A flexible framework for efficient simulations of elastic and liquid membranes

Membranes are ubiquitous in the living world. However, many of their physical properties are dominated by nonlinear effects, requiring computational approaches to model. Here we introduce a computational framework - PyMembrane - for simulating liquid and elastic membranes, designed to bridge the gap between accessibility, flexibility, and computational power. Built on a high-performance C++ backend with a user-friendly Python interface, it enables efficient setup, execution, and analysis of complex simulations. By leveraging a modular architecture and optimized data structures for unstructured triangulated meshes, PyMembrane delivers high computational efficiency for large-scale simulations while maintaining flexibility for customization and extension. Its standardized C++ interface ensures seamless integration of new features, including dynamic and out-of-equilibrium phenomena. With comprehensive documentation and ready-to-use templates for common simulation scenarios, PyMembrane enhances membrane modeling, providing a powerful tool for addressing a wide range of problems in physics, materials science, biology, and engineering.