Kuva is a scientific plotting library implemented in Rust, designed for engineers and researchers. It offers a comprehensive suite of 25 plot types, SVG output by default, and optional PNG/PDF backends, providing a flexible solution for data visualization. Its key benefit lies in its versatile CLI binary, which enables direct plotting from the shell, even within the terminal itself.

How It Works

The library leverages Rust for performance and reliability, generating plots primarily as SVG. It supports optional backends for PNG and PDF rendering. A core design element is its accompanying CLI binary, which allows users to generate plots from data files (TSV/CSV) or standard input, with features like terminal rendering offering immediate visual feedback without leaving the command line. This approach combines programmatic control with rapid, interactive visualization.

Quick Start & Requirements

Install the CLI binary via cargo install kuva --features cli. For library usage, add kuva = "0.1" to your Cargo.toml, optionally enabling png, pdf, or full features for corresponding backends. Full documentation, including plot type reference and API guides, is available at psy-fer.github.io/kuva.

Highlighted Details

• Supports 25 distinct plot types.
• Outputs SVG by default, with optional PNG and PDF formats.
• Features a CLI binary capable of rendering plots directly in the terminal.
• Input data (TSV/CSV) is auto-detected, with flexible column selection.
• Development process was significantly accelerated using AI tooling.

Maintenance & Community

The project's development notes highlight extensive AI assistance, with the author retaining architectural direction. No specific community channels (e.g., Discord, Slack) are listed in the README.

Licensing & Compatibility

Kuva is released under the permissive MIT license. This license permits commercial use and integration into closed-source projects without significant restrictions.

Limitations & Caveats

The README notes that development was heavily AI-assisted, though the author maintains architectural control. No specific technical limitations, bugs, or alpha status are detailed.