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Update release notes and version for 3.2.0 #2760

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78 changes: 78 additions & 0 deletions HISTORY.md
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---
title: Release History
---
# 3.2.0 (2025-04-25)
## Highlights
Mesa 3.2.0 is a feature-packed release which stabilizes our experimental spaces, improves many of our visualisation capabilities and includes new documentation and quality of life enhancements.

### Stabilization of Discrete Space
The experimental Cell Space system has been stabilized and is now available as `mesa.discrete_space` ([#2610](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2610)). This powerful spatial modeling framework enables cell-centric simulations with integrated PropertyLayers and improved agent movement capabilities. Key improvements include:

- Support for dynamic modifications to discrete spaces during simulation ([#2755](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2755))
- Methods to add/remove cells and connections in real-time
- Full integration with PropertyLayers ([#2440](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2440)) for representing environmental variables
- Compatible with all examples and existing visualizations

The PropertyLayer itself has also been stabilized, allowing for efficient management of spatial environmental properties like terrain, resources, or any grid-based variables. Core examples including [Schelling](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/tree/main/mesa/examples/basic/schelling), [Game of Life](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/tree/main/mesa/examples/basic/conways_game_of_life), [Boltzmann Wealth](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/tree/main/mesa/examples/basic/boltzmann_wealth_model), and [Virus on Network](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/tree/main/mesa/examples/basic/virus_on_network) have been updated to use the new discrete space system.

### Enhanced Visualization Experience
The SolaraViz visualization system has received substantial upgrades:

- **Command Console** ([#2697](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2697)): An interactive Python console embedded directly in the visualization, allowing real-time model inspection and manipulation
- **Asynchronous Updates** ([#2656](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2656)): Visualization now runs in a separate thread, dramatically improving performance for complex models
- **Dark Mode** ([#2689](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2689)): Support for Solara Dark theme, automatically matching system preferences
- **Improved Error Handling** ([#2747](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2747), [#2753](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2753)): Better visualization of errors with options to view detailed traceback information
- **Enhanced UI**: Arrow key navigation ([#2725](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2725)), movable input field with auto-scroll ([#2710](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2710)), and other quality-of-life improvements
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This enhanced UI was a part of Command Console, it can either be removed or moved in the Command Console part.

Everything else looks good.

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Thanks, good catch!

- **PropertyLayer visualisation in Altair** ([#2643](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2643)): Support for visualising PropertyLayers using the Altair frontend in Solara.

### Restructured and updated tutorial
Our [introduction tutorial](https://mesa.readthedocs.io/latest/overview.html) has been completely restructured ([#2731](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2731)). Instead of one huge notebook, the tutorial is now divided into smaller, focused modules that build progressively:

- **Creating Your First Model**: Essential basics to get started
- **Adding Space**: Learn how to use the new discrete space system
- **Collecting Data**: Effectively gather model statistics
- **AgentSet**: Master agent management techniques
- **Visualization**: Series of modules covering basic to advanced visualization

### Other improvements
- AgentSet's `agg` method now supports multiple aggregation functions in a single call ([#2743](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2743))
- Many documentation improvements have been made based on feedback by our JOSS reviewers

We also celebrate the publication of our peer-reviewed [Mesa 3 paper](https://doi.org/10.21105/joss.07668) in JOSS. See the updated [Citing Mesa](https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa?tab=readme-ov-file#citing-mesa) section on how to cite us.

## What's Changed
### 🎉 New features added
* Stabilize experimental Cell Space as `mesa.discrete_space` by @quaquel in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2610
* Feat: Added Command Console by @Sahil-Chhoker in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2697
* Stabilize PropertyLayer by @EwoutH in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2440
### 🛠 Enhancements made
* Visualisation: Add dark mode by @sanika-n in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2689
* Creating threads to update visualization asynchronously by @HMNS19 in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2656
* Movable Input Field with auto-scroll by @Sahil-Chhoker in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2710
* Feat: Added arrow key navigation by @Sahil-Chhoker in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2725
* added property_layer with altair by @sanika-n in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2643
* Debug option for errors in visualisation by @colinfrisch in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2747
* Debug option for errors in visualisation front end by @colinfrisch in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2753
* Add support for dynamic discrete spaces by @quaquel in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2755
* Support multiple functions in AgentSet `agg` method by @EwoutH in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2743
### 🐛 Bugs fixed
* Minor (bug) fixes to discrete_space by @quaquel in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2687
* Fixed Marker in mpl by @sanika-n in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2670
### 🔍 Examples updated
* Move boltzmann to cell spaces by @quaquel in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2680
* Move Game of life to cell space by @quaquel in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2681
* Move Schelling to discrete space by @quaquel in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2684
* Move virus_on_a_network to discrete_space by @quaquel in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2688
* Update boid_flockers example include flight direction by @sanika-n in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2696
### 📜 Documentation improvements
* docs: Split off the overview page, extend with spaces/activation by @EwoutH in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2673
* docs: Add Roles section to CONTRIBUTING.md by @EwoutH in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2694
* [JOSS] Docs: Clarify difference between core and user examples by @EwoutH in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2706
* [JOSS] docs: Improve batch_run documentation for parallel processing by @EwoutH in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2707
* JOSS Tutorial Fixes by @tpike3 in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2708
* Clean-up old images, compress wolf-sheep image, remove version switch artifact by @EwoutH in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2717
* docs: Update citation to JOSS article by @EwoutH in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2740
* update intro tutorial discrete space by @tpike3 in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2731

## New Contributors
* @colinfrisch made their first contribution in https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/pull/2747

**Full Changelog**: https://github.com/projectmesa/mesa/compare/v3.1.4...v3.2.0

# 3.1.5 (2025-03-26)
## Highlights
Mesa 3.1.5 is a maintenance release focused on improving documentation and cleaning up our resources. This update includes no breaking changes and is compatible with previous 3.1.x releases.
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