Features

Parallel execution and caching

Scale and reuse computation with chunking, caching, threads, and processes

Chunk caching

✅ Most workflows that use the VBT's execution framework—such as data pulling, chunking, parameterization, splitting, and optimization—can now offload intermediate results to disk and reload them if the workflow crashes and restarts. You can confidently test billions of parameter combinations on cloud instances without worrying about losing your data.

Execute a basic range with random fallouts while caching successful attempts
np.random.seed(42)

@vbt.parameterized(cache_chunks=True, chunk_len=1)  
def basic_iterator(i):
    print("i:", i)
    rand_number = np.random.uniform()
    if rand_number < 0.2:
        print("failed ⛔")
        raise ValueError
    return i

attempt = 0
while True:
    attempt += 1
    print("attempt", attempt)
    try:
        basic_iterator(vbt.Param(np.arange(10)))
        print("completed 🎉")
        break
    except ValueError:
        pass
attempt 1
i: 0
i: 1
i: 2
i: 3
i: 4
failed ⛔
attempt 2
i: 4
failed ⛔
attempt 3
i: 4
failed ⛔
attempt 4
i: 4
i: 5
i: 6
i: 7
failed ⛔
attempt 5
i: 7
i: 8
i: 9
completed 🎉

Chunking

✅ A new, innovative chunking mechanism lets you specify how arguments should be chunked. It automatically splits array-like arguments, passes each chunk to the function for execution, and then merges the results. This enables you to split large arrays and run any function in a distributed manner. VBT also features a central registry and provides chunking specifications for all arguments of most Numba-compiled functions, including simulation functions. Chunking can be enabled with a single command. You no longer have to worry about out-of-memory errors! 🎉

Backtest at most 100 parameter combinations at once
@vbt.chunked(
    chunk_len=100,
    merge_func="concat",  
    execute_kwargs=dict(  
        clear_cache=True,
        collect_garbage=True
    )
)
def backtest(data, fast_windows, slow_windows):  
    fast_ma = vbt.MA.run(data.close, fast_windows, short_name="fast")
    slow_ma = vbt.MA.run(data.close, slow_windows, short_name="slow")
    entries = fast_ma.ma_crossed_above(slow_ma)
    exits = fast_ma.ma_crossed_below(slow_ma)
    pf = vbt.PF.from_signals(data.close, entries, exits)
    return pf.total_return

param_product = vbt.combine_params(  
    dict(
        fast_window=vbt.Param(range(2, 100), condition="fast_window < slow_window"),
        slow_window=vbt.Param(range(2, 100)),
    ),
    build_index=False
)
backtest(
    vbt.YFData.pull(["BTC-USD", "ETH-USD"]),  
    vbt.Chunked(param_product["fast_window"]),  
    vbt.Chunked(param_product["slow_window"])
)
Chunk 48/48
fast_window  slow_window  symbol
2            3            BTC-USD    193.124482
                          ETH-USD     12.247315
             4            BTC-USD    159.600953
                          ETH-USD     15.825041
             5            BTC-USD    124.703676
                                            ...
97           98           ETH-USD      3.947346
             99           BTC-USD     25.551881
                          ETH-USD      3.442949
98           99           BTC-USD     27.943574
                          ETH-USD      3.540720
Name: total_return, Length: 9506, dtype: float64

Multithreading

✅ Integration of ThreadPoolExecutor from concurrent.futures, ThreadPool from pathos, and Dask backend for running multiple chunks across multiple threads. This is best for speeding up heavyweight functions that release the GIL, such as Numba and C functions. Multithreading + Chunking + Numba = 💪

Benchmark 1000 random portfolios without and with multithreading
data = vbt.YFData.pull(["BTC-USD", "ETH-USD"])

%timeit vbt.PF.from_random_signals(data.close, n=[100] * 1000, seed=42)
613 ms ± 37.2 ms per loop (mean ± std. dev. of 7 runs, 1 loop each)
%timeit vbt.PF.from_random_signals(data.close, n=[100] * 1000, seed=42, chunked="threadpool")
294 ms ± 8.91 ms per loop (mean ± std. dev. of 7 runs, 1 loop each)

Multiprocessing

✅ Integration of ProcessPoolExecutor from concurrent.futures, ProcessPool and ParallelPool from pathos, WorkerPool from mpire, and Ray backend for running multiple chunks across multiple processes. This is best for speeding up heavyweight functions that do not release the GIL, such as regular Python functions, as well as lightweight arguments that are easy to serialize. Ever wanted to test billions of hyperparameter combinations in just a few minutes? Now you can by scaling functions and entire applications in the cloud using Ray clusters 👀

Benchmark running a slow function on each column without and with multiprocessing
@vbt.chunked(
    size=vbt.ArraySizer(arg_query="items", axis=1),
    arg_take_spec=dict(
        items=vbt.ArraySelector(axis=1)
    ),
    merge_func=np.column_stack
)
def bubble_sort(items):
    items = items.copy()
    for i in range(len(items)):
        for j in range(len(items) - 1 - i):
            if items[j] > items[j + 1]:
                items[j], items[j + 1] = items[j + 1], items[j]
    return items

np.random.seed(42)
items = np.random.uniform(size=(1000, 3))

%timeit bubble_sort(items)
456 ms ± 1.36 ms per loop (mean ± std. dev. of 7 runs, 1 loop each)
%timeit bubble_sort(items, _execute_kwargs=dict(engine="pathos"))
165 ms ± 1.51 ms per loop (mean ± std. dev. of 7 runs, 1 loop each)

Caching

✅ Caching has been completely reimplemented and is now managed by a central registry. This enables tracking useful statistics for all cacheable parts of VBT, such as showing the total cached size in MB. You get full control and transparency 🪟

Get the cache statistics after computing the statistics of a random portfolio
data = vbt.YFData.pull("BTC-USD")
pf = vbt.PF.from_random_signals(data.close, n=5, seed=42)
_ = pf.stats()

pf.get_ca_setup().get_status_overview(
    filter_func=lambda setup: setup.caching_enabled,
    include=["hits", "misses", "total_size"]
)
                                 hits  misses total_size
object
portfolio:0.drawdowns               0       1    70.9 kB
portfolio:0.exit_trades             0       1    70.5 kB
portfolio:0.filled_close            6       1    24.3 kB
portfolio:0.init_cash               3       1   32 Bytes
portfolio:0.init_position           0       1   32 Bytes
portfolio:0.init_position_value     0       1   32 Bytes
portfolio:0.init_value              5       1   32 Bytes
portfolio:0.input_value             1       1   32 Bytes
portfolio:0.orders                  9       1    69.7 kB
portfolio:0.total_profit            1       1   32 Bytes
portfolio:0.trades                  0       1    70.5 kB

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