Setup

GPU Setup

Local GPU auto-detect, engine installation, and cloud fallback.

Local GPU Auto-Detect

blast simulate --engine openmm --detect-gpu

Supported backends:

  • NVIDIA CUDAnvidia-smi detection, cuDNN auto-check
  • Apple Metal / MPStorch.backends.mps.is_available()
  • AMD ROCm — experimental, via HIP_VISIBLE_DEVICES

If not detected, the engine prints exact install commands:

# conda install -c conda-forge openmm
# pip install openmm

Engine Categories

CategoryEnginesTypical Install
Molecular DynamicsGROMACS, LAMMPS, OpenMM, MDAnalysisconda install -c conda-forge gromacs
Quantum ChemistryPySCF, Psi4, Quantum ESPRESSOpip install pyscf
CFDOpenFOAM, FEniCSxconda install -c conda-forge fenics
NeuroscienceNEURON, Brian2, Jaxleypip install neuron
Systems BiologyCOPASI, Telluriumpip install tellurium
Multi-physicsMuJoCo, PyBullet, Taichipip install mujoco
AstrophysicsRebound, AMUSEpip install rebound
ML/MDJAX MD, JAX-LaBpip install jax-md

Cloud GPU (vast.ai)

For engines too large for local hardware:

blast simulate --engine gromacs --estimate-cost

Example output:

Local: 8h on RTX 4090 ($0)
vast.ai: 1h on A100 ($0.80)
vast.ai: 2h on RTX 3090 ($0.40)

Workflow:

  1. blast simulate --engine <name> --dry-run — shows exact conda/pip commands
  2. Install locally OR rent on vast.ai
  3. Re-run without --dry-run

Honest Fallback

If an engine is not installed, c4reqber automatically falls back to:

  • Toy analytical model (same physics equations, coarse grid)
  • Clear labeling: [FALLBACK: toy model — install <engine> for full simulation]
  • No fake data — equations are real, just lower resolution