OrbitLab: An Educational N-body Sandbox for Comparing Numerical Integrators

OrbitLab introduces an educational sandbox for experimenting with classical N-body dynamics and systematically comparing numerical integration methods. The paper positions the tool as a bridge between “black-box simulation” and genuine computational understanding: learners can vary initial conditions, time steps, and integration schemes, then observe how these choices affect stability, accuracy, and qualitative behavior over time. OrbitLab is designed to make numerical error visible rather than abstract - encouraging students to reason about step-size sensitivity, long-horizon drift, and trade-offs between speed and fidelity. By framing integrators as comparable design choices (not just implementation details), the sandbox supports hands-on lessons in computational physics, numerical methods, and scientific computing. The work is intended for classrooms, self-study, and demonstrations where interactive experimentation and clear visual intuition are more valuable than heavy infrastructure.

https://github.com/slavasavelyev/OrbitLab