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Installation

Requirements

Flote requires:

  • Python 3.10 or higher
  • pip (Python package installer)

That's it! No heavy IDEs, no license servers, no gigabytes of installation files.

Installation via pip

The easiest way to install Flote is using pip:

pip install flote

This will install:

  • Flote language parser and elaborator
  • Python simulation backend
  • Rust simulation backend (pre-compiled binaries)
  • All necessary dependencies

Verify Installation

Check that Flote is installed correctly:

python -c "import flote; print(flote.__version__)"

You should see the version number (e.g., 0.5.0).

  1. Install VS Code

  2. Install recommended extensions:

  3. Python - for testbench editing
  4. WaveTrace - for VCD waveform visualization

Verification

Let's verify everything works by creating a simple test:

Create a Test Circuit

Create a file named test.ft:

comp Test {
    in bit a;
    out bit b = not a;
}

Create a Test Bench

Create a file named test.py:

import flote as ft

# Elaborate the circuit
circuit = ft.elaborate_file('test.ft')

# Test it
circuit.update({'a': '0'})
circuit.wait(10)
print(f"Input: 0, Output: {circuit.component.busses['b'].value}")

circuit.update({'a': '1'})
circuit.wait(10)
print(f"Input: 1, Output: {circuit.component.busses['b'].value}")

Run the Test

python test.py

Expected output:

Input: 0, Output: 1
Input: 1, Output: 0

If you see this output, congratulations! Flote is installed and working correctly.

Troubleshooting

Python Version Issues

Problem: pip install flote fails with Python version error

Solution: Upgrade Python to 3.10 or higher:

# On Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install python3.10

# On macOS with Homebrew
brew install python@3.10

# On Windows
# Download from python.org

Permission Errors

Problem: Permission denied when installing

Solution: Use user install:

pip install --user flote

Import Errors

Problem: ModuleNotFoundError: No module named 'flote'

Solution: Ensure pip installed to the correct Python:

python -m pip install flote

Rust Backend Not Available

Problem: Warning about Rust backend not found

Solution: This is usually not critical - Python backend works fine. If you need Rust backend:

  1. Check your platform is supported (Windows, Linux x86_64, macOS)
  2. Try reinstalling: pip install --force-reinstall flote
  3. Build from source (see above)

Platform-Specific Notes

Windows

  • Use PowerShell or CMD
  • Paths use backslashes \ or forward slashes /
  • Python is usually python not python3

Linux

  • Use bash or your preferred shell
  • May need python3 instead of python
  • May need pip3 instead of pip

macOS

  • Similar to Linux
  • Use Terminal app
  • May need to add Python to PATH

Next Steps

Now that Flote is installed, let's build something!

→ Quick Start Tutorial

Learn to create your first Flote circuit with a complete walkthrough.

Getting Help

If you encounter issues:

  1. Check GitHub Issues
  2. Search existing issues for solutions
  3. Create a new issue with:
  4. Your operating system
  5. Python version (python --version)
  6. Complete error message
  7. Steps to reproduce