# Sollya

> tool environment for safe floating-point code development

**Wikidata**: [Q133932639](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q133932639)  
**Source**: https://4ort.xyz/entity/sollya

## Summary
Sollya is a free software tool environment and library designed for the development of safe floating-point code. Maintained by the Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria), it functions as mathematical software used to model, analyze, and calculate numeric data.

## Key Facts
- **Creator:** Sylvain Chevillard
- **License:** CeCILL (Free software)
- **Maintainer:** Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)
- **Classification:** Mathematical software, software library, and free software
- **Website:** https://www.sollya.org/
- **Source Repository:** https://gitlab.inria.fr/sollya/sollya.git
- **Debian Package Debut:** The source package appeared in Debian records starting June 29, 2016.
- **Key Contributors:** Sylvain Chevillard, Christoph Lauter, Mioara Maria Joldes, and Marc Mezzarobba

## FAQs
### Q: What is the primary function of Sollya?
A: Sollya is a tool environment and library focused on safe floating-point code development. It allows users to model, analyze, and calculate numeric, symbolic, or geometric data.

### Q: Is Sollya free to use?
A: Yes, Sollya is distributed as free software under the CeCILL license. It is copyrighted but allows users to freely run, study, change, and distribute it.

### Q: Who develops and maintains Sollya?
A: The software was created by Sylvain Chevillard and is maintained by the Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria), with significant contributions from researchers like Christoph Lauter and Mioara Maria Joldes.

## Why It Matters
Sollya addresses a critical challenge in computer science and mathematics: ensuring the safety and accuracy of floating-point calculations. Floating-point arithmetic is prone to rounding errors and precision loss, which can lead to catastrophic failures in scientific computing, engineering, and financial systems. By providing a dedicated environment for "safe floating-point code development," Sollya bridges the gap between theoretical mathematics and practical software implementation.

As an instance of mathematical software and a software library, it serves as both an interactive tool for researchers and a backend library for developers. Its availability across major open-source ecosystems (Debian, Ubuntu, Nix, Guix, MacPorts) and its maintenance by Inria highlight its role as a standard, reliable resource in the field of numerical analysis. It empowers developers to verify and certify numerical code, ensuring that digital computations behave as mathematically intended.

## Notable For
- **Safe Floating-Point Development:** Unlike general-purpose math tools, Sollya specializes in code safety for floating-point arithmetic.
- **Dual Nature:** It functions both as an interactive tool environment and a software library (`libsollya`).
- **Inria Maintenance:** It is an official project maintained by the French National Institute for Research in Digital Science and Technology.
- **Broad Integration:** It is widely packaged across major Linux distributions, including specific support for Debian, Ubuntu, Nixpkgs, and Guix.
- **Collaborative Development:** The project lists high-profile academic contributors, indicating a strong research backing.

## Body

### Development and Governance
Sollya is an open-source project created by Sylvain Chevillard. It is maintained by the **Institut National de Recherche en Informatique et en Automatique (Inria)**. The project operates as free software, distributed under the **CeCILL** license. Development is collaborative, with notable contributions from Christoph Lauter, Mioara Maria Joldes, and Marc Mezzarobba. The source code is hosted on Inria's GitLab instance.

### Software Description
Classified as both **mathematical software** and a **software library**, Sollya provides an environment for modeling, analyzing, and calculating numeric data. Its specific niche is "safe floating-point code development," implying features designed to mitigate errors common in standard floating-point arithmetic.

### Distribution and Availability
Sollya is widely available across various software repositories and operating systems:
- **Debian:** Available as a source package (`sollya`) since at least June 29, 2016. Stable packages include `libsollya-dev` (development files), `libsollya8` (library), `sollya` (tool), and `sollya-doc` (documentation).
- **Ubuntu:** Distributed via Launchpad (project ID: `ubuntu/+source/sollya`).
- **Other Systems:** Available via Nixpkgs (ID: `sollya`), GNU Guix (variable: `sollya`), and MacPorts (`sollya`).

### Technical Details
- **Websites:** The primary portal is `sollya.org`, with development details available on `gitlab.inria.fr`.
- **Mailing List:** User support and discussion are managed via the `sollya.users` mailing list hosted by Inria.
- **Copyright:** The software is copyrighted but freely distributable under its license terms.

## References

1. [Source](https://metadata.ftp-master.debian.org/changelogs//main/s/sollya/sollya_8.0+ds-2_copyright)
2. [Source](https://packages.debian.org/source/bookworm/sollya)
3. [Source](https://sympa.inria.fr/sympa/info/sollya.users)