Fluid Simulation

Real-time fluid simulation on the GPU using WebGPU. Just something pretty to look at.

Features

• Real-time Navier-Stokes fluid simulation
• Interactive brush: inject dye, paint velocity, draw obstacles
• Random splat generator
• Import images as dye, velocity field, or obstacle map
• Save/load simulation state
• Screenshot to clipboard or file
• Multiple render modes: dye, velocity, pressure, divergence, curl
• Python scripting engine with per-script isolated namespaces and tick callbacks

Building

Requires CMake 3.28+, a C++23 compiler, and ZLIB.

cmake --preset release
cmake --build --preset release
./FluidSimulation

By default uses the Dawn WebGPU backend. To use wgpu-native instead:

cmake --preset release-wgpu
cmake --build --preset release-wgpu
./FluidSimulation

All other dependencies (GLFW, ImGui, sigslot, nfd, stb, etc.) are fetched automatically via CMake FetchContent.

Python scripting is enabled automatically if Python 3.10+ development headers are found. To disable, build without Python headers installed, or force disable it along with all scripting UI components using the specific preset:

cmake --preset release-no-python
cmake --build --preset release-no-python
./FluidSimulation

Controls

Input	Action
Left drag	Apply brush
Right drag	Erase obstacles
Space	Pause / resume
D / V / P / G / C	Switch render mode
F12	Screenshot to clipboard
Alt	Toggle menu bar
→ (paused)	Step one frame

License

GPL-3.0