VKNOTREADY

VKNOTREADY is an open-source software framework and data standard for virtual knot theory research. It provides tools to construct knot and virtual knot diagrams, simulate diagrammatic operations, and compute a range of knot invariants. The project aims to support reproducible computational experiments and to lower the barrier to entry for students and researchers studying knot theory.

The initiative began as a collaborative effort among mathematicians and computer scientists in 2018 and was released under a permissive license on a public repository. It has since evolved to support a modular architecture, enabling new invariants and algorithms to be added through plugins and scripts.

Key features include an interactive diagram editor, a library of invariant calculators (including classical invariants such as the Jones and Alexander polynomials, and extended invariants for virtual knots), and facilities for validating Reidemeister moves and virtual crossing relations. VKNOTREADY uses a simple, human- and machine-readable data format for knot diagrams, based on JSON, called VKD, which is designed for interchange with other topology tools. The toolkit also offers a scripting API and command-line utilities to automate experiments and batch computations.

Adoption has grown in academic teaching and research settings, where VKNOTREADY is used to illustrate concepts in virtual knot theory and to reproduce computational results. Limitations include the exponential growth of complexity for large diagrams and the current incompleteness of some virtual-knot invariants. The project maintains documentation and participates in ongoing discussions in the virtual knot theory community. See also knot theory, virtual knot theory, computational topology.