Example: Nice DiffEq Syntax Without A DSL
Users of the SciML ecosystem are often solving large models with complicated states and hundreds or thousands of parameters. These models are implemented using arrays, and those arrays have traditionally been indexed by integers, such as p[1] or p[1:5]. Numerical indexing is wonderful for small models, but can quickly cause problems as models become bigger. It is easy to forget which index corresponds to which reaction rate or which diffusion coefficient. This confusion can lead to difficult to debug problems in a user's code. LabelledArrays can make an important difference here. It is much easier to build a model using parameter references such as p.rate_nacl or p.probability_birth, instead of p[26] or p[1026]. Labelled arrays make both the development and debugging of models much faster.
LabelledArrays.jl are a way to get DSL-like syntax without a macro. In this case, we can solve differential equations with labelled components by making use of labelled arrays, and always refer to the components by name instead of index.
One key caveat is that users do not need to sacrifice performance when using labelled arrays. Labelled arrays are as performant as traditional numerically indexed arrays.
Let's solve the Lorenz equation using an LVectors. LVectors are mutable. Hence, we can use the non-allocating form of the OrdinaryDiffEq API.
using LabelledArrays, OrdinaryDiffEq
+
+function lorenz_f!(du, u, p, t)
+ du.x = p.σ * (u.y - u.x)
+ du.y = u.x * (p.ρ - u.z) - u.y
+ du.z = u.x * u.y - p.β * u.z
+end
+
+u0 = @LArray [1.0, 0.0, 0.0] (:x, :y, :z)
+p = @LArray [10.0, 28.0, 8 / 3] (:σ, :ρ, :β)
+tspan = (0.0, 10.0)
+prob = ODEProblem(lorenz_f!, u0, tspan, p)
+sol = solve(prob, Tsit5())
+# Now the solution can be indexed as .x/y/z as well!
+sol[10].xIn the example above, we used an LArray to define the initial state u0 as well as the parameter vector p. The remainder of the ODE solution steps are no different that the original DifferentialEquations tutorials.
Alternatively, we can use an immutable SLVector to implement the same equation. In this case, we need to use the allocating form of the OrdinaryDiffEq API when defining our model equation.
LorenzVector = @SLVector (:x, :y, :z)
+LorenzParameterVector = @SLVector (:σ, :ρ, :β)
+
+function f(u, p, t)
+ x = p.σ * (u.y - u.x)
+ y = u.x * (p.ρ - u.z) - u.y
+ z = u.x * u.y - p.β * u.z
+ LorenzVector(x, y, z)
+end
+
+u0 = LorenzVector(1.0, 0.0, 0.0)
+p = LorenzParameterVector(10.0, 28.0, 8 / 3)
+tspan = (0.0, 10.0)
+prob = ODEProblem(f, u0, tspan, p)
+sol = solve(prob, Tsit5())