nalgebra/README.md
2013-10-06 19:20:39 +02:00

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# nalgebra
**nalgebra** is a linear algebra library written for Rust targeting:
* general-purpose linear algebra (still misses a lot of features…).
* real time computer graphics.
* real time computer physics.
## Using nalgebra
All the functionalities of **nalgebra** are grouped in one place: the `na` module.
This module re-exports everything and includes free functions for all traits methods.
Free functions are useful if you prefer doing something like: `na::dot(v1, v2)` instead of
`v1.dot(v2)`.
* You can import the whole prelude, including free functions, using:
```.rust
pub use nalgebra::na::*;
```
* If you dont want to import everything but only every trait:
```.rust
pub use nalgebra::traits::*;
```
* If you dont want to import everything but only every structure:
```.rust
pub use nalgebra::structs::*;
```
Of course, you can still import `nalgebra::na` alone, and get anything you want using the `na`
prefix.
## Features
**nalgebra** is meant to be a general-purpose linear algebra library (but is very far from that…),
and keeps an optimized set of tools for computational graphics and physics. Those features include:
* Vectors with static sizes: `Vec0`, `Vec1`, `Vec2`, `Vec3`, `Vec4`, `Vec5`, `Vec6`.
* Square matrices with static sizes: `Mat1`, `Mat2`, `Mat3`, `Mat4`, `Mat5`, `Mat6 `.
* Rotation matrices: `Rot2`, `Rot3`, `Rot4`.
* Isometries: `Iso2`, `Iso3`, `Iso4`.
* Dynamically sized vector: `DVec`.
* Dynamically sized (square or rectangular) matrix: `DMat`.
* A few methods for data analysis: `Cov`, `Mean`.
* Almost one trait per functionality: useful for generic programming.
* Operator overloading using the double trait dispatch [trick](http://smallcultfollowing.com/babysteps/blog/2012/10/04/refining-traits-slash-impls/). For example, the following works:
```rust
extern mod nalgebra;
use nalgebra::na::{Vec3, Mat3};
fn main() {
let v: Vec3<f64> = Zero::zero();
let m: Mat3<f64> = One::one();
let _ = m * v; // matrix-vector multiplication.
let _ = v * m; // vector-matrix multiplication.
let _ = m * m; // matrix-matrix multiplication.
let _ = v * 2.0; // vector-scalar multiplication.
}
```
## Compilation
You will need the last rust compiler from the master branch.
If you encounter problems, make sure you have the last version before creating an issue.
git clone git://github.com/sebcrozet/nalgebra.git
cd nalgebra
make
You can build the documentation on the `doc` folder using:
```.rust
make doc
```