2. Release notes

2.1. Introduction

DEVSIM download and installation instructions are located in Supported platforms. The following sections list bug fixes and enhancements over time. Contact information is listed in Contact. A file named CHANGES.md is now distributed with DEVSIM, which can contain additional details concerning a new release.

2.2. Version 2.10.0

2.2.1. Regression results

Due to the changes in this release, there are changes to the expected numerical results. Please see Section 12.3.3 for a listing of where the current results are stored.

2.2.2. Available platform builds

Build automation is now being done using GitHub Actions. Please see Table 3.1 for current OS support. This has lead to the following changes to the build:

macOS

Intel x86_64 is no longer longer a supported on macOS. The minimum supported version is now macOS 14.7.6 (Sonoma).

Windows

Now built on Windows 2025 server running the latest supported version of Visual Studio 2022 Enterprise.

Linux

Linux continues to be built on the manylinux_2_28 docker image. This is compatible with AlmaLinux 8 and is expected to be binary compatible with most current linux distributions for both x86_64 and aarch64.

2.2.3. Python Version

Python 3.9 is now the minimum supported version. Please make sure you are using a newer version of Python when attempting to download from PyPi. Python 3.9 is end of life on October 31, 2025, and we may switch to Python 3.10 as the minimum supported version after that.

2.2.4. Contact Normal Model

Fix issue [#158](https://github.com/devsim/devsim/issues/158), Missing Contact Surface Normal

ContactNSurfaceNormal_x
ContactNSurfaceNormal_y
ContactNSurfaceNormal_z

are node models now listed in Table 5.1.

Thanks to [@marc-flex](https://github.com/marc-flex) for providing a pull request for these missing models.

2.2.5. Documentation

A tasks note is added in HOWTO.md, with some miscellaneous notes concerning building the software.

2.3. Version 2.9.1

Internal code was refactored. While it has been tested, please report any issues you may encounter.

2.4. Version 2.9.0

2.4.1. Windows Python support

The official python.org distribution is better supported. This is since the python.org distribution does not appear to ship the zlib.dll.

2.4.2. VTK writer

[#151](https://github.com/devsim/devsim/issues/151)

Use zlib from Python module instead of Anaconda zlib.dll or the system zlib for other operating systems. The compressed binary data written to the .vtu files should be numerically the same.

2.4.3. Clang build on Windows

While the Windows version is still built with Visual Studio 2022, the build system now supports building with the Clang compilers.

2.5. Version 2.8.4

2.5.1. Serialization of equation command

Write variable_update when writing the devsim.equation() command to the devsim file format.

2.5.2. Simulation Matrix

Fix issue [#148](https://github.com/devsim/devsim/issues/148) segmentation fault in devsim.get_matrix_and_rhs(). Matrix and RHS now printed in testing/cap2.py.

2.5.3. macOS Build

Fix issue [#149](https://github.com/devsim/devsim/issues/149) fix issue with macOS build scripts.

2.6. Version 2.8.3

2.6.1. Linux support

Due to the Red Hat Enterprise Linux 7 end of life on June 30, 2024, the minimum support level for Linux is now Red Hat Enterprise Linux 8 using the AlmaLinux 8 based manylinux_2_28. Please see Supported platforms for more information.

2.6.2. Clang format

Add .clang-format file to provide assist automatic formatting for new source code.

2.6.3. Get equation command

Fixed issue [#145](https://github.com/devsim/devsim/issues/145). get_equation_command now provides the variable_update option that was used.

2.6.4. Exception propagation

Fixed issue where an internal C++ based exception, may not be caught properly on some platforms.

2.7. Version 2.8.2

2.7.1. Documentation refactor

The release notes section has been shortened to the most recent releases. Important information from the release notes was placed in the appropriate sections of the manual. The manual has also been reorganized. The pdf formatting has been improved to reduce the number of empty pages.

For older release notes, please refer to the Version 2.8.1 manual located at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.12211919. The latest version is available from https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4583208.

2.8. Version 2.8.1

2.8.1. Help files

Updated instructions. Added additional documentation files.

Table 2.1 Added documentation files
File	Purpose
`BUILD.md`	Building from source
`CODE_OF_CONDUCT.md`	Code of conduct
`TEST.md`	Testing instructions

2.8.2. Database command removal

The material database has been removed.

devsim.create_db
devsim.open_db
devsim.close_db
devsim.save_db
devsim.add_db_entry
devsim.get_db_entry

This feature was only being used in the bioapp1 examples, and those tests have been updated. This also removes the binary dependence on SQLite.

2.9. Version 2.8.0

2.9.1. `Python` scripts

Based on a contribution by [@simbilod](https://github.com/simbilod), all of the Python scripts have been reformatted. The build system was also updated to enforce Python script modifications are properly formatted when submitted to the project.

2.9.2. Data output

Reduction in data file sizes

Based on a contribution by [@simbilod](https://github.com/simbilod) devsim.write_devices() now supports reducing the file size of data files by allowing users to specify a callback function to reduce data usage. In this example, only the NetDoping field is written to the Tecplot data file.

devsim.write_devices(
    file="mesh2d_reduced.tec",
    type="tecplot",
    include_test=lambda x: x in ("NetDoping",),
)

FLOOPS data file output

The floops option for devsim.write_devices() has been removed.

2.9.3. Platform support

Windows build issue

During testing, it was found the Visual Studio 2022 builds were failing a test related to threading. This was found to be a problem with version 17.10, but not version 17.9. This affects the build automation, but should not affect the binary releases.

Centos 7 end of life

This is the last version to support Centos 7 before its end of life on June 30, 2024. After this date we will be moving to the AlmaLinux 8 based manylinux_2_28.

2.10. Previous releases