KKSS

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KKSSKeep Kratos Simple Stupid

A cross-platform desktop app for pre- and post-processing Kratos Multiphysics simulations — CAD preparation and mesh/result inspection in one window.

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  • 🔷

    Pre-Processing mode

    Open STEP/IGES/BREP and STL/OBJ/PLY/glTF models — plus VTK/MED/CGNS/Exodus/XDMF/MDPA as boundary surfaces via meshio++ — define parts, apply parametric edits, measure exactly and read mass properties, annotate the view, and generate finite-element meshes with Gmsh, with quality statistics and unit-converted export — powered by the CAD-Preview engine (Three.js + OpenCascade WASM).

  • 🔶

    Post-Processing mode

    Inspect MDPA models, VTK results, and 39 extended mesh formats via meshio++ (Gmsh, Abaqus, Nastran, UNV, SU2, Exodus, CGNS, MED, EnSight Gold, Triangle, …) with combinable field modes (contour, isosurfaces, quivers, deformed shape), sphere/particle glyphs and face-normal checks, quality and mesh-size reports, click-to-inspect probing, threshold isolation, oblique clipping, time-series playback, and 20+ mesh operations with undo/redo (smoothing, renumbering, partitioning, refinement, cropping, field calculator, merging, MMG remeshing); set up and run Kratos cases via built-in problemtypes, including the Flowgraph node-editor — powered by the VSCode-MDPA-Preview engine (vtk.js + MMG WASM).

  • 🔀

    One toggle, two engines

    Switch instantly between modes; each keeps its loaded file, camera, and edit history. Both engines are the unmodified VS Code extensions, embedded as git submodules — upstream improvements arrive by bumping a submodule pointer.

  • 🤖

    AI assistant

    A chat sidebar where an LLM (Anthropic Claude or any OpenAI-compatible backend) drives CAD editing, meshing, case setup, and Kratos simulations through the engines' MCP tool servers and the kratos-mcp-server.

  • 🧰

    Built-in workbench

    An embedded terminal (node-pty + xterm.js) for launching Kratos runs, a CodeMirror text editor for input files and scripts, and in-app update checks against GitHub Releases.

  • 📦

    Cross-platform

    Windows, macOS, and Linux installers built and published automatically on every release tag — with in-place auto-update on Windows and the Linux AppImage.

The two modes at a glance ​

🔷 Pre-Processing🔶 Post-Processing
CAD mode — STEP model with parts, edits and FE meshing panelsMesh mode — MDPA model with outline, edit history and mesh modification

Quick start ​

  1. Grab the installer for your platform and architecture from the download page (AppImage/deb, NSIS installer, or dmg).
  2. Launch KKSS and pick a task on the home screen — 🔷 Pre-Processing (CAD), 🔶 Post-Processing (mesh/results), or the text editor. The toolbar switches screens at any time (Ctrl+0 returns Home).
  3. Press Ctrl+O (or click Open…) and pick a model: CAD files open in Pre-Processing mode, .mdpa/VTK files in Post-Processing mode.

See Getting Started for a tour of both modes.

Released under the AGPL-3.0 License.

© Vicente Mataix Ferrándiz