gplugins
gdsfactory plugins
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you are already using GDSFactory for photonic design and need to run simulations without switching tools. The low install friction, active maintenance, and broad simulator coverage make it a natural extension. However, verify that your target simulators are pip-installable or that you can meet their system dependencies. The unclear license status warrants a quick check before committing to production use.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Python 3.11 or later required.
- Optional simulators (Meep, MPB, Elmer, Palace) require conda or manual compilation and must be available in system PATH.
- Low install friction with a pure Python wheel distribution.
License · maintenance · safety
(unclear)
last release 2026-08-14 (0 days)
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 103,973 downloads/mo, #12,777 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install "gplugins[femwell,sax,tidy3d]" --upgrade
import gplugins
from gdsfactory import Component- Whether the package's license is truly unspecified or if it inherits from gdsfactory
- Which simulators are included by default versus available as optional extras
- Performance characteristics and simulation accuracy for each integrated solver
What it is and what it does
Gplugins is a plugin architecture for GDSFactory that acts as a bridge between device descriptions and electromagnetic simulation engines. It integrates FDTD solvers (Ansys Lumerical, tidy3d, MEEP), finite element methods (femwell, elmer, palace), eigenmode expansion (meow), mode solvers, TCAD simulators (devsim), and circuit solvers (sax, vlsir). The package depends on gdsfactory, pint, tqdm, numpy, and xarray to manage unit conversions, progress tracking, and numerical data.
Developers use gplugins to run electromagnetic simulations on photonic circuits designed in GDSFactory without rewriting setup code for each solver. Most plugins install via pip with optional extras, though some simulators require conda or manual compilation and must be available in your system PATH.
Use it for
- Simulate photonic waveguide modes and propagation using femwell or tidy3d mode solvers integrated with GDSFactory designs
- Run full-wave FDTD simulations on integrated photonic circuits using tidy3d or MEEP without leaving the GDSFactory workflow
- Extract S-parameters and circuit behavior from photonic devices using sax circuit solver for system-level analysis
- Perform thermal and electrostatic simulations on heaters and RF waveguides using femwell or palace FEM solvers
- Parse GDS-extracted netlists into Cadence Spectre or NgSpice formats via vlsir for mixed-signal verification
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you are already using GDSFactory for photonic design and need to run simulations without switching tools.
The low install friction, active maintenance, and broad simulator coverage make it a natural extension. However, verify that your target simulators are pip-installable or that you can meet their system dependencies. The unclear license status warrants a quick check before committing to production use.
Install
gplugins on PyPI
Before you install
Low install friction with a pure Python wheel distribution. Actively maintained with a recent release. Requires Python 3.11 or later. Some optional simulators need conda or manual compilation outside pip.
Python 3.11 or later required. Optional simulators (Meep, MPB, Elmer, Palace) require conda or manual compilation and must be available in system PATH.
Quickstart
pip install "gplugins[femwell,sax,tidy3d]" --upgrade
import gplugins
from gdsfactory import ComponentVerify before relying
- Whether the package's license is truly unspecified or if it inherits from gdsfactory
- Which simulators are included by default versus available as optional extras
- Performance characteristics and simulation accuracy for each integrated solver
Package facts
| License | Not declared unclear |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release >=3.11 |
| Install friction | Low. Pure-Python wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | 5 packagesgdsfactorypinttqdmnumpyxarray |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 0 days since the last release |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 103,973 / month, #12,777 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | Operating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13 |
Evidence: gplugins-2.1.4-py3-none-any.whl
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See also gdsfactory · PySpice · sax · tidy3d · gdsfactoryplus · kfactory · elvis-lvs · gmsh · schemdraw · pyamg