Getting Started

ReformLab runs locally on a standard laptop (16 GB RAM) with Python 3.13+. Install the optional [openfisca] extra to use OpenFisca France as the default computation backend.

1. Prepare a population

   Load a synthetic household dataset representing French households — income, housing, vehicles, and energy consumption. ReformLab ships with ready-made sample populations so you can start immediately.

   Learn more about populations in the domain model.

2. Choose a policy scenario

   Pick a policy template — carbon tax, energy subsidy, vehicle feebate, or build your own. Configure rates, exemptions, and redistribution rules using sliders and dropdowns.

   See all policy types in the domain model.

3. Configure the computation engine

   ReformLab connects to OpenFisca to compute household-level taxes and benefits. The default configuration works out of the box — no setup required for standard scenarios.

   Learn more about the computation engine in the domain model.

4. Run the simulation and explore results

   Hit “Run” and get year-by-year distributional indicators in seconds. Compare reform scenarios side by side, export to CSV, or drill into individual household impacts.

   See how results and indicators work in the domain model.

   Try the demo →

What happens under the hood

The Orchestrator runs your scenario year by year, feeding each year’s household data through OpenFisca and collecting results into a panel dataset. From there, indicators — Gini coefficients, revenue projections, winner/loser counts — are computed automatically.

Ready to see it in action? Try the demo → or explore the domain model for a deeper understanding.