This is a Python-based simulator for Conway's Game of Life. It is designed to be simple, efficient, and capable of handling very large patterns on a conceptually infinite grid.

for an easy to use demo without any local install

This project is extensively documented to help users, reviewers, and contributors.

• ELI5.md: A simple, non-technical introduction to the Game of Life.
• CODE_STRUCTURE.md: A high-level overview of the Python code.
• TEST_PLAN.md: Describes the testing strategy and test cases.
• REVIEW_GUIDE.md: A guide for those who want to review or contribute to the project.

For a simple and fun introduction to the concept, check out our ELI5 (Explain Like I'm 5) guide.

The universe of the Game of Life is an infinite, two-dimensional grid of square cells, each of which is in one of two possible states, live or dead. Every cell interacts with its eight neighbours, which are the cells that are horizontally, vertically, or diagonally adjacent. At each step in time, the following transitions occur:

1. Underpopulation: Any live cell with fewer than two live neighbours dies.
2. Survival: Any live cell with two or three live neighbours lives on to the next generation.
3. Overpopulation: Any live cell with more than three live neighbours dies.
4. Reproduction: Any dead cell with exactly three live neighbours becomes a live cell.

This simulator is designed to be highly efficient by avoiding the creation of a large, 2D grid in memory. Here are the core principles:

• Sparse Representation: We only keep track of the coordinates of live cells in a Python set.
• Localized Simulation: The simulation only considers the neighbors of currently live cells, making it fast even on a conceptually infinite grid.
• 64-bit Coordinates: The program can handle extremely large coordinate values, allowing for vast patterns.

For a deeper dive into the code, see the CODE_STRUCTURE.md.

You can run the simulator from the command line.

To run a simulation from a file:

python gol.py --input examples/glider.life --ascii

python gol.py --input examples/glider.life --generations 100

python gol.py --help

The examples folder contains several interesting patterns to get you started:

• glider.life: A classic pattern that moves across the grid.
• block.life: A stable, non-changing pattern.
• blinker.life: A simple oscillator.
• diehard.life: A pattern that runs for 130 generations before disappearing.

You can find more details in the examples/README.md.