policyengine-core

What problem does it solve?

Building a robust, high-performance microsimulation engine capable of handling complex tax and benefit rules across multiple entities and time periods is a significant engineering challenge. PolicyEngine Core provides this foundational engine, ensuring accuracy, consistency, and performance for all calculations.

Core Features & Use Cases

• Simulation Engine: Processes tax rules, manages variables, parameters, and entity relationships (person, family, household, tax unit).
• Vectorized Operations: Designed for high performance by processing many households simultaneously.
• Automatic Dependency Resolution: Automatically resolves variable dependencies, ensuring calculations are performed in the correct order.
• Formula Caching: Caches calculation results to speed up repeated requests.
• Use Case: Understand how a country package (like policyengine-us) defines a variable like income_tax, and how PolicyEngine Core automatically resolves its dependencies on adjusted_gross_income and standard_deduction.

Quick Start

Use the policyengine-core skill to understand how the Variable class is implemented in the core engine.