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= Sage 9.1 Release Tour =

in progress (2020)

<<TableOfContents>>

== Python 3 transition ==

[[ReleaseTours/sage-9.0|SageMath 9.0]] was the first version of Sage running on Python 3 by default. '''Sage 9.1 continues to support both Python 2 and Python 3.'''

In Sage 9.1, we have made [[https://trac.sagemath.org/query?component=python3&milestone=sage-9.1&or&keywords=~py3&milestone=sage-9.1&groupdesc=1&group=status&max=1500&col=id&col=summary&col=component&col=time&col=changetime&col=author&col=reviewer&col=keywords&order=component|some further improvements regarding Python 3 support]]. In particular, !SageMath now supports underscored numbers [[https://www.python.org/dev/peps/pep-0515/|PEP 515]] (py3); the fix was done in [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/28490|Trac #28490]]:

{{{
sage: 1_000_000 + 3_000
1003000
}}}

The next release, [[ReleaseTours/sage-9.2|SageMath 9.2]], will remove support for Python 2. See [[Python3-Switch]] for more details.

== Portability improvements, increased use of system packages ==

The !SageMath distribution continues to vendor versions of required software packages ("SPKGs") that work well together.

In order to reduce compilation times and the size of the Sage installation,
a [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/27330|development effort ongoing since the 8.x release series]]
has made it possible to '''use many system packages provided by the OS distribution''' (or by the Homebrew or conda-forge distributions) instead of building
!SageMath's own copies.

This so-called "spkg-configure" mechanism runs at the beginning of a build
from source, during the `./configure` phase.

(See the sage-devel threads [[https://groups.google.com/d/msg/sage-devel/nTwhCV89FXE/_7GdzGy4BgAJ|"Brainstorming about Sage dependencies from system packages"]] (May 2017) and [[https://groups.google.com/d/msg/sage-devel/1at1p25IHnQ/ZHcpRjtQAwAJ|"conditionalise installation of many spkg's?"]] (Nov 2017) for its origins and [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/24919|Trac #24919]] for its initial implementation.)

Sage 9.1 is adding many packages to this mechanism, including `openblas`, `gsl`, `r`, `boost`, `libatomic`, `cddlib`, `tachyon`, `nauty`, `sqlite`, `planarity`, `fplll`, `brial`, `flintqs`, `ppl`, `libbraiding`, `cbc`, `gfan`, and `python3`. As to the latter, '''!SageMath will now make use of a suitable installation of Python 3.7.x in your system by setting up a [[https://docs.python.org/3/library/venv.html|venv]]''' (Python 3 virtual environment).

New in Sage 9.1 is also a '''database of system packages''' equivalent to our SPKGs. At the end of a `./configure` run, you will see messages like the following:

{{{
  configure: notice: the following SPKGs did not find equivalent system packages: arb boost boost_cropped bzip2 ... yasm zeromq zlib
  checking for the package system in use... debian
  configure: hint: installing the following system packages is recommended and may avoid building some of the above SPKGs from source:
  configure: $ sudo apt-get install libflint-arb-dev ... yasm libzmq3-dev libz-dev
  configure: After installation, re-run configure using:
  configure: $ ./config.status --recheck && ./config.status
}}}

We also use the same database to update our installation manual automatically.

=== For developers ===

For developers who wish to help improve the portability of !SageMath, there is a new power tool: A '''tox configuration''' that automatically builds and tests Sage within Docker containers running various Linux distributions (`ubuntu-trusty` through `-focal`, `debian-jessie` through `-sid`, `linuxmint-17` through `-19.3`, `fedora-26` through `-32`, `centos-7` and `-8`, `archlinux`, `slackware-14.2`), each in several configurations regarding what system packages are installed. Thus, it is no longer necessary for developers to have access to a machine running `fedora-29`, say, to verify whether the Sage distribution works there; instead, you just type:
{{{
  tox -e docker-fedora-29-standard -- build ptest
}}}
The `Dockerfile`s are generated automatically on the fly using the same database of system packages that provides information to users. See the [[https://git.sagemath.org/sage.git/diff?id2=6a4580546f25fa62f38b3490e2d0120975371379&id=99aca39dea0226372a3f12aed3a13301a3380ff4|new section on "portability testing" in the Developer's Guide]] for details.

An entry point for developers who wish to improve the testing infrastructure is the [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29060|Meta-Ticket #29060: Add Dockerfiles and CI scripts for integration testing]]. See also the broader [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29133|Meta-Meta-Ticket #29133]].

=== For packagers ===

Although we now have continuous integration environments for testing the interaction of the Sage distribution with most major Linux distributions, we are still missing a few. Adding them will enable all Sage developers to check that their changes do not break things on your distribution.


== Package updates ==

We have only made minor updates to standard packages:

 * dateutil - 2.8.1 (from 2.5.3)
 * fplll - 5.3.2 (from 5.2.1)
 * fpylll - 0.5.1.dev (from 0.4.1dev)
 * freetype - 2.10.1
 * m4ri - 20200115
 * m4rie - 20200115
 * ntl - 11.4.3 (from 11.3.2)
 * numpy - 1.16.6
 * openblas - 0.3.9
 * pkgconfig - 1.5.1 (from 1.4.0)
 * pyzmq - 19.0.0 (from 18.1)
 * sage_brial - 1.2.5 (this is the python module of the brial package)
 * sympy - 1.5 (from 1.4)
 * traitlets - 4.3.3

We expect to make larger package updates in the 9.2 release.

=== For developers ===

Preparing and testing package updates has become easier. The new optional field `upstream_url` in `checksums.ini` holds an URL to the upstream package archive, see for example [[https://git.sagemath.org/sage.git/tree/build/pkgs/numpy/checksums.ini?h=develop|build/pkgs/numpy/checksums.ini]].
Note that, like the `tarball` field, the `upstream_url` is a template; the word `VERSION` is substituted with the actual version. The package can be updated by simply typing `./sage -package -update numpy 3.14.59`; this will automatically download the archive and update the `build/pkgs/` information.

Developers who wish to test a package update from a Trac branch before the archive is available on a Sage mirror can do so by configuring their Sage tree using `./configure --enable-download-from-upstream-url`.

== Polyhedral Geometry ==

There is now a catalog for common polyhedral cones, e.g.
{{{
sage: cones.nonnegative_orthant(5)
5-d cone in 5-d lattice N
}}}
New features for polyhedra:
{{{
sage: P = polytopes.cube(intervals='zero_one') # obtain others than the standard cube
sage: P = matrix([[0,1,0],[0,1,1],[1,0,0]])*P # linear transformations
sage: it = P.face_generator() # a (fast and efficient) face generator
sage: next(it)
A 3-dimensional face of a Polyhedron in ZZ^3 defined as the convex hull of 8 vertices
sage: next(it)
A -1-dimensional face of a Polyhedron in ZZ^3
sage: f = next(it)
sage: f.normal_cone() # normal cone for faces
A 1-dimensional polyhedron in ZZ^3 defined as the convex hull of 1 vertex and 1 ray
sage: P.an_affine_basis() # an_affine_basis and a_maximal_chain
[A vertex at (0, 0, 0),
 A vertex at (1, 1, 0),
 A vertex at (0, 0, 1),
 A vertex at (0, 1, 0)]
sage: P = polytopes.hypercube(4)
sage: P.flag_f_vector(0,3) # flag_f_vector is exposed
64
}}}

Regarding the optional package `normaliz` there are some news as well:
{{{
sage: P = polytopes.cube(intervals=[[0,1],[0,2],[0,3]], backend='normaliz')
sage: save(P, '/tmp/this_takes_very_long_so_we_save_it') # saving works now
sage: sage: P.h_star_vector() # compute the h_star_vector with normaliz
[1, 20, 15]
}}}

There are also some bug fixes and other improvements. For more details see the [[https://trac.sagemath.org/wiki/SagePolyhedralGeometry#release_9.1|release notes for optimization and polyhedral geometry softwares interactions in Sage]].

== Improvements in the three.js 3D viewer ==

[[https://doc.sagemath.org/html/en/reference/plot3d/threejs.html|Three.js]] has become the default 3D viewer in SageMath 9.0. In this release, some improvements have been performed:

 * '''bug fixes:''' plot of vectors (Trac ticket [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29206|#29206]]), plot of a single text ([[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29227|#29227]]), method ''plot3d'' transforming a 2D object into a 3D one ([[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29251|#29251]])
 * '''code cleanup''' to prepare for camera viewpoint option ([[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29250|#29250]])

== Integral curves over finite fields ==

A dream has come true! The integral curves over finite fields are now attached with the global function field machinery of Sage. This is a short tour:
{{{
sage: A.<x,y> = AffineSpace(GF(16),2)
sage: C = Curve(y^3 + x^3*y + x); C # Klein quartic
Affine Plane Curve over Finite Field in z4 of size 2^4 defined by x^3*y + y^3 + x
sage: C.function_field()
Function field in y defined by y^3 + x^3*y + x
sage: C.genus()
3
sage: C.closed_points()
[Point (x, y),
 Point (x + (z4), y + (z4^3 + z4^2)),
 Point (x + (z4^2), y + (z4^3 + z4^2 + z4 + 1)),
 Point (x + (z4^3), y + (z4^2 + z4)),
 Point (x + (z4 + 1), y + (z4^3 + z4)),
 Point (x + (z4^2 + z4), y + (z4^2 + z4 + 1)),
 Point (x + (z4^2 + z4), y + (z4^3 + 1)),
 Point (x + (z4^2 + z4), y + (z4^3 + z4^2 + z4)),
 Point (x + (z4^3 + z4^2), y + (z4^2 + z4 + 1)),
 Point (x + (z4^2 + 1), y + (z4^3)),
 Point (x + (z4^3 + z4), y + (z4^2 + z4 + 1)),
 Point (x + (z4^2 + z4 + 1), y + (z4^2 + z4)),
 Point (x + (z4^2 + z4 + 1), y + (z4^3 + z4 + 1)),
 Point (x + (z4^2 + z4 + 1), y + (z4^3 + z4^2 + 1)),
 Point (x + (z4^3 + z4^2 + z4 + 1), y + (z4^2 + z4))]
sage: p1, p2 = _[:2]
sage: P1 = p1.place()
sage: P2 = p2.place()
sage: D = 5 * P1 - P2
sage: D.basis_function_space() # Riemann-Roch space
[(x + z4)/x, 1/x^2*y + (z4^2 + z4)/x]
sage: D.dimension()
2
sage: f1, f2 = D.basis_function_space()
[(x + z4)/x, 1/x^2*y + (z4^2 + z4)/x]
sage: f1.zeros()
[Place (x + z4, y^2 + (z4^3 + z4^2)*y + z4^2 + z4 + 1),
 Place (x + z4, y + z4^3 + z4^2)]
sage: Q1, Q2 = _
sage: q1 = C.place_to_closed_point(Q1); q1
Point (y^2 + (z4^3 + z4^2)*y + (z4^2 + z4 + 1), x + (z4))
sage: q1.degree()
2
sage: q1 = C.place_to_closed_point(Q1); q1
Point (y^2 + (z4^3 + z4^2)*y + (z4^2 + z4 + 1), x + (z4))
sage: q1.degree()
2
sage: q2 = C.place_to_closed_point(Q2)
sage: q2.degree()
1
sage: q2.rational_point()
(z4, z4^3 + z4^2)
sage: _ in C
True
}}}

== Ariki-Koike algebras ==

An Ariki-Koike algebra (aka cyclotomic Hecke algebra) is a generalization of the Iwahori-Hecke algebra to the complex reflection group G(r,1,n) instead of a Coxeter group.

== Configuration changes ==

=== Easier installation of optional linear and mixed integer linear optimization backends ===

It is no longer necessary to recompile sagelib if you wish to use one of the state-of-the-art LP/MIP solvers COIN-OR CBC, CPLEX, or Gurobi, instead of the default (GLPK). The simplified new installation procedure is explained in the [[https://git.sagemath.org/sage.git/tree/src/doc/en/thematic_tutorials/linear_programming.rst?id=5fa32aa9f8acede36a665baf6b474af886c95956#n438|Thematic Tutorial on Linear Programming]].

(If you cannot update to 9.1 just yet, you can retroactively get the same feature in your installation of Sage too by pip-installing one of the packages [[https://github.com/mkoeppe/sage-numerical-backends-cplex|sage-numerical-backends-cplex]], [[https://github.com/mkoeppe/sage-numerical-backends-coin|sage-numerical-backends-coin]], [[https://github.com/mkoeppe/sage-numerical-backends-gurobi|sage-numerical-backends-gurobi]].)

=== New way to install optional and experimental packages ===

It is now possible to use `./configure` options to request the installation of optional and experimental packages at the next run of `make`. For example, type
{{{
    $ ./configure --enable-4ti2 --enable-lrslib
}}}
to request these two packages to be installed. Check `./configure --help` for a list of all options. (The traditional way of installing optional packages, `sage -i`, still works.)

Likewise, optional and experimental packages can be requested to be uninstalled at the next run of `make` by using `--disable-SPKG` options.

=== For developers and packagers ===

Happy news! The configuration file

 * `src/bin/sage-env-config` (installed as `$SAGE_LOCAL/bin/sage-env-config`)

(introduced 4 years ago in [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/21479|Trac #21479]])
finally has some company. Two new configuration files, also generated by the Sage
distribution's `./configure` script, are taking over some of its duties.

 * `build/bin/sage-build-env-config` (not installed) provides configuration variables that are used only while building packages.

 * `build/pkgs/sage_conf/src/sage_conf.py` (installed as Python module `sage_conf`) provides configuration variables that are needed by the Sage library runtime, but are not needed in the form of environment variables. (They are available to the Sage library even when it is imported into a Python running outside of the environment set up by `sage-env`.)

See [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/21707|Meta-ticket #21707: Split sage-env into 5 to clean up sage configuration]] for details and planned future work.

== Spring cleaning ==

 * [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29636|Trac #29636: Delete changelog sections from all SPKG information files]]; they were deprecated in favor of using Trac years ago. The contributions of Sage developers maintaining SPKGs are documented by our [[http://www.sagemath.org/changelogs/index.html|historical changelogs]].

 * [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29406|Trac #29406: Remove documentation on creating old-style SPKGs]], [[https://trac.sagemath.org/ticket/29383|Trac #29383: Remove related scripts]]

 * [[https://trac.sagemath.org/query?milestone=sage-9.1&summary=~clean&or&component=refactoring&milestone=sage-9.1&or&component=scripts&milestone=sage-9.1&groupdesc=1&group=status&max=1500&col=id&col=summary&col=component&col=time&col=changetime&col=author&col=reviewer&col=keywords&order=component|Remove numerous deprecated items, fix coding style, refactoring]]

== Availability of Sage 9.1 and installation help ==

Sage 9.1 has not been released yet. See [[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/sage-release|sage-release]] for announcements of beta versions and release candidates.

=== Availability in distributions ===

(TBD)

=== Installation FAQ ===

See [[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/sage-release|sage-release]], [[https://groups.google.com/forum/#!forum/sage-devel|sage-devel]].

== More details ==

 * [[https://trac.sagemath.org/query?milestone=sage-9.1&groupdesc=1&group=status&max=1500&col=id&col=summary&col=author&col=reviewer&col=time&col=changetime&col=component&col=keywords&order=component|Trac tickets with milestone 9.1]]