Should I Use Utopia?

Utopia is for you, if

• You are interested in working with one of the many pre-implemented models for your own purposes, or

• You are a researcher looking for a comprehensive modelling tool to investigate complex processes, using e.g. network-based or grid-based models.

• You have knowledge both of C++ and Python.

You might be asking yourself: “Why not use something like NetLogo?” Here’s why:

• Utopia is written in modern C++ and Python, and allows developers to exploit the full potential of both programming languages.

• Utopia offers tools to perform parameter sweeps of models and efficiently analyze their high-dimensional data outputs.

• Utopia includes a multithreading interface and can execute simulations concurrently on distributed cluster nodes.

• Utopia supports and encourages software engineering workflows, including version control, unit testing, and more.

On the other hand, you should not use Utopia, if

• Programming and using the command line is not your thing; Utopia embraces flexibility for programmers.

• You want a library with a simple and concise feature set; Utopia is feature-rich and extensive.

• You want a very quick solution; Utopia has a steep learning curve.

Do I have to use C++?

If you do not feel comfortable with programming in C++, you can still benefit from many features of Utopia via the (standalone) Utopia frontend utopya.