GUCA (Graph Unfolding Cellular Automata) is a browser-based simulator for graph cellular automata genomes. A genome is an ordered rule table that mutates an undirected graph over time: nodes can change state, create children, connect to nearby nodes, disconnect, or die.
The app is built with TypeScript, Webpack, Jest, D3, graphlib, and 3d-force-graph.
- Built-in genome YAML files live in
data/genoms/. - The genome format is documented in docs/GENOME_GUIDE.md.
- The UI can load built-in genomes, upload YAML/JSON genomes, edit rules, export the current genome, and share genomes through URL hashes.
npm ci
npm run startOpen http://127.0.0.1:8080.
Common checks:
npm run typecheck
npm test
npm run check
npm run buildnpm run check runs TypeScript type checking and Jest. npm run build writes the browser bundle to dist/bundle.js.
src/gum.ts: core Graph Unfolding Machine, graph model, rule execution, topology semantics, cleanup behavior.src/genomeLoader.ts: YAML/JSON genome parsing and defaults.src/main.ts: browser entry point, DOM wiring, 2D D3 view, simulation loop, genome import/export.src/graph3d.ts,src/graphData.ts: 3D graph rendering and data adaptation.src/ruleEditor.ts,src/nodeInspector.ts: interactive rule and node inspection tools.src/utils.ts,src/edgeGradients.ts,src/viewport.ts,src/responsive.ts: shared UI and rendering helpers.src/__tests__/: Jest regression tests for core behavior, loaders, rendering helpers, sharing, and UI-adjacent pure helpers.
dist/bundle.js is currently tracked as the static browser artifact used by the hosted demo flow. Do not rebuild and commit dist/bundle.js as incidental cleanup; update it only when intentionally publishing a frontend change.
Project-specific AI-agent guidance lives in AGENTS.md. The old prompt-bundling workflow has been removed; agents should inspect the repo directly and use the documented runbook.
- Original "Living Graphs" article: habr.com/en/articles/107387
- Related artificial life work: Computational Life, ASAL