scikit-rom: An Open-Source Python Platform for Teaching and Prototyping Projection-Based Reduced-Order Modeling
Projection-based reduced-order modeling (ROM) has become a cornerstone technique for accelerating parameter-intensive engineering simulations, yet the methodology remains challenging to teach and prototype. The difficulty stems from its multi-stage workflow, which encompasses snapshot generation, SVD/POD basis construction, Galerkin projection, offline-online decomposition, hyper-reduction, and error assessment. Existing software frameworks either abstract these stages behind high-level interfaces or depend on compiled, monolithic solver stacks that are difficult for students and early-stage researchers to inspect or modify. This paper introduces scikit-rom, an open-source Python library designed to make the complete projection-based ROM pipeline transparent, modifiable, and suitable for interactive notebook-based exploration. Built on the lightweight finite element backend scikit-fem, scikit-rom provides modular problem templates and dedicated facilities for snapshot generation, reduced-basis construction, reduced-operator assembly, online ROM solution, hyper-reduction, and quantitative accuracy assessment within a unified workflow. Hyper-reduction is supported through four strategies: the Discrete Empirical Interpolation Method (DEIM), S-OPT sampling, the Energy-Conserving Sampling and Weighting (ECSW) scheme, and ECM-style cubature construction. Four progressive worked examples guide the reader from full-order simulation to ROM and hyper-reduced model construction across linear, nonlinear, static, and transient problem classes. The library is intended for graduate-level instruction, intensive workshops, and research prototyping in the reduced-order modeling community. Source code and examples are available at github.com/suparnob100/scikit-rom, with documentation at scikitrom.github.io.