Materials science toolkit. An agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills.

MITAuto-check passedResearch & Science

Install Pymatgen

skills CLI
$ npx skills add zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills --skill pymatgen -a claude-code

Project install by default; add -g for ~/.claude/skills/.

GitHub CLI
$ gh skill install zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills pymatgen --agent claude-code

Project scope by default; add --scope user for a personal install. Needs GitHub CLI 2.90.0 or later (public preview).

Manual copy
$ git clone --depth 1 https://github.com/zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills.git skills-src && mkdir -p .claude/skills && cp -r skills-src/scientific-toolkit-skill/references/scientific-skills/pymatgen .claude/skills/pymatgen && rm -rf skills-src

Use ~/.claude/skills/ instead of .claude/skills for a personal install. The folder must contain SKILL.md.

Claude Code skills documentation · loads skills from .claude/skills/

Facts

Skill name
pymatgen
GitHub stars
4.7k
Used in
11 other repos
Token cost
~5k tokens
SKILL.md length
906 words
Files
9 (incl. scripts, references)
Skills in repo
17
Repo updated
First seen
Licence
MIT

At a glance

Materials science toolkit. An agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills.

  • Works in 9 steps: Structure Creation and Manipulation → File Format Conversion → Structure Analysis and Symmetry → …
  • Tasks that involve Physical and earth sciences
  • SKILL.md covers Overview, When to Use This Skill, Quick Start Guide and Core Capabilities, plus 3 more sections
  • Runs Python scripts from its folder; calls python and uv; needs MP_API_KEY

What it does

Pymatgen is an agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills. Materials science toolkit. Crystal structures (CIF, POSCAR), phase diagrams, band structure, DOS, Materials Project integration, format conversion, for computational materials science.

Its SKILL.md is about 5k tokens, which your agent loads only when the skill is triggered. The skill folder holds 10 other files, including scripts and reference files (for example `references/analysis_modules.md`, `references/core_classes.md` and `references/io_formats.md`).

It sits in Research & Science, covering Physical and earth sciences and Diagrams. The repository describes itself as: 本仓库包含三个面向学术科研人员的Skills,覆盖从文献阅读、论文写作到科学计算的完整研究工作流。office-academic-skill 负责论文阅读报告与学术 PPT/Word 文档生成;research-writing-skill 提供论文写作、润色与审稿回复辅助;scientific-toolkit-skill 整合 MATLAB/Python… The licence is MIT.

When your agent uses it

  • Tasks that involve Physical and earth sciences
  • Tasks that involve Diagrams

Example prompts

  • “Use the pymatgen skill to material science toolkit. An agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills”
  • “/pymatgen”

Requirements

  • Python 3
  • A credential in MP_API_KEY

Workflow steps

9 steps, taken from the step headings in SKILL.md.

  1. Structure Creation and Manipulation
  2. File Format Conversion
  3. Structure Analysis and Symmetry
  4. Phase Diagrams and Thermodynamics
  5. Electronic Structure Analysis
  6. Surface and Interface Analysis
  7. Materials Project Database Access
  8. Computational Workflow Setup
  9. Advanced Analysis

What it can do on your machine

Read from SKILL.md and the folder at commit 7ed6377. It shows what the files ask for, not the result of running them.

  • Tool permissions

    Pre-approves nothing: there is no allowed-tools line, so your agent's usual permission prompts apply.

    From allowed-tools in the SKILL.md frontmatter.

  • Runs code

    Ships 3 files in scripts/ (Python), which the agent can run.

    Shell commands in SKILL.md call:

    • python
    • uv

    From the folder's file list and the shell code blocks in SKILL.md.

  • Network

    Links to these hosts (documentation or services it may open):

    • next-gen.materialsproject.org
    • pymatgen.org
    • materialsproject.org
    • github.com
    • matsci.org
    • matgenb.materialsvirtuallab.org

    From URLs in SKILL.md, links to its own repository left out.

  • Credentials

    Names these keys or tokens, usually read from environment variables:

    • MP_API_KEY

    From names ending in _API_KEY, _TOKEN, _SECRET, _KEY or _PASSWORD in SKILL.md.

Context cost

Pymatgen loads about 5k tokens when it runs, and up to ~21k if it reads all its reference files. Until then it costs about 48 tokens; SKILL.md has 906 words of instructions outside code blocks.

Always · name and description, kept in context so the agent knows when to use it
~48
When it runs · the whole SKILL.md, loaded when a task matches
~5k
With references · SKILL.md plus every file in references/, read only if the agent opens them
~21k

Estimates: characters ÷ 4, the usual rule of thumb; real counts depend on the model's tokenizer. Scripts and assets cost tokens only if the agent reads them.

Safety

Auto-check passed

The automated check found no risky patterns in SKILL.md.

Automated static check — not a guarantee. Review scripts before installing. It scans the text of SKILL.md for risky patterns (piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files, hidden Unicode, destructive commands); the scripts in this folder are not scanned.

SKILL.md

The full file from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills at commit 7ed6377, republished under its MIT licence (© zLanqing). 906 words, ~5,006 tokens.

Download SKILL.mdSave it as .claude/skills/pymatgen/SKILL.md (or your agent's skills folder). This skill also uses 8 other files; get the full folder from GitHub.
name
pymatgen
description
Materials science toolkit. Crystal structures (CIF, POSCAR), phase diagrams, band structure, DOS, Materials Project integration, format conversion, for computational materials science.
license
MIT license
metadata.skill-author
K-Dense Inc.

Pymatgen - Python Materials Genomics

Overview

Pymatgen is a comprehensive Python library for materials analysis that powers the Materials Project. Create, analyze, and manipulate crystal structures and molecules, compute phase diagrams and thermodynamic properties, analyze electronic structure (band structures, DOS), generate surfaces and interfaces, and access Materials Project's database of computed materials. Supports 100+ file formats from various computational codes.

When to Use This Skill

This skill should be used when:

  • Working with crystal structures or molecular systems in materials science
  • Converting between structure file formats (CIF, POSCAR, XYZ, etc.)
  • Analyzing symmetry, space groups, or coordination environments
  • Computing phase diagrams or assessing thermodynamic stability
  • Analyzing electronic structure data (band gaps, DOS, band structures)
  • Generating surfaces, slabs, or studying interfaces
  • Accessing the Materials Project database programmatically
  • Setting up high-throughput computational workflows
  • Analyzing diffusion, magnetism, or mechanical properties
  • Working with VASP, Gaussian, Quantum ESPRESSO, or other computational codes

Quick Start Guide

Installation
bash
# Core pymatgen
uv pip install pymatgen

# With Materials Project API access
uv pip install pymatgen mp-api

# Optional dependencies for extended functionality
uv pip install pymatgen[analysis]  # Additional analysis tools
uv pip install pymatgen[vis]       # Visualization tools
Basic Structure Operations
python
from pymatgen.core import Structure, Lattice

# Read structure from file (automatic format detection)
struct = Structure.from_file("POSCAR")

# Create structure from scratch
lattice = Lattice.cubic(3.84)
struct = Structure(lattice, ["Si", "Si"], [[0,0,0], [0.25,0.25,0.25]])

# Write to different format
struct.to(filename="structure.cif")

# Basic properties
print(f"Formula: {struct.composition.reduced_formula}")
print(f"Space group: {struct.get_space_group_info()}")
print(f"Density: {struct.density:.2f} g/cm³")
Materials Project Integration
bash
# Set up API key
export MP_API_KEY="your_api_key_here"
python
from mp_api.client import MPRester

with MPRester() as mpr:
    # Get structure by material ID
    struct = mpr.get_structure_by_material_id("mp-149")

    # Search for materials
    materials = mpr.materials.summary.search(
        formula="Fe2O3",
        energy_above_hull=(0, 0.05)
    )

Core Capabilities

1. Structure Creation and Manipulation

Create structures using various methods and perform transformations.

From files:

python
# Automatic format detection
struct = Structure.from_file("structure.cif")
struct = Structure.from_file("POSCAR")
mol = Molecule.from_file("molecule.xyz")

From scratch:

python
from pymatgen.core import Structure, Lattice

# Using lattice parameters
lattice = Lattice.from_parameters(a=3.84, b=3.84, c=3.84,
                                  alpha=120, beta=90, gamma=60)
coords = [[0, 0, 0], [0.75, 0.5, 0.75]]
struct = Structure(lattice, ["Si", "Si"], coords)

# From space group
struct = Structure.from_spacegroup(
    "Fm-3m",
    Lattice.cubic(3.5),
    ["Si"],
    [[0, 0, 0]]
)

Transformations:

python
from pymatgen.transformations.standard_transformations import (
    SupercellTransformation,
    SubstitutionTransformation,
    PrimitiveCellTransformation
)

# Create supercell
trans = SupercellTransformation([[2,0,0],[0,2,0],[0,0,2]])
supercell = trans.apply_transformation(struct)

# Substitute elements
trans = SubstitutionTransformation({"Fe": "Mn"})
new_struct = trans.apply_transformation(struct)

# Get primitive cell
trans = PrimitiveCellTransformation()
primitive = trans.apply_transformation(struct)

Reference: See references/core_classes.md for comprehensive documentation of Structure, Lattice, Molecule, and related classes.

2. File Format Conversion

Convert between 100+ file formats with automatic format detection.

Using convenience methods:

python
# Read any format
struct = Structure.from_file("input_file")

# Write to any format
struct.to(filename="output.cif")
struct.to(filename="POSCAR")
struct.to(filename="output.xyz")

Using the conversion script:

bash
# Single file conversion
python scripts/structure_converter.py POSCAR structure.cif

# Batch conversion
python scripts/structure_converter.py *.cif --output-dir ./poscar_files --format poscar

Reference: See references/io_formats.md for detailed documentation of all supported formats and code integrations.

3. Structure Analysis and Symmetry

Analyze structures for symmetry, coordination, and other properties.

Symmetry analysis:

python
from pymatgen.symmetry.analyzer import SpacegroupAnalyzer

sga = SpacegroupAnalyzer(struct)

# Get space group information
print(f"Space group: {sga.get_space_group_symbol()}")
print(f"Number: {sga.get_space_group_number()}")
print(f"Crystal system: {sga.get_crystal_system()}")

# Get conventional/primitive cells
conventional = sga.get_conventional_standard_structure()
primitive = sga.get_primitive_standard_structure()

Coordination environment:

python
from pymatgen.analysis.local_env import CrystalNN

cnn = CrystalNN()
neighbors = cnn.get_nn_info(struct, n=0)  # Neighbors of site 0

print(f"Coordination number: {len(neighbors)}")
for neighbor in neighbors:
    site = struct[neighbor['site_index']]
    print(f"  {site.species_string} at {neighbor['weight']:.3f} Å")

Using the analysis script:

bash
# Comprehensive analysis
python scripts/structure_analyzer.py POSCAR --symmetry --neighbors

# Export results
python scripts/structure_analyzer.py structure.cif --symmetry --export json

Reference: See references/analysis_modules.md for detailed documentation of all analysis capabilities.

4. Phase Diagrams and Thermodynamics

Construct phase diagrams and analyze thermodynamic stability.

Phase diagram construction:

python
from mp_api.client import MPRester
from pymatgen.analysis.phase_diagram import PhaseDiagram, PDPlotter

# Get entries from Materials Project
with MPRester() as mpr:
    entries = mpr.get_entries_in_chemsys("Li-Fe-O")

# Build phase diagram
pd = PhaseDiagram(entries)

# Check stability
from pymatgen.core import Composition
comp = Composition("LiFeO2")

# Find entry for composition
for entry in entries:
    if entry.composition.reduced_formula == comp.reduced_formula:
        e_above_hull = pd.get_e_above_hull(entry)
        print(f"Energy above hull: {e_above_hull:.4f} eV/atom")

        if e_above_hull > 0.001:
            # Get decomposition
            decomp = pd.get_decomposition(comp)
            print("Decomposes to:", decomp)

# Plot
plotter = PDPlotter(pd)
plotter.show()

Using the phase diagram script:

bash
# Generate phase diagram
python scripts/phase_diagram_generator.py Li-Fe-O --output li_fe_o.png

# Analyze specific composition
python scripts/phase_diagram_generator.py Li-Fe-O --analyze "LiFeO2" --show

Reference: See references/analysis_modules.md (Phase Diagrams section) and references/transformations_workflows.md (Workflow 2) for detailed examples.

5. Electronic Structure Analysis

Analyze band structures, density of states, and electronic properties.

Band structure:

python
from pymatgen.io.vasp import Vasprun
from pymatgen.electronic_structure.plotter import BSPlotter

# Read from VASP calculation
vasprun = Vasprun("vasprun.xml")
bs = vasprun.get_band_structure()

# Analyze
band_gap = bs.get_band_gap()
print(f"Band gap: {band_gap['energy']:.3f} eV")
print(f"Direct: {band_gap['direct']}")
print(f"Is metal: {bs.is_metal()}")

# Plot
plotter = BSPlotter(bs)
plotter.save_plot("band_structure.png")

Density of states:

python
from pymatgen.electronic_structure.plotter import DosPlotter

dos = vasprun.complete_dos

# Get element-projected DOS
element_dos = dos.get_element_dos()
for element, element_dos_obj in element_dos.items():
    print(f"{element}: {element_dos_obj.get_gap():.3f} eV")

# Plot
plotter = DosPlotter()
plotter.add_dos("Total DOS", dos)
plotter.show()

Reference: See references/analysis_modules.md (Electronic Structure section) and references/io_formats.md (VASP section).

6. Surface and Interface Analysis

Generate slabs, analyze surfaces, and study interfaces.

Slab generation:

python
from pymatgen.core.surface import SlabGenerator

# Generate slabs for specific Miller index
slabgen = SlabGenerator(
    struct,
    miller_index=(1, 1, 1),
    min_slab_size=10.0,      # Å
    min_vacuum_size=10.0,    # Å
    center_slab=True
)

slabs = slabgen.get_slabs()

# Write slabs
for i, slab in enumerate(slabs):
    slab.to(filename=f"slab_{i}.cif")

Wulff shape construction:

python
from pymatgen.analysis.wulff import WulffShape

# Define surface energies
surface_energies = {
    (1, 0, 0): 1.0,
    (1, 1, 0): 1.1,
    (1, 1, 1): 0.9,
}

wulff = WulffShape(struct.lattice, surface_energies)
print(f"Surface area: {wulff.surface_area:.2f} Ų")
print(f"Volume: {wulff.volume:.2f} ų")

wulff.show()

Adsorption site finding:

python
from pymatgen.analysis.adsorption import AdsorbateSiteFinder
from pymatgen.core import Molecule

asf = AdsorbateSiteFinder(slab)

# Find sites
ads_sites = asf.find_adsorption_sites()
print(f"On-top sites: {len(ads_sites['ontop'])}")
print(f"Bridge sites: {len(ads_sites['bridge'])}")
print(f"Hollow sites: {len(ads_sites['hollow'])}")

# Add adsorbate
adsorbate = Molecule("O", [[0, 0, 0]])
ads_struct = asf.add_adsorbate(adsorbate, ads_sites["ontop"][0])

Reference: See references/analysis_modules.md (Surface and Interface section) and references/transformations_workflows.md (Workflows 3 and 9).

7. Materials Project Database Access

Programmatically access the Materials Project database.

Setup:

  1. Get API key from https://next-gen.materialsproject.org/
  2. Set environment variable: export MP_API_KEY="your_key_here"

Search and retrieve:

python
from mp_api.client import MPRester

with MPRester() as mpr:
    # Search by formula
    materials = mpr.materials.summary.search(formula="Fe2O3")

    # Search by chemical system
    materials = mpr.materials.summary.search(chemsys="Li-Fe-O")

    # Filter by properties
    materials = mpr.materials.summary.search(
        chemsys="Li-Fe-O",
        energy_above_hull=(0, 0.05),  # Stable/metastable
        band_gap=(1.0, 3.0)            # Semiconducting
    )

    # Get structure
    struct = mpr.get_structure_by_material_id("mp-149")

    # Get band structure
    bs = mpr.get_bandstructure_by_material_id("mp-149")

    # Get entries for phase diagram
    entries = mpr.get_entries_in_chemsys("Li-Fe-O")

Reference: See references/materials_project_api.md for comprehensive API documentation and examples.

8. Computational Workflow Setup

Set up calculations for various electronic structure codes.

VASP input generation:

python
from pymatgen.io.vasp.sets import MPRelaxSet, MPStaticSet, MPNonSCFSet

# Relaxation
relax = MPRelaxSet(struct)
relax.write_input("./relax_calc")

# Static calculation
static = MPStaticSet(struct)
static.write_input("./static_calc")

# Band structure (non-self-consistent)
nscf = MPNonSCFSet(struct, mode="line")
nscf.write_input("./bandstructure_calc")

# Custom parameters
custom = MPRelaxSet(struct, user_incar_settings={"ENCUT": 600})
custom.write_input("./custom_calc")

Other codes:

python
# Gaussian
from pymatgen.io.gaussian import GaussianInput

gin = GaussianInput(
    mol,
    functional="B3LYP",
    basis_set="6-31G(d)",
    route_parameters={"Opt": None}
)
gin.write_file("input.gjf")

# Quantum ESPRESSO
from pymatgen.io.pwscf import PWInput

pwin = PWInput(struct, control={"calculation": "scf"})
pwin.write_file("pw.in")

Reference: See references/io_formats.md (Electronic Structure Code I/O section) and references/transformations_workflows.md for workflow examples.

9. Advanced Analysis

Diffraction patterns:

python
from pymatgen.analysis.diffraction.xrd import XRDCalculator

xrd = XRDCalculator()
pattern = xrd.get_pattern(struct)

# Get peaks
for peak in pattern.hkls:
    print(f"2θ = {peak['2theta']:.2f}°, hkl = {peak['hkl']}")

pattern.plot()

Elastic properties:

python
from pymatgen.analysis.elasticity import ElasticTensor

# From elastic tensor matrix
elastic_tensor = ElasticTensor.from_voigt(matrix)

print(f"Bulk modulus: {elastic_tensor.k_voigt:.1f} GPa")
print(f"Shear modulus: {elastic_tensor.g_voigt:.1f} GPa")
print(f"Young's modulus: {elastic_tensor.y_mod:.1f} GPa")

Magnetic ordering:

python
from pymatgen.transformations.advanced_transformations import MagOrderingTransformation

# Enumerate magnetic orderings
trans = MagOrderingTransformation({"Fe": 5.0})
mag_structs = trans.apply_transformation(struct, return_ranked_list=True)

# Get lowest energy magnetic structure
lowest_energy_struct = mag_structs[0]['structure']

Reference: See references/analysis_modules.md for comprehensive analysis module documentation.

Bundled Resources

Scripts (scripts/)

Executable Python scripts for common tasks:

  • structure_converter.py: Convert between structure file formats

    • Supports batch conversion and automatic format detection
    • Usage: python scripts/structure_converter.py POSCAR structure.cif
  • structure_analyzer.py: Comprehensive structure analysis

    • Symmetry, coordination, lattice parameters, distance matrix
    • Usage: python scripts/structure_analyzer.py structure.cif --symmetry --neighbors
  • phase_diagram_generator.py: Generate phase diagrams from Materials Project

    • Stability analysis and thermodynamic properties
    • Usage: python scripts/phase_diagram_generator.py Li-Fe-O --analyze "LiFeO2"

All scripts include detailed help: python scripts/script_name.py --help

References (references/)

Comprehensive documentation loaded into context as needed:

  • core_classes.md: Element, Structure, Lattice, Molecule, Composition classes
  • io_formats.md: File format support and code integration (VASP, Gaussian, etc.)
  • analysis_modules.md: Phase diagrams, surfaces, electronic structure, symmetry
  • materials_project_api.md: Complete Materials Project API guide
  • transformations_workflows.md: Transformations framework and common workflows

Load references when detailed information is needed about specific modules or workflows.

Show full SKILL.md (350 more words)Show less

Common Workflows

High-Throughput Structure Generation
python
from pymatgen.transformations.standard_transformations import SubstitutionTransformation
from pymatgen.io.vasp.sets import MPRelaxSet

# Generate doped structures
base_struct = Structure.from_file("POSCAR")
dopants = ["Mn", "Co", "Ni", "Cu"]

for dopant in dopants:
    trans = SubstitutionTransformation({"Fe": dopant})
    doped_struct = trans.apply_transformation(base_struct)

    # Generate VASP inputs
    vasp_input = MPRelaxSet(doped_struct)
    vasp_input.write_input(f"./calcs/Fe_{dopant}")
Band Structure Calculation Workflow
python
# 1. Relaxation
relax = MPRelaxSet(struct)
relax.write_input("./1_relax")

# 2. Static (after relaxation)
relaxed = Structure.from_file("1_relax/CONTCAR")
static = MPStaticSet(relaxed)
static.write_input("./2_static")

# 3. Band structure (non-self-consistent)
nscf = MPNonSCFSet(relaxed, mode="line")
nscf.write_input("./3_bandstructure")

# 4. Analysis
from pymatgen.io.vasp import Vasprun
vasprun = Vasprun("3_bandstructure/vasprun.xml")
bs = vasprun.get_band_structure()
bs.get_band_gap()
Surface Energy Calculation
python
# 1. Get bulk energy
bulk_vasprun = Vasprun("bulk/vasprun.xml")
bulk_E_per_atom = bulk_vasprun.final_energy / len(bulk)

# 2. Generate and calculate slabs
slabgen = SlabGenerator(bulk, (1,1,1), 10, 15)
slab = slabgen.get_slabs()[0]

MPRelaxSet(slab).write_input("./slab_calc")

# 3. Calculate surface energy (after calculation)
slab_vasprun = Vasprun("slab_calc/vasprun.xml")
E_surf = (slab_vasprun.final_energy - len(slab) * bulk_E_per_atom) / (2 * slab.surface_area)
E_surf *= 16.021766  # Convert eV/Ų to J/m²

More workflows: See references/transformations_workflows.md for 10 detailed workflow examples.

Best Practices

Structure Handling
  1. Use automatic format detection: Structure.from_file() handles most formats
  2. Prefer immutable structures: Use IStructure when structure shouldn't change
  3. Check symmetry: Use SpacegroupAnalyzer to reduce to primitive cell
  4. Validate structures: Check for overlapping atoms or unreasonable bond lengths
File I/O
  1. Use convenience methods: from_file() and to() are preferred
  2. Specify formats explicitly: When automatic detection fails
  3. Handle exceptions: Wrap file I/O in try-except blocks
  4. Use serialization: as_dict()/from_dict() for version-safe storage
Materials Project API
  1. Use context manager: Always use with MPRester() as mpr:
  2. Batch queries: Request multiple items at once
  3. Cache results: Save frequently used data locally
  4. Filter effectively: Use property filters to reduce data transfer
Computational Workflows
  1. Use input sets: Prefer MPRelaxSet, MPStaticSet over manual INCAR
  2. Check convergence: Always verify calculations converged
  3. Track transformations: Use TransformedStructure for provenance
  4. Organize calculations: Use clear directory structures
Performance
  1. Reduce symmetry: Use primitive cells when possible
  2. Limit neighbor searches: Specify reasonable cutoff radii
  3. Use appropriate methods: Different analysis tools have different speed/accuracy tradeoffs
  4. Parallelize when possible: Many operations can be parallelized

Units and Conventions

Pymatgen uses atomic units throughout:

  • Lengths: Angstroms (Å)
  • Energies: Electronvolts (eV)
  • Angles: Degrees (°)
  • Magnetic moments: Bohr magnetons (μB)
  • Time: Femtoseconds (fs)

Convert units using pymatgen.core.units when needed.

Integration with Other Tools

Pymatgen integrates seamlessly with:

  • ASE (Atomic Simulation Environment)
  • Phonopy (phonon calculations)
  • BoltzTraP (transport properties)
  • Atomate/Fireworks (workflow management)
  • AiiDA (provenance tracking)
  • Zeo++ (pore analysis)
  • OpenBabel (molecule conversion)

Troubleshooting

Import errors: Install missing dependencies

bash
uv pip install pymatgen[analysis,vis]

API key not found: Set MP_API_KEY environment variable

bash
export MP_API_KEY="your_key_here"

Structure read failures: Check file format and syntax

python
# Try explicit format specification
struct = Structure.from_file("file.txt", fmt="cif")

Symmetry analysis fails: Structure may have numerical precision issues

python
# Increase tolerance
from pymatgen.symmetry.analyzer import SpacegroupAnalyzer
sga = SpacegroupAnalyzer(struct, symprec=0.1)

Additional Resources

Version Notes

This skill is designed for pymatgen 2024.x and later. For the Materials Project API, use the mp-api package (separate from legacy pymatgen.ext.matproj).

Requirements:

  • Python 3.10 or higher
  • pymatgen >= 2023.x
  • mp-api (for Materials Project access)

© zLanqing, MIT. Rendered from Markdown: HTML in the file is shown as text, images as links, and headings moved down two levels. Raw file

Files

SKILL.md and 8 other files (scripts, references) in scientific-toolkit-skill/references/scientific-skills/pymatgen of zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills.

  • SKILL.md
  • references/analysis_modules.md
  • references/core_classes.md
  • references/io_formats.md
  • references/materials_project_api.md
  • references/transformations_workflows.md
  • scripts/phase_diagram_generator.py
  • scripts/structure_analyzer.py
  • scripts/structure_converter.py

Open the folder on GitHubat commit 7ed6377

Used in 11 other repositories

We found 13 copies of this SKILL.md (exact, near-identical or edited) in other folders, from 11 other GitHub owners. This page covers the copy in zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills, which our catalogue first saw on October 7, 2026.

Compare with similar skills

Pymatgen next to the 5 skills that share the most tags, products or categories with it. Stars are the repository's; “used in” counts other GitHub owners with a copy.

Pymatgen compared with similar skills
SkillStarsUsed inTokensAuto-checkLicenceRepo updated
Pymatgen this skillzLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills4.7k11 repos~5kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
PymatgenK-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills48k1 repos~4.6kAutomated safety check: NotesMIT
Mat Defect Energy Dftlearningmatter-mit/AtomisticSkills176—~1.6kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
MolecodeAtomFlow-AI/MoleCode306—~1.9kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Engineering Figure Agentheyu-233/engineering-figure-agent305—~1.1kAutomated safety check: PassMIT
Cantera Ignition DelayK-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills48k1 repos~2.2kAutomated safety check: PassMIT

Similar skills

  • Pymatgen

    K-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills

    Analyzes, validates, converts, and transforms materials structures and computed materials data with pymatgen.

    48k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~4.6k tokens
    Research & ScienceAuto-check: notes
  • Mat Defect Energy Dft

    learningmatter-mit/AtomisticSkills

    Calculate charged defect formation energies and transition level diagrams using pymatgen-analysis-defects and atomate2 VASP workflows.

    176 GitHub stars~1.6k tokensUpdated yesterday
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
  • Molecode

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    A skill your agent uses for deterministic molecule understanding, graph-level editing, generation, and validation with MoleCode — an explicit Mermaid graph in which every atom and bond is a typed…

    306 GitHub stars~1.9k tokensUpdated 4 mo ago
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
  • Engineering Figure Agent

    heyu-233/engineering-figure-agent

    A skill your agent uses when the user needs engineering or research-paper figures: system architecture diagrams, algorithm workflows, hardware schematics, benchmark charts, ablation plots, figure…

    305 GitHub stars~1.1k tokensUpdated 4 mo ago
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
  • Cantera Ignition Delay

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    48k GitHub starsUsed in 1 repo~2.2k tokens
    Research & ScienceAuto-check passed
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More from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills

All 17 skills in this repo
  • Matplotlib

    zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills

    Low-level plotting library for full customization. An agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills.

    4.7k GitHub starsUsed in 17 repos~2.9k tokens
    Auto-check passed
  • Scikit Learn

    zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills

    Machine learning in Python with scikit-learn. An agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills.

    4.7k GitHub starsUsed in 16 repos~3.9k tokens
    Auto-check passed
  • Simpy

    zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills

    Process-based discrete-event simulation framework in Python.

    4.7k GitHub starsUsed in 11 repos~3k tokens
    Auto-check passed
  • Networkx

    zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills

    Comprehensive toolkit for creating, analyzing, and visualizing complex networks and graphs in Python.

    4.7k GitHub starsUsed in 15 repos~3.2k tokens
    Auto-check passed
  • Seaborn

    zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills

    Statistical visualization with pandas integration. An agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills.

    4.7k GitHub starsUsed in 15 repos~4.9k tokens
    Auto-check passed
  • Statsmodels

    zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills

    Statistical models library for Python. An agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills.

    4.7k GitHub starsUsed in 15 repos~4.9k tokens
    Auto-check passed

Questions about Pymatgen

What does Pymatgen do?

Materials science toolkit. An agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills. Pymatgen is an agent skill from zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills. Materials science toolkit.

When should I use Pymatgen?

Pymatgen fits situations like: tasks that involve Physical and earth sciences; tasks that involve Diagrams.

How do I install Pymatgen in Claude Code?

Run `npx skills add zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills --skill pymatgen -a claude-code`. Or copy the skill folder (scientific-toolkit-skill/references/scientific-skills/pymatgen in zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills) into .claude/skills/pymatgen in your project. Claude Code loads it when a task matches its description.

How do I install Pymatgen in Codex?

Run `npx skills add zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills --skill pymatgen -a codex`. Or copy the skill folder (scientific-toolkit-skill/references/scientific-skills/pymatgen in zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills) into .agents/skills/pymatgen in your project. Codex loads it when a task matches its description.

Can I use Pymatgen in Cursor, Gemini CLI or GitHub Copilot?

Cursor, Gemini CLI, GitHub Copilot and OpenCode also load SKILL.md folders. With the skills CLI, run `npx skills add zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills --skill pymatgen -a cursor` (or -a gemini-cli, github-copilot or opencode for the others). To copy it by hand, put the folder in .cursor/skills/pymatgen, .gemini/skills/pymatgen, .github/skills/pymatgen and .opencode/skills/pymatgen in your project.

What does Pymatgen need to run?

Going by SKILL.md and its folder, Pymatgen needs Python for the scripts in its folder, the command-line tools its instructions call (python and uv) and credentials named MP_API_KEY. Our summary lists: Python 3; A credential in MP_API_KEY.

Does Pymatgen access the network?

SKILL.md names 6 domains. As links in the text: next-gen.materialsproject.org, pymatgen.org, materialsproject.org, github.com, matsci.org and matgenb.materialsvirtuallab.org. This is read from the text; nothing was executed.

Is Pymatgen safe to install?

Our automated static check of SKILL.md found no risky patterns, such as piping downloads into a shell, reading credential files or hidden Unicode. It is not a guarantee. The check reads SKILL.md only: the scripts in the folder are not scanned, so read them before running anything.

What licence does Pymatgen use?

Pymatgen is published under the MIT licence (declared in SKILL.md). It allows redistribution, so the full SKILL.md is shown on this page.

How many tokens does Pymatgen use?

About 5k tokens (SKILL.md is roughly 20k characters). Agents keep only the skill's name and description in context until a task matches; then they load SKILL.md in full. Its references folder adds about 16k tokens, read only when the agent opens those files.

What are the alternatives to Pymatgen?

Skills that share tags, products or a category with Pymatgen: Pymatgen (K-Dense-AI/scientific-agent-skills, 48k stars), Mat Defect Energy Dft (learningmatter-mit/AtomisticSkills, 176 stars), Molecode (AtomFlow-AI/MoleCode, 306 stars) and Engineering Figure Agent (heyu-233/engineering-figure-agent, 305 stars). The comparison table on this page puts their stars, adoption, token cost, safety result and licence side by side.

Who maintains Pymatgen?

zLanqing (a GitHub user) maintains it in zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills, which has 4,671 GitHub stars. The repository holds 17 skills in this directory. The repository was last updated on May 14, 2026.

Source: zLanqing/codex-claude-academic-skills on GitHub. Facts on this page come from the repository at the commit we read; the author's words are quoted as theirs.