simple_casadi_mpc

Lightweight C++ utilities for building and solving MPC problems with CasADi. Includes runtime MPC, JIT-compiled MPC, and CMake-integrated compiled MPC solvers.

Dependencies

• CasADi (install script)
• IPOPT or FATROP (optional solver backends)
• Eigen3
• Python3 + NumPy + pybind11
• matplotlibcpp17 (examples/benchmarks use it via pybind11)
• doxygen (for docs; uses doc/doxygen-awesome-css submodule)

Build & install

mkdir build
cd build
cmake ..
make
sudo make install

CMake usage

find_package(simple_casadi_mpc REQUIRED)
target_link_libraries(my_target PRIVATE simple_casadi_mpc)

Solver overview

• MPC: simplest runtime solver; easiest for quick validation.
• JITMPC: JIT-compiles on the first solve for faster subsequent runs; expect a startup lag (cacheable with ccache).
• CompiledMPC: builds solver code at CMake time; best steady-state speed with no runtime lag.

Limitation for CompiledMPC: the solver backend (IPOPT/FATROP/...) and its parameters are fixed at build time.

Usage for CompiledMPC via CMake

find_package(simple_casadi_mpc REQUIRED)
 
# Generate a compiled solver (codegen step happens at build time)
add_simple_casadi_mpc_codegen(
  <solver_target_name>                  # e.g., my_problem
  <codegen_cpp>                         # e.g., my_problem_codegen.cpp (derives Problem)
  EXPORT_SOLVER_NAME <export_name>      # optional, default is <solver_target_name>_compiled_solver
  INCLUDE_DIRS ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} # where your Problem header lives
  SOLVER_NAME <casadi_solver>           # optional; default is fatrop (e.g., ipopt/fatrop/...)
  # LINK_LIBS ...                       # optional; extra solver libs if needed
)
 
# Link your executable against the generated solver + simple_casadi_mpc
add_executable(<your_exe> main.cpp
                ${<solver_target_name>_COMPILED_SOLVER_CONFIG_SOURCE})
target_include_directories(<your_exe> PRIVATE
  ${CMAKE_CURRENT_SOURCE_DIR} ${<solver_target_name>_CODEGEN_DIR})
target_link_libraries(<your_exe> PRIVATE
  simple_casadi_mpc::simple_casadi_mpc
  ${<solver_target_name>_COMPILED_SOLVER})

Examples

double_integrator_mpc_example

Drives a frictionless point mass to the origin (position and velocity feedback).

From: example/double_integrator_mpc_example.cpp

cartpole_mpc_example

Cartpole swing-up and balance (problem setup from the linked gists).

From: example/cartpole_mpc_example.cpp

https://gist.github.com/mayataka/ef178130d52b5b06d4dd8bb2c8384c54 https://gist.github.com/mayataka/bc08faa63a94d8b48ceba77cc79c7ccc

inverted_pendulum_mpc_example

Rotary inverted pendulum swing-up with torque limits that force a multi-phase motion.

From: example/inverted_pendulum_mpc_example.cpp

diff_drive_mpc_example

Differential-drive robot from top-left to bottom-right while avoiding circular obstacles and respecting velocity limits.

From: example/diff_drive_mpc_example.cpp

Benchmarks

Runtime comparisons for cartpole MPC solver variants.

Documentation

1) Fetch submodules:

git submodule update --init --recursive

2) Generate docs:

cd doc
doxygen Doxyfile

3) Open doc/build/html/index.html.