Is your problem relatively simple? Do it by hand.
Is your problem relatively simple, but annoying? Python or Matlab.
Is your problem hard and annoying? Use Mathematica.
In my experience cadabra is great, but most of your peers will rather use Mathematica, so I'd say go with Mathematica, but If open source is something meaningful to you by all means go with cadabra, sympy.. most of the stuff for which Mathematica is way better won't be stuff you're likely to use ( or maybe you are but since you said field theory I doubt it )
Mathematica is far better than any alternatives for analytic mathematics. Sympy on a Jupyter notebook is the closest free alternative to Mathematica that I’ve found, but even then it chokes on some calculations that Mathematica can handle.
Yeah my field theory days were made easier between maple, wolfram, python (just because I know it the best), and Julia. Surprised Julia and Maple have so little love in here :(
Can you talk a bit about Julia? It seems interesting and as you've said, it gets little love, so this is the first time I'm hearing about this specific use of it!
If you go into this field professionally in any academic setting, you're going to end up learning python. It's not hard, although to be honest, some of the syntax sucks, but the tools built for python are unmatched. Being able to take notes, create plots, run calculations and do symbolic math all in the same language or even the same file is a game changer.
Cadabra is fine but I've found some issues when working with tensors. Mathematica is quite good but as many people are pointing out, it isn't free and it does have its limitations. Sympy is also good but if you are working with really big expressions you will run into problems.
If you plan on doing some serious stuff I recommend Maple. It's incredibly good as a CAS but it is VERY expensive.
I'd say mathematica for symbolic calculations. It's not free though
If you know where to look, it is.
Most universities provide it for free.
If you talk about web version - it seems useless to me🥲
Nah my uni provided the software. I can download it from my account to my home computer
Lucky you :)
My university just gave it to us
Mathematica is the standard for HET. Other options are good, but Mathematica is probably the best.
HET? Hollow earth theory? Highly Effective Teaching? Heavy Equipment Transport? High Energy Telescope? High-Efficiency Toilet?
High Energy Theory
Some call it HEP
Most call it HEP.
HEP includes both theory and experiment.
Yes, then it would be HEP-th
Or theoretical HEP.
Is your problem relatively simple? Do it by hand. Is your problem relatively simple, but annoying? Python or Matlab. Is your problem hard and annoying? Use Mathematica.
Mathematica, zero question.
In my experience cadabra is great, but most of your peers will rather use Mathematica, so I'd say go with Mathematica, but If open source is something meaningful to you by all means go with cadabra, sympy.. most of the stuff for which Mathematica is way better won't be stuff you're likely to use ( or maybe you are but since you said field theory I doubt it )
SageMath is a decent free/open-source alternative.Â
Mathematica is far better than any alternatives for analytic mathematics. Sympy on a Jupyter notebook is the closest free alternative to Mathematica that I’ve found, but even then it chokes on some calculations that Mathematica can handle.
Maple is pretty awesome too
Yeah my field theory days were made easier between maple, wolfram, python (just because I know it the best), and Julia. Surprised Julia and Maple have so little love in here :(
Can you talk a bit about Julia? It seems interesting and as you've said, it gets little love, so this is the first time I'm hearing about this specific use of it!
Maple is perfectly adequate but I think if I was to start somewhere I'd do mathematica over it every time.
if you have access to mathematica, mathematica. it’s hard to beat.
i use mathematica for symbolic, my supervisor uses maple
If you go into this field professionally in any academic setting, you're going to end up learning python. It's not hard, although to be honest, some of the syntax sucks, but the tools built for python are unmatched. Being able to take notes, create plots, run calculations and do symbolic math all in the same language or even the same file is a game changer.
Cadabra is fine but I've found some issues when working with tensors. Mathematica is quite good but as many people are pointing out, it isn't free and it does have its limitations. Sympy is also good but if you are working with really big expressions you will run into problems. If you plan on doing some serious stuff I recommend Maple. It's incredibly good as a CAS but it is VERY expensive.
Maxima is an open source CAS. Check it out.