Conway's Game of Life simulator

Introduction

Welcome to our Conway's Game of Life simulator! This interactive application showcases John Horton Conway's famous cellular automaton, first introduced in 1970. Experience a captivating display of cellular evolution through simple rules that govern the life and death of cells on a grid. Start with a random initial configuration and observe as complex patterns and behaviors emerge from simplicity, providing endless possibilities for exploration and learning.

Problem Description

Conway’s Game of Life is a unique model where there are no players, and the dynamics are driven solely by the initial state and inherent rules of the system. The game takes place on a grid filled with cells that can either be alive or dead. At the beginning of the simulation, the grid is populated randomly with a mix of these cells. The subsequent state of the grid evolves according to four foundational rules that determine the fate of each cell based on its neighbors:

1. Birth: A dead cell with exactly three live neighbors becomes a live cell (as if by reproduction).
2. Survival: A live cell with two or three live neighbors stays alive for the next generation.
3. Death by Loneliness: A live cell with fewer than two live neighbors dies.
4. Death by Overcrowding: A live cell with more than three live neighbors dies.

With this simulation, you can witness the unpredictable unfolding of life patterns starting from a random setup. It serves as an excellent tool for education and experimentation, offering insights into emergence, complexity, and systems behavior. Whether for educational purposes, research, or sheer curiosity, our Game of Life simulator invites you to delve into a world of dynamic patterns that exemplify the beauty of mathematical simplicity.