Introducing Cadabra: a symbolic computer algebra system for field theory problems

TL;DR

Cadabra is a specialized computer algebra system tailored for field theory problems, offering advanced tensor and algebraic functionalities with an easy-to-use TeX-based input, demonstrated through applications in gravity, supergravity, and quantum field theory.

Contribution

It introduces Cadabra, a new symbolic algebra system optimized for field theory calculations, with unique features for tensor and algebraic manipulations.

Findings

Successfully applied to gravity, supergravity, and quantum field theory problems

Supports complex tensor identities and algebraic structures

Provides both command-line and graphical interfaces

Abstract

Cadabra is a new computer algebra system designed specifically for the solution of problems encountered in field theory. It has extensive functionality for tensor polynomial simplification taking care of Bianchi and Schouten identities, for fermions and anti-commuting variables, Clifford algebras and Fierz transformations, implicit coordinate dependence, multiple index types and many other field theory related concepts. The input format is a subset of TeX and thus easy to learn. Both a command-line and a graphical interface are available. The present paper is an introduction to the program using several concrete problems from gravity, supergravity and quantum field theory.