn't)
|
||||
- **Technical Vision:** Strategic mistakes from 2015-2019, lessons learned
|
||||
- **Research Directions:** Experimental ideas (nodal assembly, matrix-free, etc.)
|
||||
- **Personal Notes:** The journey, the failures, the "aha!" moments
|
||||
- **Theory + Code:** How mathematics becomes software
|
||||
|
||||
## What's NOT Here
|
||||
|
||||
- "How do I install?" (see `docs/user/`)
|
||||
- "How do I add a feature?" (see `docs/contributor/`)
|
||||
- Short answers (everything here is DEEP)
|
||||
|
||||
## Philosophy
|
||||
|
||||
**"Let me show you how I think about FEM."**
|
||||
|
||||
This is:
|
||||
- **Educational:** Teach FEM through implementation
|
||||
- **Personal:** Written in Jukka's voice, reflecting 8+ years of experience
|
||||
- **Opinionated:** Strong views on what works and what doesn't
|
||||
- **Comprehensive:** From first principles to cutting-edge research
|
||||
- **Honest:** Documents failures as much as successes
|
||||
|
||||
We assume you:
|
||||
- Love mathematics AND programming
|
||||
- Want to understand WHY, not just HOW
|
||||
- Have time to read deeply
|
||||
- Are curious about unconventional approaches
|
||||
- Might be me, 5 years from now, trying to remember why I did this
|
||||
|
||||
## Structure
|
||||
|
||||
### Part I: Foundations
|
||||
- Finite Element Method (brief review)
|
||||
- Lagrange Basis Functions (deep dive)
|
||||
- Assembly and Solving
|
||||
- Contact Mechanics
|
||||
|
||||
### Part II: Software Design
|
||||
- Type Stability and Performance
|
||||
- Zero-Allocation Design
|
||||
- Immutability and Composition
|
||||
- Field System Architecture
|
||||
|
||||
### Part III: History and Vision
|
||||
- Strategic Mistakes (2015-2019)
|
||||
- Why JuliaFEM is Different
|
||||
- Contact Mechanics Focus
|
||||
- Laboratory Philosophy
|
||||
|
||||
### Part IV: Research
|
||||
- Nodal Assembly (experimental)
|
||||
- Matrix-Free Methods
|
||||
- Automatic Differentiation
|
||||
- GPU Acceleration
|
||||
|
||||
### Part V: The Journey
|
||||
- Personal Reflections
|
||||
- Lessons Learned
|
||||
- Future Directions
|
||||
- Open Questions
|
||||
|
||||
## Reading Guide
|
||||
|
||||
- **For Theory:** Start with Part I
|
||||
- **For Design Rationale:** Start with Part II
|
||||
- **For History:** Start with Part III
|
||||
- **For Research Ideas:** Start with Part IV
|
||||
- **For Philosophy:** Read Part V first, then everything else
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**Start here:** [Mathematical Foundations](foundations.md) | [Strategic Mistakes](strategic_mistakes.md) | [Why JuliaFEM?](philosophy.md)
|
||||
@@ -0,0 +1,226 @@
|
||||
# Lagrange Basis Functions in JuliaFEM
|
||||
|
||||
**Date:** November 9, 2025
|
||||
**Author:** JuliaFEM Development Team
|
||||
|
||||
## Introduction
|
||||
|
||||
Lagrange basis functions are the foundation of the Finite Element Method. They provide a systematic way to construct polynomial interpolation functions that satisfy the **Kronecker delta property**: the basis function associated with node $i$ equals 1 at that node and 0 at all other nodes.
|
||||
|
||||
$$N_i(\mathbf{x}_j) = \delta_{ij} = \begin{cases} 1 & \text{if } i = j \\ 0 & \text{if } i \neq j \end{cases}$$
|
||||
|
||||
This property makes it trivial to interpolate field values: $u(\mathbf{x}) = \sum_i u_i N_i(\mathbf{x})$ where $u_i$ are nodal values.
|
||||
|
||||
## Mathematical Foundation
|
||||
|
||||
### Vandermonde Matrix Method
|
||||
|
||||
Given:
|
||||
|
||||
- $n$ nodes with coordinates $\{\mathbf{x}_1, \mathbf{x}_2, \ldots, \mathbf{x}_n\}$ in reference element
|
||||
- A polynomial basis (ansatz) $\{p_1(\mathbf{x}), p_2(\mathbf{x}), \ldots, p_n(\mathbf{x})\}$
|
||||
|
||||
We seek coefficients $\alpha_{ij}$ such that:
|
||||
|
||||
$$N_i(\mathbf{x}) = \sum_{j=1}^{n} \alpha_{ij} p_j(\mathbf{x})$$
|
||||
|
||||
The Kronecker delta property gives us:
|
||||
|
||||
$$N_i(\mathbf{x}_k) = \sum_{j=1}^{n} \alpha_{ij} p_j(\mathbf{x}_k) = \delta_{ik}$$
|
||||
|
||||
This is a linear system: $\mathbf{V} \boldsymbol{\alpha}_i = \mathbf{e}_i$
|
||||
|
||||
Where the **Vandermonde matrix** is:
|
||||
|
||||
$$V_{kj} = p_j(\mathbf{x}_k)$$
|
||||
|
||||
And $\mathbf{e}_i$ is the $i$-th unit vector.
|
||||
|
||||
### Example: 1D Linear Element (Seg2)
|
||||
|
||||
**Ansatz:** $p(\xi) = 1 + \xi$ (complete linear polynomial)
|
||||
|
||||
**Nodes:** $\xi_1 = 0$, $\xi_2 = 1$
|
||||
|
||||
**Vandermonde matrix:**
|
||||
|
||||
$$\mathbf{V} = \begin{bmatrix}
|
||||
p_1(\xi_1) & p_2(\xi_1) \\
|
||||
p_1(\xi_2) & p_2(\xi_2)
|
||||
\end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix}
|
||||
1 & 0 \\
|
||||
1 & 1
|
||||
\end{bmatrix}$$
|
||||
|
||||
**Solve for $N_1$:** $\mathbf{V} \boldsymbol{\alpha}_1 = [1, 0]^T$
|
||||
|
||||
$$\begin{bmatrix} 1 & 0 \\ 1 & 1 \end{bmatrix} \begin{bmatrix} \alpha_{11} \\ \alpha_{12} \end{bmatrix} = \begin{bmatrix} 1 \\ 0 \end{bmatrix}$$
|
||||
|
||||
Solution: $\alpha_{11} = 1$, $\alpha_{12} = -1$
|
||||
|
||||
Therefore: $N_1(\xi) = 1 \cdot 1 + (-1) \cdot \xi = 1 - \xi$ ✓
|
||||
|
||||
**Solve for $N_2$:** $\mathbf{V} \boldsymbol{\alpha}_2 = [0, 1]^T$
|
||||
|
||||
Solution: $\alpha_{21} = 0$, $\alpha_{22} = 1$
|
||||
|
||||
Therefore: $N_2(\xi) = 0 \cdot 1 + 1 \cdot \xi = \xi$ ✓
|
||||
|
||||
**Verification:**
|
||||
- $N_1(0) = 1$, $N_1(1) = 0$ ✓
|
||||
- $N_2(0) = 0$, $N_2(1) = 1$ ✓
|
||||
- $N_1(\xi) + N_2(\xi) = 1$ (partition of unity) ✓
|
||||
|
||||
## Polynomial Completeness
|
||||
|
||||
The ansatz polynomial must be **complete** to the desired order:
|
||||
|
||||
| Order | 1D | 2D | 3D | Nodes Required |
|
||||
|-------|----|----|-----|----------------|
|
||||
| Linear | $1 + \xi$ | $1 + \xi + \eta$ | $1 + \xi + \eta + \zeta$ | $d+1$ |
|
||||
| Quadratic | $1 + \xi + \xi^2$ | $1 + \xi + \eta + \xi^2 + \xi\eta + \eta^2$ | ... | $(d+1)(d+2)/2$ |
|
||||
|
||||
**Example for 2D Triangle (Tri3):**
|
||||
|
||||
Ansatz: $p(\xi, \eta) = 1 + \xi + \eta$ (complete linear in 2D)
|
||||
|
||||
This is the **minimal** complete polynomial for 3 nodes.
|
||||
|
||||
## Implementation in JuliaFEM
|
||||
|
||||
### Automatic Generation Process
|
||||
|
||||
```julia
|
||||
# 1. Define element geometry
|
||||
coords = [(0.0, 0.0), (1.0, 0.0), (0.0, 1.0)] # Tri3 nodes
|
||||
|
||||
# 2. Define ansatz polynomial
|
||||
ansatz = :(1 + u + v) # Complete linear in 2D
|
||||
|
||||
# 3. Build Vandermonde matrix
|
||||
V[i,j] = eval_polynomial_term(ansatz_terms[j], coords[i])
|
||||
|
||||
# 4. For each node i:
|
||||
coeffs = V \ e_i # Solve linear system
|
||||
N_i = sum(coeffs[j] * ansatz_terms[j]) # Construct basis function
|
||||
|
||||
# 5. Symbolic differentiation
|
||||
∂N_i/∂ξ = differentiate(N_i, :u)
|
||||
∂N_i/∂η = differentiate(N_i, :v)
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
### Why This Works
|
||||
|
||||
1. **Completeness:** Ansatz spans full polynomial space of given order
|
||||
2. **Linear Independence:** Vandermonde matrix is non-singular for distinct nodes
|
||||
3. **Interpolation Property:** Follows directly from $\mathbf{V} \boldsymbol{\alpha}_i = \mathbf{e}_i$
|
||||
|
||||
### Derivatives
|
||||
|
||||
Once we have $N_i(\xi, \eta, \zeta)$ symbolically, derivatives are straightforward:
|
||||
|
||||
$$\frac{\partial N_i}{\partial \xi}, \frac{\partial N_i}{\partial \eta}, \frac{\partial N_i}{\partial \zeta}$$
|
||||
|
||||
These are computed **once** symbolically, then **pre-compiled** into efficient Julia code.
|
||||
|
||||
## Standard Lagrange Elements in JuliaFEM
|
||||
|
||||
### 1D Elements
|
||||
- **Seg2**: Linear (2 nodes)
|
||||
- **Seg3**: Quadratic (3 nodes, mid-edge node)
|
||||
|
||||
### 2D Elements
|
||||
- **Tri3**: Linear triangle (3 corner nodes)
|
||||
- **Tri6**: Quadratic triangle (6 nodes: 3 corners + 3 mid-edges)
|
||||
- **Quad4**: Bilinear quadrilateral (4 corner nodes)
|
||||
- **Quad8**: Serendipity quadrilateral (8 nodes: 4 corners + 4 mid-edges)
|
||||
- **Quad9**: Biquadratic quadrilateral (9 nodes: 4 corners + 4 mid-edges + 1 center)
|
||||
|
||||
### 3D Elements
|
||||
- **Tet4**: Linear tetrahedron (4 corner nodes)
|
||||
- **Tet10**: Quadratic tetrahedron (10 nodes: 4 corners + 6 mid-edges)
|
||||
- **Hex8**: Trilinear hexahedron (8 corner nodes)
|
||||
- **Hex20**: Serendipity hexahedron (20 nodes: 8 corners + 12 mid-edges)
|
||||
- **Hex27**: Triquadratic hexahedron (27 nodes: full tensor product)
|
||||
- **Pyr5**: Linear pyramid (5 nodes)
|
||||
- **Wedge6**: Linear wedge/prism (6 nodes)
|
||||
- **Wedge15**: Quadratic wedge (15 nodes)
|
||||
|
||||
## Pre-Generation vs Runtime Generation
|
||||
|
||||
### Historical Approach (JuliaFEM ≤ 0.5.1)
|
||||
|
||||
```julia
|
||||
# At package load time:
|
||||
create_basis_and_eval(:Tet10, "...", coords, ansatz)
|
||||
# - Builds Vandermonde matrix
|
||||
# - Solves n linear systems
|
||||
# - Symbolic differentiation
|
||||
# - Simplification
|
||||
# - Code generation with eval()
|
||||
# Result: __precompile__(false) - slow loading
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
**Problems:**
|
||||
- ❌ Symbolic math every package load (100+ ms)
|
||||
- ❌ Cannot precompile (`eval()` at module scope)
|
||||
- ❌ Opaque code generation
|
||||
- ❌ Hard to debug
|
||||
|
||||
### Modern Approach (JuliaFEM ≥ 1.0)
|
||||
|
||||
```julia
|
||||
# Once, during development:
|
||||
scripts/generate_lagrange_basis.jl
|
||||
# - Computes all bases symbolically
|
||||
# - Writes clean Julia code to src/basis/lagrange_generated.jl
|
||||
|
||||
# At package load time:
|
||||
include("basis/lagrange_generated.jl")
|
||||
# - Just parses pre-written Julia code
|
||||
# - Fully precompilable
|
||||
# - Zero symbolic computation
|
||||
```
|
||||
|
||||
**Benefits:**
|
||||
- ✅ Instant package loading
|
||||
- ✅ Full precompilation
|
||||
- ✅ Readable generated code
|
||||
- ✅ Easy to debug
|
||||
- ✅ Version controlled (can review changes)
|
||||
|
||||
## Numerical Stability
|
||||
|
||||
### Vandermonde Matrix Conditioning
|
||||
|
||||
The Vandermonde matrix can be ill-conditioned for:
|
||||
- High-order polynomials ($p > 5$)
|
||||
- Poorly distributed nodes
|
||||
- Reference elements far from unit cube/simplex
|
||||
|
||||
**JuliaFEM's approach:**
|
||||
- Use canonical reference elements (unit cube $[-1,1]^d$ or unit simplex)
|
||||
- Lagrange elements rarely exceed order 3 in practice
|
||||
- For high-order: Consider hierarchical bases (not Lagrange)
|
||||
|
||||
### Verification
|
||||
|
||||
Generated basis functions are verified by:
|
||||
1. **Kronecker delta property:** $N_i(\mathbf{x}_j) = \delta_{ij}$
|
||||
2. **Partition of unity:** $\sum_i N_i(\mathbf{x}) = 1$ everywhere
|
||||
3. **Derivative correctness:** Compare symbolic vs AD
|
||||
|
||||
See `test/test_basis_functions.jl` for comprehensive tests.
|
||||
|
||||
## References
|
||||
|
||||
1. Hughes, T.J.R., "The Finite Element Method: Linear Static and Dynamic Finite Element Analysis", Dover, 2000
|
||||
2. Zienkiewicz, O.C. and Taylor, R.L., "The Finite Element Method", Volumes 1-3, Butterworth-Heinemann, 2000
|
||||
3. Szabó, B. and Babuška, I., "Finite Element Analysis", Wiley, 1991
|
||||
|
||||
## See Also
|
||||
|
||||
- `scripts/generate_lagrange_basis.jl` - Generation script
|
||||
- `src/basis/lagrange_generated.jl` - Generated code (do not edit manually)
|
||||
- `src/basis/lagrange_generator.jl` - Generator functions (symbolic engine)
|
||||
- `benchmarks/tet10_derivatives_benchmark.jl` - Performance analysis (manual vs AD)
|
||||
@@ -0,0 +1,53 @@
|
||||
# JuliaFEM Contributor Manual
|
||||
|
||||
**Audience:** Developers, contributors, advanced users who want to extend or modify JuliaFEM.
|
||||
|
||||
This manual is **technical and detailed** - it explains HOW the code works and WHY we made certain design choices.
|
||||
|
||||
## What's Here
|
||||
|
||||
- **Testing Philosophy:** How and why we test
|
||||
- **Code Style:** Conventions and best practices
|
||||
- **Architecture:** Module structure, data flow, key abstractions
|
||||
- **Performance:** Zero-allocation design, profiling, benchmarking
|
||||
- **Adding Elements:** How to implement new element types
|
||||
- **CI/CD:** Continuous integration, releases, versioning
|
||||
- **Git Workflow:** Branching, commits, pull requests
|
||||
|
||||
## What's NOT Here
|
||||
|
||||
- User tutorials (see `docs/user/` for that)
|
||||
- Deep mathematical theory (see `docs/book/` for that)
|
||||
- "How do I solve problem X?" (that's user docs)
|
||||
|
||||
## Philosophy
|
||||
|
||||
**"Show me the code AND tell me why."**
|
||||
|
||||
We assume you:
|
||||
- Know Julia reasonably well
|
||||
- Understand FEM basics
|
||||
- Want to add features or fix bugs
|
||||
- Care about performance and correctness
|
||||
- Need to understand design rationale
|
||||
|
||||
## Before Contributing
|
||||
|
||||
1. Read [Testing Philosophy](testing_philosophy.md)
|
||||
2. Understand [Architecture](architecture.md)
|
||||
3. Follow [Code Style](code_style.md)
|
||||
4. Check [Performance Guidelines](performance.md)
|
||||
5. Review [Git Workflow](git_workflow.md)
|
||||
|
||||
## Key Principles
|
||||
|
||||
- **Type stability:** No `Any`, no `Dict` without types
|
||||
- **Zero allocations:** Hot paths should allocate nothing
|
||||
- **Immutability:** Prefer `struct` over `mutable struct`
|
||||
- **Composition:** Use tuples and free functions, not OOP hierarchies
|
||||
- **Explicit:** No magic, user knows what happens
|
||||
- **Test first:** Write tests before fixing bugs
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**Start here:** [Testing Philosophy](testing_philosophy.md) | [Architecture Overview](architecture.md)
|
||||
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
|
||||
# JuliaFEM User Manual
|
||||
|
||||
**Audience:** End users, engineers, students who want to run simulations and get results.
|
||||
|
||||
This manual is designed to be **simple and practical** - get you from zero to running simulations as quickly as possible.
|
||||
|
||||
## What's Here
|
||||
|
||||
- **Quick Start:** Installation and first simulation in 5 minutes
|
||||
- **Tutorials:** Step-by-step guides for common problems
|
||||
- **Examples:** Pre-built simulations you can run and modify
|
||||
- **API Reference:** Function documentation (what does this do?)
|
||||
- **Troubleshooting:** Common errors and how to fix them
|
||||
|
||||
## What's NOT Here
|
||||
|
||||
- Deep theory (see `docs/book/` for that)
|
||||
- How to contribute code (see `docs/contributor/` for that)
|
||||
- Internal architecture details
|
||||
|
||||
## Philosophy
|
||||
|
||||
**"Just show me how to solve my problem."**
|
||||
|
||||
We assume you:
|
||||
- Have a problem to solve (heat transfer, elasticity, contact)
|
||||
- Want working code, not lectures
|
||||
- Will read theory when YOU need it, not when WE think you should
|
||||
|
||||
## Getting Help
|
||||
|
||||
1. Start with the Quick Start
|
||||
2. Find an example similar to your problem
|
||||
3. Modify it to fit your needs
|
||||
4. If stuck, check Troubleshooting
|
||||
5. Still stuck? Ask on GitHub Discussions
|
||||
|
||||
---
|
||||
|
||||
**Next:** Start with [Quick Start](quickstart.md) or browse [Examples](../examples/)
|
||||
Reference in New Issue
Block a user