1. Introduction and Goals

bice (Bifurcation Continuation Engine) is a Python package for numerical path continuation and bifurcation analysis.

1.1 Requirements Overview

• Support for numerical continuation of solutions to nonlinear algebraic equations.

• Extensibility for different types of discretizations (e.g., Finite Differences, Pseudospectral).

• Integration with standard scientific Python libraries (NumPy, SciPy).

1.2 Quality Goals

• Correctness: Numerical results must be accurate.

• Ease of Use: Simple API for users coming from scientific backgrounds.

• Maintainability: Clear separation between core logic, solvers, and discretizations.

1.3 Stakeholders

• Scientific researchers in physics, biology, and chemistry.

• Students in computational science.