> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://manimvtk.mathify.dev/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.
# Welcome to ManimVTK
> Scientific Visualization meets Mathematical Animation
## What is ManimVTK?
**ManimVTK** is a powerful fork of [Manim Community](https://www.manim.community/) that combines the elegant animation syntax of Manim with VTK (Visualization Toolkit) for scientific visualization and export capabilities.
Create stunning mathematical animations and export them as interactive 3D datasets for use in ParaView, PyVista, and vtk.js.
Get started with ManimVTK in minutes
Explore VTK export and rendering capabilities
Browse examples from 2D to scientific visualization
Comprehensive API documentation
## Key Features
Create elegant animations using Manim's intuitive syntax. Animate geometric shapes, mathematical functions, graphs, and complex transformations with ease.
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Export your scenes to VTK formats (.vtp, .vtm, .pvd) for visualization in
ParaView and other scientific tools. Perfect for CFD, FEA, and research
presentations.
{" "}
Attach scalar fields (pressure, temperature) and vector fields (velocity,
forces) to your exported VTK data for advanced scientific visualization.
{" "}
Export frame-by-frame VTK files with ParaView Data (.pvd) collection files.
Scrub through animations using ParaView's native time slider.
Generate vtk.js compatible datasets for embedding interactive 3D visualizations in web applications and documentation.
## Quick Example
Here's a simple example that creates an animated surface and exports it to VTK format:
```python theme={null}
from manimvtk import *
class WaveSurface(Scene):
def construct(self):
# Create a parametric surface
surface = Surface(
lambda u, v: np.array([
u,
v,
np.sin(u) * np.cos(v)
]),
u_range=[-2, 2],
v_range=[-2, 2],
resolution=(50, 50),
)
surface.set_color(BLUE)
# Animate the surface
self.play(Create(surface))
self.wait()
```
**Render with VTK export:**
```bash theme={null}
manimvtk -pqh example.py WaveSurface --renderer vtk --vtk-export
```
**Output:**
* `media/videos/example/1080p60/WaveSurface.mp4` - Video animation
* `media/vtk/WaveSurface/WaveSurface_final.vtm` - VTK MultiBlock file
## Use Cases
Create engaging math and physics explanations with beautiful animations
Visualize computational fluid dynamics simulations with scalar and vector
fields
Generate publication-quality animations and interactive 3D datasets
Embed interactive 3D visualizations using vtk.js exports
## Architecture
ManimVTK extends Manim's renderer architecture with VTK support:
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Manim Core │
│ (Scene, Mobject, Animation, play, etc.) │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ Renderer Abstraction │
│ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────┐ ┌─────────────────┐ │
│ │CairoRenderer│ │OpenGLRenderer│ │ VTKRenderer ✨ │ │
│ └─────────────┘ └─────────────┘ └─────────────────┘ │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
│
▼
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│ VTK Export / Viewer Layer │
│ • File export (.vtp, .vtm, .pvd) │
│ • Manim → VTK conversion │
│ • Scalar/Vector field support │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
## Getting Started
Ready to create your first animation? Follow our quick start guide:
Install ManimVTK and create your first scene
## Community & Support
View source code, report issues, and contribute
Join the broader Manim community