GSoC2026:Fix outstanding issues in Brian2CUDA

Development
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Hi everyone :waving_hand: !

I am Weiyuan Du, and I am excited to have been selected for this year’s GSoC with the Brian team ! This summer, I will working on resolving outstanding issues in Brian2CUDA. I am honored to be mentored by Marcel Stimberg, Dan Goodman, and Ben Evans.

What this project is about

Brian2CUDA was developed to accelerate neural simulations using GPUs. However, several hurdles currently exist that affect the user experience and performance. My primary focus this summer will be:

  1. Add support for windows users by completing the Windows compatibility layer.
  2. Reduce build times by exploring efficient compiler flags and introducing new caching/build mechanisms.
  3. Implement a consistent and configurable logging system to improve transparency during simulation.
  4. Refine the preference configuration and validation process for users gently.
  5. Update and complete documentations.

The ultimate goal is to make Brian2CUDA as easy to use as the standard Brian2 backends, allowing researchers to focus on their models rather than debugging their build environment.I would love to hear any suggestions, feedback, or pain points you’ve encountered while using Brian2CUDA. Looking forward to a productive summer with the amazing community! :smiling_face: :smiling_face:

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Hi SinYita,

Good luck for your important job! We have practically sidelined Brian2CUDA device because of slow builds and often running out of memory. Possibility to profile memory use with Brian2CUDA would be useful.
Have fun!
Simo

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