Introducing Ryven: A Python Visual Programming Tool for Interactive Data Flow

Traditional black‑on‑white code can feel dull, so the article presents Ryven, a Python visual scripting tool that makes each step—from loading an image and resizing it to applying bilateral filtering—clearly visible.

When a matrix is input, operations such as transpose, conjugate, or exponentiation instantly show results.

The tool, created by first‑year ETH Zurich student Leon Thomm, is called Ryven . The article invites readers to try it.

How to Use

Before running Ryven, prepare the environment:

Python 3 (recommended 3.8+)

PySide2 (recommended 2.14+)

Run Ryven.py in the project to open the editor. Nodes are imported via Import Nodes (select *.rpc files). Right‑clicking provides easy operations.

Ryven supports two algorithm modes:

Data Flow : Whenever node data changes, the update propagates forward instantly, refreshing all connected nodes (e.g., moving a slider updates the result node immediately).

Execution Flow : Data does not propagate on change; it updates only when a downstream node requests the output.

The author also lists a to‑do list (syntax highlighting, auto‑completion, visual improvements, etc.).

Visual programming is fun, but the author stresses it is not meant to replace text‑based coding, as many tasks are unnecessary to visualize.

About the Author

Leon Thomm, a first‑year student at ETH Zurich, describes himself as an “amateur programmer” focused on human‑computer interaction and visual programming, with extensive software development experience before university.

For more details, readers are encouraged to scan the QR code below to receive free Python course materials, including e‑books, tutorials, source code, and more.