jorgensd · jorgensd · Oct 5, 2025 · Oct 3, 2025 · Oct 3, 2025 · Oct 3, 2025
diff --git a/.github/actions/install-dependencies/action.yml b/.github/actions/install-dependencies/action.yml
@@ -6,4 +6,4 @@ runs:
     - name: Install apt dependencies and upgrade pip
       shell: bash -el {0}
       run: |
-        apt-get update && apt-get install -y libxrender1 xvfb
+        apt-get update && apt-get install -y libxrender1
diff --git a/.github/workflows/book_stable.yml b/.github/workflows/book_stable.yml
@@ -10,7 +10,6 @@ on:
 env:
   HDF5_MPI: "ON"
   HDF5_DIR: "/usr/local/"
-  DISPLAY: ":99.0"
   DEB_PYTHON_INSTALL_LAYOUT: deb_system
   LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE: 1
 
@@ -20,8 +19,6 @@ jobs:
     container: ghcr.io/fenics/dolfinx/lab:stable
 
     env:
-      PYVISTA_TRAME_SERVER_PROXY_PREFIX: "/proxy/"
-      PYVISTA_TRAME_SERVER_PROXY_ENABLED: "True"
       PYVISTA_OFF_SCREEN: false
       PYVISTA_JUPYTER_BACKEND: "html"
 

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_nightly.yml b/.github/workflows/test_nightly.yml
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-name: Test release branch against DOLFINx nightly build
+name: Test against DOLFINx nightly build
 
 # Controls when the action will run.
 on:
@@ -22,7 +22,6 @@ jobs:
     env:
       HDF5_MPI: "ON"
       PYVISTA_OFF_SCREEN: true
-      DISPLAY: ":99.0"
       PYVISTA_JUPYTER_BACKEND: html
       LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE: 1
 
@@ -53,7 +52,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test chapter 1
         working-directory: chapter1
         run: |
-          python3 -c "from pyvista import start_xvfb; start_xvfb(0.1)"
           mpirun -n 2 python3 fundamentals_code.py
           mpirun -n 2 python3 nitsche.py
           mpirun -n 2 python3 membrane_code.py

diff --git a/.github/workflows/test_stable.yml b/.github/workflows/test_stable.yml
@@ -45,7 +45,6 @@ jobs:
       - name: Test chapter 1
         working-directory: chapter1
         run: |
-          python3 -c "from pyvista import start_xvfb; start_xvfb(0.1)"
           mpirun -n 2 python3 fundamentals_code.py
           mpirun -n 2 python3 nitsche.py
           mpirun -n 2 python3 membrane_code.py

diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
@@ -10,15 +10,36 @@ If you have any comments, corrections or questions, please submit an issue in th
 
 ## Contributing
 
-If you want to contribute to this tutorial, please make a fork of the repository, make your changes, and test that the CI passes. You can do this locally by downloading [act](https://github.com/nektos/act) and call
+If you want to contribute to this tutorial, please make a fork of the repository, make your changes, and test that the CI passes. 
 
+Alternatively, if you want to add a separate chapter, a Jupyter notebook can be added to a pull request, without integrating it into the tutorial. If so, the notebook will be reviewed and modified to be included in the tutorial.
+
+Any code added to the tutorial should work in parallel. If any changes are made to `ipynb` files, please ensure that these changes are reflected in the corresponding `py` files by using [`jupytext`](https://jupytext.readthedocs.io/en/latest/faq.html#can-i-use-jupytext-with-jupyterhub-binder-nteract-colab-saturn-or-azure):
+
+
+## Building the book and running code
+The book is built using [jupyterbook](https://jupyterbook.org/). The following environment variables should be set if you want to build the book
 ```bash
-act -j test-nightly
+PYVISTA_OFF_SCREEN=false
+PYVISTA_JUPYTER_BACKEND="html"
+JUPYTER_EXTENSION_ENABLED=true
+LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1
 ```
 
-Alternatively, if you want to add a separate chapter, a Jupyter notebook can be added to a pull request, without integrating it into the tutorial. If so, the notebook will be reviewed and modified to be included in the tutorial.
+If you run the tutorial using `jupyter-lab`, for instance through `conda`, one should set the following environment variables
+```bash
+PYVISTA_OFF_SCREEN=false
+PYVISTA_JUPYTER_BACKEND="trame"
+JUPYTER_EXTENSION_ENABLED=true
+LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1
+```
+If you use docker to run your code, you should set the following variables:
+```bash
+docker run -ti -e DISPLAY=$DISPLAY -e LIBGL_ALWAYS_SOFTWARE=1 -e PYVISTA_OFF_SCREEN=false -e PYVISTA_JUPYTER_BACKEND="trame" -e JUPYTER_EXTENSION_ENABLED=true --network=host -v $(pwd):/root/shared -w /root/shared  ....
+```
+
+To run python scripts, either choose `PYVISTA_OFF_SCREEN=True` to get screenshots, or render interactive plots with `PYVISTA_OFF_SCREEN=False`
 
-Any code added to the tutorial should work in parallel. If any changes are made to `ipynb` files, please ensure that these changes are reflected in the corresponding `py` files by using [`jupytext`](https://jupytext.readthedocs.io/en/latest/faq.html#can-i-use-jupytext-with-jupyterhub-binder-nteract-colab-saturn-or-azure):
 
 ```bash
 python3 -m jupytext --sync  */*.ipynb --set-formats ipynb,py:light

diff --git a/chapter1/complex_mode.ipynb b/chapter1/complex_mode.ipynb
@@ -270,7 +270,6 @@
    "source": [
     "import pyvista\n",
     "\n",
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(0.1)\n",
     "mesh.topology.create_connectivity(mesh.topology.dim, mesh.topology.dim)\n",
     "p_mesh = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(*dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh(mesh, mesh.topology.dim))\n",
     "pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry = dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh(V)\n",

diff --git a/chapter1/complex_mode.py b/chapter1/complex_mode.py
@@ -181,7 +181,6 @@
 # +
 import pyvista
 
-pyvista.start_xvfb(0.1)
 mesh.topology.create_connectivity(mesh.topology.dim, mesh.topology.dim)
 p_mesh = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(*dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh(mesh, mesh.topology.dim))
 pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry = dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh(V)

diff --git a/chapter1/fundamentals_code.ipynb b/chapter1/fundamentals_code.ipynb
@@ -473,7 +473,6 @@
     "We start by converting the mesh to a format that can be used with {py:mod}`pyvista`.\n",
     "To do this we use the function {py:func}`dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh`.\n",
     "It creates the data required to create a {py:class}`pyvista.UnstructuredGrid`.\n",
-    "On Linux (in docker) we need to start a virtual framebuffer for plotting through docker containers.\n",
     "You can print the current backend and change it with {py:func}`pyvista.set_jupyter_backend`."
    ]
   },
@@ -486,8 +485,7 @@
    "source": [
     "import pyvista\n",
     "\n",
-    "print(pyvista.global_theme.jupyter_backend)\n",
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(0.1)"
+    "print(pyvista.global_theme.jupyter_backend)"
    ]
   },
   {

diff --git a/chapter1/fundamentals_code.py b/chapter1/fundamentals_code.py
@@ -309,14 +309,12 @@
 # We start by converting the mesh to a format that can be used with {py:mod}`pyvista`.
 # To do this we use the function {py:func}`dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh`.
 # It creates the data required to create a {py:class}`pyvista.UnstructuredGrid`.
-# On Linux (in docker) we need to start a virtual framebuffer for plotting through docker containers.
 # You can print the current backend and change it with {py:func}`pyvista.set_jupyter_backend`.
 
 # +
 import pyvista
 
 print(pyvista.global_theme.jupyter_backend)
-pyvista.start_xvfb(0.1)
 
 # +
 from dolfinx import plot

diff --git a/chapter1/membrane_code.ipynb b/chapter1/membrane_code.ipynb
@@ -306,9 +306,7 @@
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
     "from dolfinx.plot import vtk_mesh\n",
-    "import pyvista\n",
-    "\n",
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(0.1)"
+    "import pyvista\n"
    ]
   },
   {

diff --git a/chapter1/membrane_code.py b/chapter1/membrane_code.py
@@ -151,12 +151,9 @@ def on_boundary(x):
 # ## Plotting the solution over a line
 # We first plot the deflection $u_h$ over the domain $\Omega$.
 
-# +
 from dolfinx.plot import vtk_mesh
 import pyvista
 
-pyvista.start_xvfb(0.1)
-# -
 
 # Extract topology from mesh and create pyvista mesh
 

diff --git a/chapter1/nitsche.ipynb b/chapter1/nitsche.ipynb
@@ -188,8 +188,6 @@
    "source": [
     "import pyvista\n",
     "\n",
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
-    "\n",
     "grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(*plot.vtk_mesh(V))\n",
     "grid.point_data[\"u\"] = uh.x.array.real\n",
     "grid.set_active_scalars(\"u\")\n",

diff --git a/chapter1/nitsche.py b/chapter1/nitsche.py
@@ -107,8 +107,6 @@
 # +
 import pyvista
 
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
-
 grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(*plot.vtk_mesh(V))
 grid.point_data["u"] = uh.x.array.real
 grid.set_active_scalars("u")

diff --git a/chapter2/amr.ipynb b/chapter2/amr.ipynb
@@ -138,7 +138,6 @@
    },
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
     "\n",
     "grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(*dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh(mesh))\n",
     "grid.cell_data[\"ct\"] = ct.values\n",

diff --git a/chapter2/amr.py b/chapter2/amr.py
@@ -72,7 +72,6 @@
 # We use pyvista to visualize the mesh.
 
 # + tags=["hide-input"]
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
 
 grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(*dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh(mesh))
 grid.cell_data["ct"] = ct.values

diff --git a/chapter2/diffusion_code.ipynb b/chapter2/diffusion_code.ipynb
@@ -263,8 +263,6 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
-    "\n",
     "grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(*plot.vtk_mesh(V))\n",
     "\n",
     "plotter = pyvista.Plotter()\n",

diff --git a/chapter2/diffusion_code.py b/chapter2/diffusion_code.py
@@ -136,8 +136,6 @@ def initial_condition(x, a=5):
 # We use the DOLFINx plotting functionality, which is based on pyvista to plot the solution at every $15$th time step. We would also like to visualize a colorbar reflecting the minimal and maximum value of $u$ at each time step. We use the following convenience function `plot_function` for this:
 
 # +
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
-
 grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(*plot.vtk_mesh(V))
 
 plotter = pyvista.Plotter()

diff --git a/chapter2/hyperelasticity.ipynb b/chapter2/hyperelasticity.ipynb
@@ -389,7 +389,6 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
     "plotter = pyvista.Plotter()\n",
     "plotter.open_gif(\"deformation.gif\", fps=3)\n",
     "\n",

diff --git a/chapter2/hyperelasticity.py b/chapter2/hyperelasticity.py
@@ -174,7 +174,6 @@ def right(x):
 # We create a function to plot the solution at each time step.
 
 # +
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
 plotter = pyvista.Plotter()
 plotter.open_gif("deformation.gif", fps=3)
 

diff --git a/chapter2/linearelasticity_code.ipynb b/chapter2/linearelasticity_code.ipynb
@@ -230,8 +230,6 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
-    "\n",
     "# Create plotter and pyvista grid\n",
     "p = pyvista.Plotter()\n",
     "topology, cell_types, geometry = plot.vtk_mesh(V)\n",

diff --git a/chapter2/linearelasticity_code.py b/chapter2/linearelasticity_code.py
@@ -144,8 +144,6 @@ def sigma(u):
 # In previous tutorials, we have considered scalar values, while the following section considers vectors.
 
 # +
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
-
 # Create plotter and pyvista grid
 p = pyvista.Plotter()
 topology, cell_types, geometry = plot.vtk_mesh(V)

diff --git a/chapter2/ns_code1.ipynb b/chapter2/ns_code1.ipynb
@@ -639,8 +639,6 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
-    "\n",
     "topology, cell_types, geometry = vtk_mesh(V)\n",
     "values = np.zeros((geometry.shape[0], 3), dtype=np.float64)\n",
     "values[:, : len(u_n)] = u_n.x.array.real.reshape((geometry.shape[0], len(u_n)))\n",

diff --git a/chapter2/ns_code1.py b/chapter2/ns_code1.py
@@ -456,8 +456,6 @@ def u_exact(x):
 # In this section we will look at how to visualize vector functions with glyphs, instead of warping the mesh.
 
 # +
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
-
 topology, cell_types, geometry = vtk_mesh(V)
 values = np.zeros((geometry.shape[0], 3), dtype=np.float64)
 values[:, : len(u_n)] = u_n.x.array.real.reshape((geometry.shape[0], len(u_n)))

diff --git a/chapter3/component_bc.ipynb b/chapter3/component_bc.ipynb
@@ -301,8 +301,6 @@
    },
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
-    "\n",
     "# Create plotter and pyvista grid\n",
     "p = pyvista.Plotter()\n",
     "topology, cell_types, x = vtk_mesh(V)\n",

diff --git a/chapter3/component_bc.py b/chapter3/component_bc.py
@@ -176,8 +176,6 @@ def sigma(u):
 # ## Visualization
 
 # +
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
-
 # Create plotter and pyvista grid
 p = pyvista.Plotter()
 topology, cell_types, x = vtk_mesh(V)

diff --git a/chapter3/em.ipynb b/chapter3/em.ipynb
@@ -272,7 +272,6 @@
    },
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
     "plotter = pyvista.Plotter()\n",
     "tdim = mesh.topology.dim\n",
     "mesh.topology.create_connectivity(tdim, tdim)\n",

diff --git a/chapter3/em.py b/chapter3/em.py
@@ -226,7 +226,6 @@
 
 # We can also visualize the subdommains using pyvista
 
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
 plotter = pyvista.Plotter()
 tdim = mesh.topology.dim
 mesh.topology.create_connectivity(tdim, tdim)

diff --git a/chapter3/multiple_dirichlet.ipynb b/chapter3/multiple_dirichlet.ipynb
@@ -162,7 +162,6 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
     "pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry = vtk_mesh(V)\n",
     "grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry)\n",
     "grid.point_data[\"u\"] = uh.x.array\n",

diff --git a/chapter3/multiple_dirichlet.py b/chapter3/multiple_dirichlet.py
@@ -121,7 +121,6 @@ def u_exact(x):
 # To visualize the solution, run the script with in a Jupyter notebook with `off_screen=False` or as a python script with `off_screen=True`.
 
 # +
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
 pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry = vtk_mesh(V)
 grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry)
 grid.point_data["u"] = uh.x.array

diff --git a/chapter3/neumann_dirichlet_code.ipynb b/chapter3/neumann_dirichlet_code.ipynb
@@ -222,16 +222,6 @@
     "To look at the actual solution, run the script as a python script with `off_screen=True` or as a Jupyter notebook with `off_screen=False`"
    ]
   },
-  {
-   "cell_type": "code",
-   "execution_count": null,
-   "id": "9",
-   "metadata": {},
-   "outputs": [],
-   "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)"
-   ]
-  },
   {
    "cell_type": "code",
    "execution_count": null,

diff --git a/chapter3/neumann_dirichlet_code.py b/chapter3/neumann_dirichlet_code.py
@@ -185,8 +185,6 @@ def boundary_D(x):
 # ## Visualization
 # To look at the actual solution, run the script as a python script with `off_screen=True` or as a Jupyter notebook with `off_screen=False`
 
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
-
 # +
 pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry = vtk_mesh(V)
 grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry)

diff --git a/chapter3/robin_neumann_dirichlet.ipynb b/chapter3/robin_neumann_dirichlet.ipynb
@@ -362,7 +362,6 @@
     "uh = problem.solve()\n",
     "\n",
     "# Visualize solution\n",
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
     "pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry = vtk_mesh(V)\n",
     "grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry)\n",
     "grid.point_data[\"u\"] = uh.x.array\n",

diff --git a/chapter3/robin_neumann_dirichlet.py b/chapter3/robin_neumann_dirichlet.py
@@ -268,7 +268,6 @@ def type(self):
 uh = problem.solve()
 
 # Visualize solution
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
 pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry = vtk_mesh(V)
 grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(pyvista_cells, cell_types, geometry)
 grid.point_data["u"] = uh.x.array

diff --git a/chapter3/subdomains.ipynb b/chapter3/subdomains.ipynb
@@ -45,8 +45,6 @@
     "import numpy as np\n",
     "import pyvista\n",
     "\n",
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
-    "\n",
     "mesh = create_unit_square(MPI.COMM_WORLD, 10, 10)\n",
     "Q = functionspace(mesh, (\"DG\", 0))"
    ]

diff --git a/chapter3/subdomains.py b/chapter3/subdomains.py
@@ -46,8 +46,6 @@
 import numpy as np
 import pyvista
 
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
-
 mesh = create_unit_square(MPI.COMM_WORLD, 10, 10)
 Q = functionspace(mesh, ("DG", 0))
 

diff --git a/chapter4/newton-solver.ipynb b/chapter4/newton-solver.ipynb
@@ -553,7 +553,6 @@
    "metadata": {},
    "outputs": [],
    "source": [
-    "pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)\n",
     "u_topology, u_cell_types, u_geometry = dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh(V)\n",
     "u_grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(u_topology, u_cell_types, u_geometry)\n",
     "u_grid.point_data[\"u\"] = uh.x.array.real\n",

diff --git a/chapter4/newton-solver.py b/chapter4/newton-solver.py
@@ -319,7 +319,6 @@ def u_exact(x):
 if domain.comm.rank == 0:
     print(f"Error_max: {error_max:.2e}")
 
-pyvista.start_xvfb(1.0)
 u_topology, u_cell_types, u_geometry = dolfinx.plot.vtk_mesh(V)
 u_grid = pyvista.UnstructuredGrid(u_topology, u_cell_types, u_geometry)
 u_grid.point_data["u"] = uh.x.array.real