- name
- nvalchemi-data-structures
- description
- How to use AtomicData and Batch, the core graph-based data structures for representing atomic systems and batching them for GPU computation. Use when building systems from positions, cells, and atomic numbers, converting from ASE Atoms, batching or unbatching structures, reading per-atom vs per-graph tensors, grouping graphs within a batch (e.g. NEB path images or ensemble members) via group_idx/GroupLayout, or debugging shape, dtype, or device errors in model inputs.
# nvalchemi Data Structures
## Overview
`nvalchemi` represents atomic systems as graphs using two core classes:
- **`AtomicData`** — a single atomic system (molecule, crystal, etc.)
- **`Batch`** — an efficient container of multiple `AtomicData` objects
stored as concatenated tensors
Both are Pydantic `BaseModel` subclasses with `DataMixin` for device/dtype operations.
```python
from nvalchemi.data import AtomicData, Batch
```
---
## AtomicData
### Construction
**Required fields:** `positions` `[n_nodes, 3]` and `atomic_numbers` `[n_nodes]`.
```python
import torch
# Minimal
data = AtomicData(
positions=torch.randn(4, 3),
atomic_numbers=torch.tensor([1, 6, 6, 1], dtype=torch.long),
)
# With edges (bonds or neighbor list)
data = AtomicData(
positions=torch.randn(4, 3),
atomic_numbers=torch.tensor([1, 6, 6, 1], dtype=torch.long),
neighbor_list=torch.tensor([[0, 1], [1, 0], [1, 2], [2, 1]], dtype=torch.long),
)
# With system-level fields (energy, cell, pbc)
data = AtomicData(
positions=torch.randn(4, 3),
atomic_numbers=torch.tensor([1, 6, 6, 1], dtype=torch.long),
energy=torch.tensor([[0.5]]),
cell=torch.eye(3).unsqueeze(0), # [1, 3, 3]
pbc=torch.tensor([[True, True, False]]), # [1, 3]
)
```
**From ASE Atoms:**
```python
data = AtomicData.from_atoms(
atoms, # ase.Atoms object
energy_key="energy", # key in atoms.info / atoms.calc
forces_key="forces",
device="cpu",
dtype=torch.float32,
)
```
### Field reference
Fields are organized by level. All are optional except `positions` and `atomic_numbers`.
| Level | Field | Shape | Notes |
|--------|--------------------|--------------------|-------------------------------------|
| Node | `atomic_numbers` | `[V]` | Required, int64 |
| Node | `positions` | `[V, 3]` | Required, float |
| Node | `atomic_masses` | `[V]` | Auto-populated from periodic table |
| Node | `atom_categories` | `[V]` | Defaults to zeros |
| Node | `forces` | `[V, 3]` | eV/Angstrom |
| Node | `velocities` | `[V, 3]` | Auto-initialized to zeros |
| Node | `momenta` | `[V, 3]` | |
| Node | `charges` | `[V, 1]` | |
| Node | `node_embeddings` | `[V, H]` | |
| Node | `kinetic_energies` | `[V, 1]` | |
| Edge | `neighbor_list` | `[E, 2]` | COO format, int64 |
| Edge | `shifts` | `[E, 3]` | Cartesian displacements (`neighbor_list_shifts @ cell`) |
| Edge | `neighbor_list_shifts` | `[E, 3]` | Integer lattice image indices |
| Edge | `edge_embeddings` | `[E, H]` | |
| Dense | `neighbor_matrix` | `[V, K]` | Dense neighbor matrix (int64) |
| Dense | `neighbor_matrix_shifts` | `[V, K, 3]` | Periodic shifts for dense neighbors |
| Dense | `num_neighbors` | `[V]` | Valid neighbor count per atom |
| System | `cell` | `[1, 3, 3]` | Lattice vectors |
| System | `pbc` | `[1, 3]` | Periodic boundary conditions (bool) |
| System | `energy` | `[1]` | eV |
| System | `stress` | `[1, 3, 3]` | eV/Angstrom^3 |
| System | `virial` | `[1, 3, 3]` | |
| System | `dipole` | `[1, 3]` | |
| System | `charge` | `[1]` | |
| System | `graph_embeddings` | `[1, H]` | |
Custom data can be stored in the `info: dict[str, torch.Tensor]` field.
### Properties
```python
data.num_nodes # int — number of atoms
data.num_edges # int — number of edges (0 if None)
data.device # torch.device
data.dtype # torch.dtype (of positions)
data.chemical_hash # str — blake2s hash of structure/composition
data.node_properties # dict of set node-level fields
data.edge_properties # dict of set edge-level fields
data.system_properties # dict of set system-level fields
```
### Dict-like access
```python
data["positions"] # get attribute by name
data["positions"] = new_tensor # set attribute by name
```
### Adding custom properties
```python
data.add_node_property("custom_feat", torch.randn(data.num_nodes, 4))
data.add_edge_property("edge_weights", torch.ones(data.num_edges))
data.add_system_property("temperature", torch.tensor([[300.0]]))
```
### Device, clone, serialization
```python
data.to("cuda") # move to device
data.to("cpu", dtype=torch.float64) # move + cast
data.cpu()
data.cuda()
data.clone() # deep copy
data.model_dump(exclude_none=True) # dict
data.model_dump_json() # JSON string
```
### Equality
Two `AtomicData` objects are equal if they have the same `chemical_hash`:
```python
data1 == data2 # compares by chemical_hash
```
---
## Batch
### Construction
```python
data_list = [
AtomicData(positions=torch.randn(2, 3), atomic_numbers=torch.ones(2, dtype=torch.long)),
AtomicData(positions=torch.randn(3, 3), atomic_numbers=torch.ones(3, dtype=torch.long)),
]
batch = Batch.from_data_list(data_list)
# Exclude specific keys
batch = Batch.from_data_list(data_list, exclude_keys=["velocities"])
# Pre-allocated empty buffer (for high-performance use)
buffer = Batch.empty(
num_systems=40, num_nodes=80, num_edges=80,
template=data_list[0], # defines schema
)
```
### Size properties
```python
batch.num_graphs # number of graphs
batch.batch_size # alias for num_graphs
batch.num_nodes # total nodes across all graphs
batch.num_edges # total edges across all graphs
batch.batch_idx # Tensor [num_nodes] — per-node graph index
batch.batch_ptr # Tensor [num_graphs+1] — cumulative node counts
batch.num_nodes_list # list[int] — per-graph node counts
batch.num_edges_list # list[int] — per-graph edge counts
batch.num_nodes_per_graph # Tensor — per-graph node counts
batch.num_edges_per_graph # Tensor — per-graph edge counts
batch.max_num_nodes # int — max nodes in any graph
batch.system_capacity # int — max graphs for pre-allocated batches
```
### Indexing
```python
# Single graph -> AtomicData
batch[0]
batch[-1]
batch.get_data(0)
# Sub-batch -> Batch
batch[1:3] # slice
batch[torch.tensor([0, 2])] # int tensor
batch[[0, 2]] # list
batch[torch.tensor([True, False, True])] # bool mask
# Attribute -> Tensor
batch["positions"] # concatenated positions from all graphs
# Reconstruct all graphs
all_graphs = batch.to_data_list() # list[AtomicData]
```
### Containment, length, iteration
```python
"positions" in batch # True
len(batch) # num_graphs
for key, tensor in batch: # iterate (key, value) pairs
...
```
### Mutation
```python
# Add a new key (one value per graph)
batch.add_key("node_feat", [torch.randn(2, 4), torch.randn(3, 4)], level="node")
batch.add_key("temperature", [torch.tensor([[300.0]]), torch.tensor([[350.0]])], level="system")
batch.add_key("edge_attr", [torch.randn(1, 4), torch.randn(2, 4)], level="edge")
# Overwrite an existing key
batch.add_key("node_feat", new_values, level="node", overwrite=True)
# Concatenate batches (in-place)
batch.append(other_batch)
batch.append_data([more_atomic_data])
```
### Group layout
A batch can tag contiguous runs of graphs as **groups** — a single logical
unit distinct from the node/edge/system storage groups above (e.g. the images
of one NEB path). Use `batch.set_group_layout(group_idx)` to assign integer
labels per graph, normalized to dense zero-based IDs. Read the derived
`batch.group_layout`, a cached `GroupLayout` with `graph_rank`, `node_to_group`,
`group_ptr`, `num_graphs_per_group`, and mask/broadcast helpers `reduce_all`,
`reduce_any`, and `broadcast`. The cache invalidates when `group_idx` is reassigned
or graph membership changes, but not
after in-place changes such as `batch.group_idx[3] = 2`. Call
`batch.set_group_layout(batch.group_idx)` to validate and rebuild it. `append()`
requires both batches grouped or both ungrouped and rebases labels. `put()`
rejects a grouped source or destination because graph-level buffer masks can
split logical groups. `append_data()` is also rejected on a grouped batch.
### Pre-allocated buffer operations
For high-throughput workflows (e.g. streaming dynamics), use pre-allocated buffers:
```python
# Create buffer
buffer = Batch.empty(num_systems=40, num_nodes=80, num_edges=80, template=data)
# Copy selected graphs into buffer
mask = torch.tensor([True, False]) # which src graphs to copy
copied_mask = torch.zeros(2, dtype=torch.bool) # updated in-place: which actually fit
dest_mask = torch.zeros(buffer.system_capacity, dtype=torch.bool)
buffer.put(src_batch, mask, copied_mask=copied_mask, dest_mask=dest_mask)
# Remove copied graphs from source (compact in-place)
src_batch.defrag(copied_mask=copied_mask)
# Reset buffer for reuse
buffer.zero()
```
### Device, clone, memory
```python
batch.to("cuda")
batch.cpu()
batch.cuda()
batch.clone()
batch.contiguous() # make all tensors contiguous
batch.pin_memory() # pin for async host-to-device transfer
```
### Serialization
```python
batch.model_dump() # flat dict of all tensors + metadata
batch.model_dump(exclude_none=True) # drop None-valued keys
batch.model_dump_json() # JSON string
```
### Distributed communication
`Batch` supports point-to-point distributed communication via
`torch.distributed`. Data is sent in three phases: a metadata header
(`num_graphs`, `num_nodes`, `num_edges`), per-group segment lengths,
and bulk tensor data.
**Blocking send/recv:**
```python
import torch.distributed as dist
# Sender (rank 0)
batch.send(dst=1, tag=0, group=None)
# Receiver (rank 1) — template provides schema (keys, dtypes, group structure)
received = Batch.recv(src=0, device="cuda", template=template_batch, tag=0)
```
**Non-blocking send/recv:**
```python
# Sender — returns _BatchSendHandle
handle = batch.isend(dst=1, tag=0, group=None)
# ... do other work ...
handle.wait() # block until all sends complete
# Receiver — returns _BatchRecvHandle
handle = Batch.irecv(src=0, device="cuda", template=template_batch, tag=0)
# ... do other work ...
received = handle.wait() # block until data arrives, returns Batch
```
**Key details:**
Voir sur GitHub