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Quick Overview
mathjs is an extensive math library for JavaScript and Node.js. It offers a flexible expression parser with support for symbolic computation, comes with a large set of built-in functions and constants, and has the ability to operate on different data types like numbers, big numbers, complex numbers, fractions, units, and matrices.
Pros
- Comprehensive: Covers a wide range of mathematical operations and functions
- Flexible: Can be used in both browser and Node.js environments
- Extensible: Allows custom functions and data types to be added
- Well-documented: Extensive documentation and examples available
Cons
- Performance: May be slower than native JavaScript math operations for simple calculations
- Size: The full library is quite large, which may impact load times in browser environments
- Learning curve: The extensive API can be overwhelming for beginners
- Precision limitations: While it supports big numbers, there are still limits to precision in certain operations
Code Examples
- Basic arithmetic and expression parsing:
import * as math from 'mathjs'
console.log(math.evaluate('2 + 3 * 4')) // 14
console.log(math.derivative('x^2 + 2x', 'x').toString()) // '2 * x + 2'
- Working with matrices:
import { matrix, multiply } from 'mathjs'
const a = matrix([[1, 2], [3, 4]])
const b = matrix([[5, 6], [7, 8]])
console.log(multiply(a, b).toString()) // '[[19, 22], [43, 50]]'
- Unit conversions:
import { unit } from 'mathjs'
const speed = unit('60 km/h')
console.log(speed.to('m/s').toString()) // '16.67 m / s'
Getting Started
To use mathjs in your project, first install it via npm:
npm install mathjs
Then, in your JavaScript file:
import * as math from 'mathjs'
// Use math functions
console.log(math.sqrt(-4)) // 2i
console.log(math.evaluate('12.7 cm to inch')) // 5 inch
console.log(math.evaluate('sin(45 deg) ^ 2')) // 0.5
For more advanced usage and configuration options, refer to the official documentation at https://mathjs.org/docs/.
Competitor Comparisons
The fundamental package for scientific computing with Python.
Pros of NumPy
- Highly optimized for numerical computations, especially with large arrays and matrices
- Extensive ecosystem and integration with other scientific Python libraries
- Supports a wide range of mathematical operations and linear algebra functions
Cons of NumPy
- Limited to Python programming language
- Steeper learning curve for beginners compared to MathJS
- Less suitable for symbolic mathematics and complex number operations
Code Comparison
NumPy:
import numpy as np
a = np.array([1, 2, 3])
b = np.array([4, 5, 6])
result = np.dot(a, b)
MathJS:
const math = require('mathjs')
const a = [1, 2, 3]
const b = [4, 5, 6]
const result = math.dot(a, b)
Both libraries provide similar functionality for basic operations, but NumPy excels in performance and advanced numerical computations, while MathJS offers a more accessible approach for JavaScript developers and supports a broader range of mathematical operations, including symbolic math.
A computer algebra system written in pure Python
Pros of SymPy
- More comprehensive symbolic mathematics capabilities
- Broader range of advanced mathematical functions and operations
- Stronger support for scientific computing and physics applications
Cons of SymPy
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Slower performance for basic numerical computations
- Less focus on browser-based applications
Code Comparison
SymPy example:
from sympy import symbols, expand
x, y = symbols('x y')
expr = expand((x + y)**3)
print(expr)
MathJS example:
const math = require('mathjs')
const expr = math.parse('(x + y)^3')
const expanded = math.expand(expr)
console.log(expanded.toString())
Both libraries can handle symbolic mathematics, but SymPy offers more advanced capabilities for complex mathematical operations. MathJS, on the other hand, is designed to be more accessible for web developers and provides better integration with JavaScript environments.
SymPy is better suited for scientific computing and advanced mathematics, while MathJS excels in providing a user-friendly math library for web applications and basic calculations. The choice between the two depends on the specific requirements of your project and the level of mathematical complexity you need to handle.
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Math.js is an extensive math library for JavaScript and Node.js. It features a flexible expression parser with support for symbolic computation, comes with a large set of built-in functions and constants, and offers an integrated solution to work with different data types like numbers, big numbers, complex numbers, fractions, units, and matrices. Powerful and easy to use.
Features
- Supports numbers, bignumbers, bigints, complex numbers, fractions, units, strings, arrays, and matrices.
- Is compatible with JavaScript's built-in Math library.
- Contains a flexible expression parser.
- Does symbolic computation.
- Comes with a large set of built-in functions and constants.
- Can be used as a command line application as well.
- Runs on any JavaScript engine.
- Is easily extensible.
- Open source.
Usage
Math.js can be used in both node.js and in the browser.
Install math.js using npm:
npm install mathjs
Or download mathjs via one of the CDN's listed on the downloads page:
https://mathjs.org/download.html
Math.js can be used similar to JavaScript's built-in Math library. Besides that, math.js can evaluate expressions and supports chained operations.
import {
atan2, chain, derivative, e, evaluate, log, pi, pow, round, sqrt
} from 'mathjs'
// functions and constants
round(e, 3) // 2.718
atan2(3, -3) / pi // 0.75
log(10000, 10) // 4
sqrt(-4) // 2i
pow([[-1, 2], [3, 1]], 2) // [[7, 0], [0, 7]]
derivative('x^2 + x', 'x') // 2 * x + 1
// expressions
evaluate('12 / (2.3 + 0.7)') // 4
evaluate('12.7 cm to inch') // 5 inch
evaluate('sin(45 deg) ^ 2') // 0.5
evaluate('9 / 3 + 2i') // 3 + 2i
evaluate('det([-1, 2; 3, 1])') // -7
// chaining
chain(3)
.add(4)
.multiply(2)
.done() // 14
See the Getting Started for a more detailed tutorial.
Browser support
Math.js works on any ES2020 compatible JavaScript engine, including node.js, Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge.
Documentation
Build
First clone the project from github:
git clone git@github.com:josdejong/mathjs.git
cd mathjs
Install the project dependencies:
npm install
Then, the project can be build by executing the build script via npm:
npm run build
This will build ESM output, CommonJS output, and the bundle math.js from the source files and put them in the folder lib.
Develop
When developing new features for mathjs, it is good to be aware of the following background information.
Code
The code of mathjs
is written in ES modules, and requires all files to have a real, relative path, meaning the files must have a *.js
extension. Please configure adding file extensions on auto import in your IDE.
Architecture
What mathjs tries to achieve is to offer an environment where you can do calculations with mixed data types,
like multiplying a regular number
with a Complex
number or a BigNumber
, and work with all of those in matrices.
Mathjs also allows to add a new data type with little effort.
The solution that mathjs uses has two main ingredients:
-
Typed functions. All functions are created using
typed-function
. This makes it easier to (dynamically) create and extend a single function with new data types, automatically do type conversions on function inputs, etc. So, if you create function multiply for twonumber
s, you can extend it with support for multiplying your own data type, sayMyDecimal
. If you define a conversion fromMyDecimal
tonumber
, the typed-function will automatically allow you to multiply aMyDecimal
with anumber
. -
Dependency injection. When we have a function
multiply
with support forMyDecimal
, thanks to the dependency injection, other functions usingmultiply
under the hood, likeprod
, will automatically supportMyDecimal
too. This also works the other way around: if you don't need the heavyweightmultiply
(which supports BigNumbers, matrices, etc), and you just need a plain and simple number support, you can use a lightweight implementation ofmultiply
just for numbers, and inject that inprod
and other functions.
At the lowest level, mathjs has immutable factory functions which create immutable functions. The core function math.create(...)
creates a new instance having functions created from all passed factory functions. A mathjs instance is a collection of created functions. It contains a function like math.import
to allow extending the instance with new functions, which can then be used in the expression parser.
Implementing a new function
A common case is to implement a new function. This involves the following steps:
- Implement the function in the right category, for example
./src/function/arithmetic/myNewFunction.js
, where you can replacearithmetic
with the proper category, andmyNewFunction
with the name of the new function. Add the new function to the index files./src/factoriesAny.js
and possibly./src/factoriesNumber.js
. - Write documentation on the function in the source code comment of
myNewFunction.js
. This documentation is used to auto generate documentation on the website. - Write embedded documentation for the new function in
./src/expression/embeddedDocs/function/arithmetic/myNewFunction.js
. Add the new documentation to the index file./src/expression/embeddedDocs/embeddedDocs.js
. - Write unit tests for the function in
./test/unit-tests/function/arithmetic/myNewFunction.test.js
. - Write the necessary TypeScript definitions for the new function in
./types/index.d.ts
, and write tests for it in./test/typescript-tests/testTypes.ts
. This is described in ./types/EXPLANATION.md. - Ensure the code style is ok by running
npm run lint
(runnpm run format
to fix the code style automatically).
Build scripts
The build script currently generates two types of output:
- any, generate entry points to create full versions of all functions
- number: generating and entry points to create lightweight functions just supporting
number
For each function, an object is generated containing the factory functions of all dependencies of the function. This allows to just load a specific set of functions, and not load or bundle any other functionality. So for example, to just create function add
you can do math.create(addDependencies)
.
Test
To execute tests for the library, install the project dependencies once:
npm install
Then, the tests can be executed:
npm test
To test the type definitions:
npm run test:types
Additionally, the tests can be run on FireFox using headless mode:
npm run test:browser
To run the tests remotely on LambdaTest, first set the environment variables LT_USERNAME
and LT_ACCESS_KEY
with your username and access key and then execute:
npm run test:lambdatest
You can separately run the code linter, though it is also executed with npm test
:
npm run lint
To automatically fix linting issue, run:
npm run format
To test code coverage of the tests:
npm run coverage
To see the coverage results, open the generated report in your browser:
./coverage/lcov-report/index.html
Continuous integration testing
Continuous integration tests are run on Github Actions and LambdaTest every time a commit is pushed to github. Github Actions runs the tests for different versions of node.js, and LambdaTest runs the tests on all major browsers.
Thanks, GitHub Actions and LambdaTest for the generous free hosting of this open source project!
License
mathjs is published under the Apache 2.0 license:
Copyright (C) 2013-2025 Jos de Jong <wjosdejong@gmail.com>
Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
You may obtain a copy of the License at
https://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
limitations under the License.
mathjs contains a JavaScript port of the CSparse library, published under the LGPL-2.1+ license:
CSparse: a Concise Sparse matrix package.
Copyright (c) 2006, Timothy A. Davis.
http://www.suitesparse.com
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
CSparse is free software; you can redistribute it and/or
modify it under the terms of the GNU Lesser General Public
License as published by the Free Software Foundation; either
version 2.1 of the License, or (at your option) any later version.
CSparse is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE. See the GNU
Lesser General Public License for more details.
You should have received a copy of the GNU Lesser General Public
License along with this Module; if not, write to the Free Software
Foundation, Inc., 51 Franklin St, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA
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