FreeFEM Documentation, Release 4.

all versions of freefem, it has a high level user friendly input language which is not too far from the
mathematical writing of the problems.
The freefem language allows for a quick specification of any partial differential system of equa-
tions. The language syntax of FreeFEM is the result of a new design which makes use of the
STL [STROUSTRUP2000], templates, and bison for its implementation; more details can be found in
[HECHT2002]. The outcome is a versatile software in which any new finite elements can be included
in a few hours; but a recompilation is then necessary. Therefore the library of finite elements available
in FreeFEM will grow with the version number and with the number of users who program more new
elements. So far we have discontinuous 𝑃0 elements,linear 𝑃1 and quadratic 𝑃2 Lagrangian elements,
discontinuous 𝑃1 and Raviart-Thomas elements and a few others like bubble elements.

The development of FreeFEM through more than 30 years

1987
MacFem/PCFem the old ones (O. Pironneau in Pascal) no free.
1992
FreeFem rewrite in C++ (P1,P0 one mesh ) O. Pironneau, D. Bernardi, F.Hecht (mesh adaptation , bamg)
, C. Prudhomme .
1996
FreeFem+ rewrite in C++ (P1,P0 more mesh) O. Pironneau, D. Bernardi, F.Hecht (algebra of function).
1998
FreeFem++ rewrite with an other finite element kernel and an new language F. Hecht, O. Pironneau,
K.Ohtsuka.
1999
FreeFem 3d (S. Del Pino), a fist 3d version base on fictitious domaine method.
2008
FreeFem++ v3 use a new finite element kernel multidimensionnels: 1d,2d,3d. . .
2014
FreeFem++ v3.34 parallel version
2017
FreeFem++ v3.57 parallel version
2018
FreeFem++ v4: New matrix type, Surface element, New Parallel tools . . .

26 Chapter 1. Introduction