One row, one rule, 256 universes. Rule 30 makes chaos, Rule 90 draws a Sierpinski triangle, and Rule 110 is powerful enough to compute anything.
Elementary Cellular AutomataLive
Wolfram's 256 rules
Controls
Presets
Each cell's next state depends only on itself and its two neighbors, giving 256 possible rules. Rule 30 is chaotic (used as a random generator); Rule 110 is proven Turing-complete; Rule 90 draws a Sierpinski triangle.
Reading this result: Rule 30 is chaotic: from a single seed it never settles into a pattern, which is why its center column is used as a random-number generator.
Runs locally in your browser — free forever. Scale to the cloud when reality gets heavy.
★ Sign in to save this setupSave your tuned setup, or drop this simulation into your own site, docs, or course page.
How it works
An elementary cellular automaton updates each cell from its own state and its two neighbors, so a rule is just an 8-bit lookup table — 256 in all. Stephen Wolfram catalogued them into classes from uniform to chaotic to complex; Rule 110 has been proven Turing-complete.
✦
Ask the AI about this model
The math, the assumptions, real-world uses, or a code translation — explained for this exact simulation.
Is this elementary cellular automata rule 30 tool really free?▾
Yes. Elementary Cellular Automata runs entirely in your browser using your device's own compute, so local use is free forever. You only pay Compute Tokens if you scale a job to the cloud.
Do I need to install anything?▾
No. Everything runs client-side in a modern browser — no downloads, no license, no account required to start.
Can I save or share my simulation?▾
Create a free account to save projects, and use a shareable embed or minted DOI to publish a live, interactive version anywhere.
How accurate are the results?▾
The solver uses established numerical methods, but results are for research and educational purposes and should be validated against experiment or professional review before you rely on them.