README.md

---
title: PIPS Demo
colorFrom: blue
colorTo: green
sdk: gradio
app_file: src/pips/gradio_app.py
pinned: true
---

# PIPS: Python Iterative Problem Solving

**PIPS** (Python Iterative Problem Solving) is a powerful library for iterative code generation and refinement using Large Language Models (LLMs). It provides both programmatic APIs and a web interface for solving complex problems through iterative reasoning and code execution.

Paper: arxiv.org/abs/2510.22849

## Installation

### From PyPI (when available)
```bash
pip install pips-solver
```

### From Source
```bash
git clone <repository-url>
cd pips
pip install -e .
```

### With Optional Dependencies
```bash
# For web interface
pip install pips-solver[web]

# For development
pip install pips-solver[dev]

# All optional dependencies
pip install pips-solver[all]
```

## Quick Start

### 1. Command Line Interface

Start the web interface:
```bash
pips
# or
python -m pips

# Custom host and port
pips --host 127.0.0.1 --port 5000 --debug
```

### 2. Programmatic Usage

```python
from pips import PIPSSolver, get_model
from pips.utils import RawInput

# Initialize a model
model = get_model("gpt-4o", api_key="your-openai-api-key")

# Create solver
solver = PIPSSolver(
    model=model,
    max_iterations=8,
    temperature=0.0
)

# Solve a problem
problem = RawInput(
    text_input="What is the sum of the first 10 prime numbers?",
    image_input=None
)

# Chain of thought solving
answer, logs = solver.solve_chain_of_thought(problem)
print(f"Answer: {answer}")

# Code-based solving
answer, logs = solver.solve_with_code(problem)
print(f"Answer: {answer}")
```

### 3. Streaming Usage

```python
def on_token(token, iteration, model_name):
    print(f"Token: {token}", end="", flush=True)

def on_step(step, message, **kwargs):
    print(f"Step {step}: {message}")

callbacks = {
    "on_llm_streaming_token": on_token,
    "on_step_update": on_step
}

# Solve with streaming
answer, logs = solver.solve_with_code(
    problem, 
    stream=True, 
    callbacks=callbacks
)
```

## Supported Models

### OpenAI Models
- GPT-4o, GPT-4o-mini
- GPT-4, GPT-4-turbo
- GPT-3.5-turbo
- O1-preview, O1-mini
- O3-mini (when available)

### Anthropic Models
- Claude-3.5-sonnet
- Claude-3-opus, Claude-3-sonnet, Claude-3-haiku
- Claude-2.1, Claude-2.0

### Google Models
- Gemini-2.0-flash-exp
- Gemini-1.5-pro, Gemini-1.5-flash
- Gemini-1.0-pro

## API Reference

### PIPSSolver

The main solver class for iterative problem solving.

```python
PIPSSolver(
    model: LLMModel,
    max_iterations: int = 8,
    temperature: float = 0.0,
    max_tokens: int = 4096,
    top_p: float = 1.0
)
```

#### Methods

- `solve_chain_of_thought(sample, stream=False, callbacks=None)`: Solve using chain-of-thought reasoning
- `solve_with_code(sample, stream=False, callbacks=None)`: Solve using iterative code generation

### Model Factory

```python
from pips import get_model

# Get a model instance
model = get_model(model_name, api_key=None)
```

### Utilities

```python
from pips.utils import RawInput, img2base64, base642img

# Create input with text and optional image
input_data = RawInput(
    text_input="Your question here",
    image_input=PIL.Image.open("image.jpg")  # Optional
)
```

## Configuration

### Environment Variables

Set your API keys as environment variables:

```bash
export OPENAI_API_KEY="your-openai-key"
export ANTHROPIC_API_KEY="your-anthropic-key"  
export GOOGLE_API_KEY="your-google-key"
```

### Web Interface Settings

The web interface allows you to configure:
- Model selection
- API keys
- Solving mode (chain-of-thought vs code)
- Temperature, max tokens, iterations
- Code execution timeout

## Examples

### Mathematical Problem
```python
problem = RawInput(
    text_input="Find the derivative of f(x) = x^3 + 2x^2 - 5x + 1",
    image_input=None
)
answer, logs = solver.solve_with_code(problem)
```

### Image-Based Problem
```python
from PIL import Image

image = Image.open("chart.png")
problem = RawInput(
    text_input="What is the trend shown in this chart?",
    image_input=image
)
answer, logs = solver.solve_chain_of_thought(problem)
```

### Multi-Step Reasoning
```python
problem = RawInput(
    text_input="""
    A company has 3 departments with 10, 15, and 20 employees respectively.
    If they want to form a committee with 2 people from each department,
    how many different committees are possible?
    """,
    image_input=None
)
answer, logs = solver.solve_with_code(problem)
```

## Web Interface

The web interface provides:
- **Problem Input**: Text area with optional image upload
- **Model Selection**: Choose from available LLM providers
- **Settings Panel**: Configure solving parameters
- **Real-time Streaming**: Watch the AI solve problems step-by-step
- **Chat History**: Review previous solutions
- **Export Options**: Download chat logs and solutions

## Session Management

PIPS includes comprehensive session management capabilities:

### Automatic Session Loading
- **First Launch**: Automatically loads curated example sessions demonstrating PIPS capabilities
- **Persistent Storage**: All sessions are saved in browser localStorage for persistence across visits
- **Smart Cleanup**: Automatically removes incomplete or invalid sessions

### Import/Export Sessions
- **Bulk Export**: Export all sessions as a JSON file via the "Export" button
- **Individual Export**: Download single sessions using the download icon next to each session
- **Import Sessions**: Import previously exported session files via the "Import" button
- **Duplicate Detection**: Automatically detects and handles duplicate sessions during import

### Session Format
Sessions are exported in a portable JSON format:
```json
{
  "exportDate": "2024-01-15T10:00:00.000Z",
  "sessions": {
    "session_id": {
      "id": "session_id",
      "title": "Session title", 
      "problemText": "Original problem description",
      "image": "base64_image_data_or_null",
      "createdAt": "2024-01-15T09:00:00.000Z",
      "lastUsed": "2024-01-15T09:15:00.000Z", 
      "status": "completed|interrupted|solving|active",
      "chatHistory": [
        {
          "sender": "PIPS|AI Assistant|User",
          "content": "Message content",
          "iteration": "Iteration 1",
          "timestamp": "2024-01-15T09:01:00.000Z"
        }
      ]
    }
  }
}
```

### Session States
- **Active**: New sessions where users can input problems
- **Solving**: Sessions currently being processed by PIPS  
- **Completed**: Successfully finished sessions (read-only)
- **Interrupted**: Sessions stopped by user or error (read-only)

## Development

### Setup Development Environment
```bash
git clone <repository-url>
cd pips
pip install -e .[dev]
```

### Running Tests
```bash
pytest
pytest --cov=pips  # With coverage
```

### Code Formatting
```bash
black pips/
isort pips/
flake8 pips/
mypy pips/
```

## Contributing

1. Fork the repository
2. Create a feature branch (`git checkout -b feature/amazing-feature`)
3. Commit your changes (`git commit -m 'Add amazing feature'`)
4. Push to the branch (`git push origin feature/amazing-feature`)
5. Open a Pull Request

## License

This project is licensed under the MIT License - see the LICENSE file for details.

## Acknowledgments

- OpenAI for GPT models
- Anthropic for Claude models  
- Google for GenAI models
- Flask and SocketIO communities