symengine
Python library providing wrappers to SymEngine
Decision gist · record as of 2026-08-14
Yes, if you need fast symbolic computation in Python and can accept medium install friction. Pre-built wheels make installation straightforward for Python 3.9–3.13 on common platforms. The MIT license and active maintenance are favorable. No security vulnerabilities are known. Consider it especially if performance of symbolic operations is a bottleneck; otherwise, SymPy may be simpler if speed is not critical.AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page — verify before relying
Before you install
- Requires Python ≥ 3.9 and < 4.
- Pre-built wheels available for common platforms; building from source requires CMake ≥ 3.21 and SymEngine ≥ 0.14.0.
- Medium install friction due to compiled C++ dependencies.
License · maintenance · safety
MIT (permissive) — MIT-licensed wrapper using LGPL-3.0-or-later (GMP, MPFR, MPC, MPIR), Apache-2.0 (LLVM), BSD-3-Clause (zstd, symengine), and Zlib dependencies in wheels. Permissive overall, but LGPL dependencies require awareness of linking obligations if redistributing binaries.
last release 2025-04-21 (480 days) · last repo commit 2026-07-28 · 189 stars
0 known vulnerabilities (OSV.dev, 2026-08-14) · 506,365 downloads/mo, #6,286 on PyPI
Alternatives
Verify before relying
pip install symengine
from symengine import var
x, y, z = var('x y z')
e = (x + y + z)**2
expanded_e = e.expand()
print(expanded_e)- Whether LLVM linking is recommended or required for typical lambdify use cases.
- Performance comparison with SymPy or other symbolic libraries for common operations.
- Whether FLINT linking is available in pre-built wheels or requires source build.
What it is and what it does
SymEngine is a Python wrapper around a fast C++ symbolic algebra engine. It provides core symbolic computation capabilities—variable definition, expression expansion, simplification, and algebraic manipulation—without requiring a full computer algebra system. The library is designed for speed and is used where symbolic operations need to be integrated into Python workflows without the overhead of heavier systems.
The package ships pre-built wheels for Python 3.9–3.13 across macOS, Linux, and Windows, reducing install friction for most users. Building from source is possible but requires CMake, the SymEngine C++ library itself, and Cython. Optional dependencies like NumPy and SymPy can enhance functionality. The wrapper is actively maintained and carries no known security vulnerabilities.
Use it for
- Expand and simplify algebraic expressions symbolically in mathematical or physics simulations.
- Integrate symbolic computation into performance-critical Python code where speed matters.
- Define symbolic variables and perform algebraic operations in numerical computing pipelines.
- Evaluate floating-point expressions via lambdify when linked against LLVM.
- Use as a faster alternative to SymPy for core symbolic manipulation tasks.
Worth the install?
AI-flagged interpretation of the facts on this page. Verify before relying on it.
Yes, if you need fast symbolic computation in Python and can accept medium install friction.
Pre-built wheels make installation straightforward for Python 3.9–3.13 on common platforms. The MIT license and active maintenance are favorable. No security vulnerabilities are known. Consider it especially if performance of symbolic operations is a bottleneck; otherwise, SymPy may be simpler if speed is not critical.
Install
symengine on PyPI
Before you install
Medium install friction due to compiled C++ dependencies. Pre-built wheels are available for Python 3.9–3.13 on macOS, Linux (x86_64, aarch64, ppc64le), and Windows. Building from source requires CMake ≥ 3.21, SymEngine ≥ 0.14.0, and Cython ≥ 0.29.24. Package is actively maintained with recent commits.
Requires Python ≥ 3.9 and < 4. Pre-built wheels available for common platforms; building from source requires CMake ≥ 3.21 and SymEngine ≥ 0.14.0.
License in practice
MIT-licensed wrapper using LGPL-3.0-or-later (GMP, MPFR, MPC, MPIR), Apache-2.0 (LLVM), BSD-3-Clause (zstd, symengine), and Zlib dependencies in wheels. Permissive overall, but LGPL dependencies require awareness of linking obligations if redistributing binaries.
Quickstart
pip install symengine
from symengine import var
x, y, z = var('x y z')
e = (x + y + z)**2
expanded_e = e.expand()
print(expanded_e)Verify before relying
- Whether LLVM linking is recommended or required for typical lambdify use cases.
- Performance comparison with SymPy or other symbolic libraries for common operations.
- Whether FLINT linking is available in pre-built wheels or requires source build.
Package facts
| License | MIT permissive |
| Python support | Supports the current Python release <4,>=3.9 |
| Install friction | Medium. Platform-specific wheel |
| Runtime dependencies | None |
| Maintenance | Actively maintained 480 days since the last release |
| Last repo commit | |
| First released | |
| Downloads | 506,365 / month, #6,286 on PyPI 30-day window, as of 2026-08-14 |
| Known vulnerabilities | None known OSV.dev, checked 2026-08-14 |
| Classifiers | License :: OSI Approved :: MIT LicenseOperating System :: OS IndependentProgramming Language :: PythonProgramming Language :: Python :: 3.10Programming Language :: Python :: 3.11Programming Language :: Python :: 3.12Programming Language :: Python :: 3.13Programming Language :: Python :: 3.9Topic :: Scientific/EngineeringTopic :: Scientific/Engineering :: MathematicsTopic :: Scientific/Engineering :: Physics |
Evidence: symengine-0.14.1-cp310-cp310-macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp310-cp310-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux2014_aarch64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_17_ppc64le.manylinux2014_ppc64le.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp310-cp310-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp310-cp310-win_amd64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-abi3-macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-abi3-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-abi3-manylinux2014_aarch64.manylinux_2_17_aarch64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-abi3-manylinux2014_ppc64le.manylinux_2_17_ppc64le.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-abi3-manylinux2014_x86_64.manylinux_2_17_x86_64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-abi3-win_amd64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-cp311-macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-cp311-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_17_aarch64.manylinux2014_aarch64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_17_ppc64le.manylinux2014_ppc64le.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-cp311-manylinux_2_17_x86_64.manylinux2014_x86_64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp311-cp311-win_amd64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp312-cp312-macosx_10_13_x86_64.whl; symengine-0.14.1-cp312-cp312-macosx_11_0_arm64.whl
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