ipython-unicode

name	ipython-unicode
description	Explains IPython's LaTeX/Unicode tab-completion feature — how to type \alpha, \vec, \dot, font families like \bbA, \bfA, \scrA, superscripts, subscripts, Greek letters, and math symbols as valid Python identifiers. Use when the user asks about unicode identifiers, latex symbols, tab completion for symbols, or typing Greek/math characters in IPython.

IPython Unicode / LaTeX Tab Completion

IPython supports LaTeX-style tab completion: type a \name sequence and press Tab to insert the corresponding Unicode character directly into your code as a valid Python identifier.

How It Works

F\vec<Tab>    →  F⃗
v\dot<Tab>    →  v̇
x\hat<Tab>    →  x̂
\alpha<Tab>   →  α
\mu<Tab>      →  μ

The resulting characters are valid Python identifiers — you can use them as variable names, function parameters, etc.

Combining Accents (place AFTER the variable name)

LaTeX	Unicode	Usage example
\vec	⃗	F⃗ force vector
\dot	̇	ẋ velocity (dx/dt)
\ddot	̈	ẍ acceleration
\dddot	⃛	third derivative
\ddddot	⃜	fourth derivative
\hat	̂	x̂ unit vector/estimate
\bar	̄	x̄ mean value
\tilde	̃	x̃
\acute	́	x́
\grave	̀	x̀
\breve	̆	x̆
\check	̌	x̌
\overbar	̅	x̅
\underbar	̲	x̲
\not	̸	x̸ (negation overlay)
\overleftarrow	⃖
\overleftrightarrow	⃡

Greek Letters

All standard Greek letters are supported:

Lowercase: \alpha α, \beta β, \gamma γ, \delta δ, \epsilon ε, \varepsilon ε, \zeta ζ, \eta η, \theta θ, \vartheta ϑ, \iota ι, \kappa κ, \lambda λ, \mu μ, \nu ν, \xi ξ, \pi π, \varpi ϖ, \rho ρ, \varrho ϱ, \sigma σ, \varsigma ς, \tau τ, \upsilon υ, \phi ϕ, \varphi φ, \chi χ, \psi ψ, \omega ω

Uppercase: \Gamma Γ, \Delta Δ, \Theta Θ, \Lambda Λ, \Xi Ξ, \Pi Π, \Sigma Σ, \Upsilon Υ, \Phi Φ, \Psi Ψ, \Omega Ω

Superscripts \^ and Subscripts \_

\^a → ᵃ   \^b → ᵇ  …  \^z → ᶻ   (also A–Z and some Greek: \^alpha → ᵅ)
\_a → ₐ   \_e → ₑ  …  \_n → ₙ   (also Greek: \_beta → ᵦ, \_rho → ᵨ)
\_0 → ₀   \_1 → ₁  …  \_9 → ₉

Math / Physics Symbols

\hbar → ħ       \hslash → ℏ    \planck → ℎ    \euler → ℯ
\ell → ℓ        \wp → ℘        \Re → ℜ        \Im → ℑ
\aleph → ℵ      \beth → ℶ      \gimel → ℷ     \daleth → ℸ
\ohm → Ω        \Angstrom → Å

Font Family Alphabets (~1000 symbols)

Each covers A–Z and a–z. Type e.g. \bfA<Tab> to get 𝐀:

Prefix	Style	Sample
\bbA	Blackboard bold	𝔸𝔹ℂ𝔻𝔼
\bfA	Bold	𝐀𝐁𝐂𝐃𝐄
\biA	Bold italic	𝑨𝑩𝑪𝑫𝑬
\itA	Italic	𝐴𝐵𝐶𝐷𝐸
\scrA	Script	𝒜𝒞𝒟…
\bscrA	Bold script	𝓐𝓑𝓒𝓓𝓔
\frakA	Fraktur	𝔄𝔅ℭ𝔇𝔈
\bfrakA	Bold fraktur	𝕬𝕭𝕮𝕯𝕰
\sansA	Sans-serif	𝖠𝖡𝖢𝖣𝖤
\bsansA	Bold sans	𝗔𝗕𝗖𝗗𝗘
\isansA	Italic sans	𝘈𝘉𝘊𝘋𝘌
\bisansA	Bold italic sans	𝘼𝘽𝘾𝘿𝙀
\ttA	Typewriter (mono)	𝙰𝙱𝙲𝙳𝙴

Special Latin / IPA

\ss → ß   \ae → æ   \AE → Æ   \aa → å   \AA → Å
\OE → Œ   \eth → ð  \schwa → ə  \DJ → Đ  \NG → Ŋ

Physics / Math Variable Examples

# All valid Python variable names!
α  = 0.01                    # \alpha
μ, σ = 0.0, 1.0              # \mu, \sigma
λ  = 1e-3                    # \lambda
ħ  = 1.055e-34               # \hbar
F⃗  = [1, 0, 0]               # F then \vec<Tab>
ẋ  = 5.0                     # x then \dot<Tab>
ẍ  = 9.8                     # x then \ddot<Tab>
x̄  = sum(data)/len(data)     # x then \bar<Tab>
𝐀  = np.eye(3)               # \bfA (bold matrix)
𝔽₂ = GF(2)                   # \bbF then \_2<Tab>

Browsing All Symbols

from IPython.core.latex_symbols import latex_symbols
len(latex_symbols)  # 1290

# Search for what you need
{k: v for k, v in latex_symbols.items() if 'arrow' in k}
{k: v for k, v in latex_symbols.items() if k.startswith('\\bb')}