Vahana.jl -- A framework (not only) for large-scale agent-based models

TL;DR

Vahana.jl is an open-source Julia framework designed for large-scale agent-based models, efficiently utilizing modern computing resources and supporting distributed simulations, especially for network-focused social systems.

Contribution

It introduces a high-performance, distributed agent-based modeling framework built on graph dynamical systems formalism, optimized for modern multi-node computing environments.

Findings

Supports large-scale, distributed ABMs

Leverages Julia's REPL for rapid development

Efficiently handles complex network-based models

Abstract

Agent-based models (ABMs) offer a powerful framework for understanding complex systems. However, their computational demands often become a significant barrier as the number of agents and complexity of the simulation increase. Traditional ABM platforms often struggle to fully exploit modern computing resources, hindering the development of large-scale simulations. This paper presents Vahana.jl, a high performance computing open source framework that aims to address these limitations. Building on the formalism of synchronous graph dynamical systems, Vahana.jl is especially well suited for models with a focus on (social) networks. The framework seamlessly supports distribution across multiple compute nodes, enabling simulations that would otherwise be beyond the capabilities of a single machine. Implemented in Julia, Vahana.jl leverages the interactive Read-Eval-Print Loop (REPL) environment, facilitating rapid model development and experimentation.