# Complexity
## MicroSim spec
- **Recommended sim type:** emergence / agent-based
- **Microsimmability score:** 66/100
- **Layout:** drawing region (canvas) on top; control region (sliders/buttons) below.
### Parameters (tunable controls)
- `Number of parts`
- `Interaction strength`
- `Noise`
### What animates
A system's behavior grows intricate and unpredictable as parts and interaction strength rise.
### Learning objective
Show how interdependence makes system behavior complex.
## Links (Wikipedia order)
<!-- injected from _registry/childlinks/Complexity.json (2026-07-30T02:09:12Z) -->
`Aleksandr_Lyapunov` · [[Algorithm]] · `Algorithmic_information_theory` · `Amie_Wilkinson` · `Analysis` · `Andrey_Kolmogorov` · `Anosov_diffeomorphism` · `Arnold's_cat_map` · `Arnold_tongue` · `Arthur_Winfree` · [[Artificial_life]] · `Assembly_theory` · [[Attractor]] · `Audrey_Terras` · `Automata_theory` · `Axiom_A` · `Axiomatic_system` · `Baker's_map` · `Benoit_Mandelbrot` · `Bifurcation_diagram` · [[Bifurcation_theory]] · `Big_History` · `Big_O_notation` · `Binary_classification` · [[Binary_number]] · [[Bioinformatics]] · `Biology` · `Bit` · `Blum_axioms` · `Brosl_Hasslacher` · `Bryna_Kra` · `Butterfly_effect` · `Caroline_Series` · `Celso_Grebogi` · [[Chaos_theory]] · `Chen_Guanrong` · `Chua's_circuit` · `Codec` · `Combinatorial_game_theory` · [[Complex_adaptive_system]] · `Complex_network` · `Complex_quadratic_polynomial` · [[Complex_system]] · `Complexity_(disambiguation)` · `Complexity_class` · `Computational_complexity` · `Computational_complexity_theory` · `Computational_irreducibility` · `Computational_learning_theory` · `Computational_resource` · `Computational_sociology` · `Computer_program` · `Computer_simulation` · `Conceptual_framework` · `Conservative_system` · `Control_of_chaos` · `Correlation_dimension` · `Cosmology` · [[Coupled_map_lattice]] · `Cyclomatic_complexity` · `Data` · `Data_processing` · `David_Ruelle` · `Digital_morphogenesis` · `Dimension` · `Double_pendulum` · `Dual-phase_evolution` · `Duffing_equation` · `Duffing_map` · `Dyadic_transformation` · `Dynamical_billiards` · [[Dynamical_system]] · `Economics` · [[Ecosystem]] · `Edge_of_chaos` · [[Edward_Norton_Lorenz]] · `Edward_Ott` · `Elastic_pendulum` · [[Emergence]] · [[Entropy_(information_theory)]] · `Entropy_(statistical_thermodynamics)` · `Ergodic_theory` · `Ergodicity` · `Eric_Chaisson` · [[Evolutionary_computation]] · `Exponential_map_(discrete_dynamical_systems)` · [[Feedback]] · `Fermi–Pasta–Ulam–Tsingou_problem` · `Floris_Takens` · `Forecasting_complexity` · [[Fractal]] · `Francis_Heylighen` · `Game_complexity` · `Gauss_iterated_map` · [[Genetic_algorithm]] · `Gingerbreadman_map` · `Halstead_complexity_measures` · `Hausdorff_dimension` · `Hee_Oh` · `Henri_Poincaré` · [[Hierarchy]] · `Holism_in_science` · `Horseshoe_map` · `Human_brain` · `Hydrogen_bond` · `Hénon_map` · `Hénon–Heiles_system` · `Ikeda_map` · `Information_fluctuation_complexity` · [[Information_theory]] · [[Interdisciplinarity]] · `International_Journal_of_Theoretical_Physics` · `Interval_exchange_transformation` · `Invariant_measure` · `Irrational_rotation` · `Itamar_Procaccia` · `James_A._Yorke` · `Johan_Roos` · `Kaplan–Yorke_map` · `Kicked_rotator` · `Kolmogorov_complexity` · `Krylov–Bogolyubov_theorem` · `Lai-Sang_Young` · `Langton's_ant` · `Leon_O._Chua` · `Limit_set` · `Linguistic_sequence_complexity` · `Liouville's_theorem_(Hamiltonian)` · `List_of_chaotic_maps` · [[Living_systems]] · `Logistic_map` · `Lorenz_system` · `Lotka–Volterra_equations` · `Lyapunov_exponent` · [[Lyapunov_stability]] · `Mackey–Glass_equations` · `Manifold` · `Manuel_Blum` · `Marcelo_Viana` · `Martin_Gutzwiller` · [[Mary_Cartwright]] · `Mary_Rees` · `Mary_Tsingou` · `Mathematics` · `Matter` · `Measure-preserving_dynamical_system` · `Meta-learning_(computer_science)` · `Michael_Berry_(physicist)` · `Michel_Hénon` · `Minimum_message_length` · `Mitchell_Feigenbaum` · `Mixing_(mathematics)` · `Model` · `Model_of_hierarchical_complexity` · `Model_theory` · `Molecular_modelling` · `Multiscroll_attractor` · `NP_(complexity)` · `Names_of_large_numbers` · `Neil_F._Johnson` · [[Network_science]] · [[Network_theory]] · [[Newton's_laws_of_motion]] · `Nina_Snaith` · [[Nonlinear_system]] · `Observation` · `Occam's_razor` · `Orbit` · `Orbit_(dynamics)` · `Otto_Rössler` · `Outer_billiards` · `P_(complexity)` · `Parameterized_complexity` · `Peak_complexity` · `Percolation_theory` · `Periodic_point` · `Peter_Grassberger` · [[Phase_space]] · `Phenomenon` · `Physical_Review_E` · `Physical_Review_Letters` · `Poincaré_recurrence_theorem` · `Poincaré–Bendixson_theorem` · [[Population_dynamics]] · [[Predictability]] · [[Probability]] · `Probability_theory` · `Problem_solving` · [[Process_architecture]] · `Programming_complexity` · `Project_complexity` · [[Project_management]] · `Property` · `Quantum_chaos` · `Quantum_state` · `Rabinovich–Fabrikant_equations` · `Rademacher_complexity` · `Randomness` · `Rayleigh–Bénard_convection` · `Recurrence_plot` · `Reproduction` · `Robert_Ulanowicz` · `Rufus_Bowen` · `Rössler_attractor` · `Santa_Fe_Institute` · [[Science]] · [[Self-organization]] · `Self-organization_in_cybernetics` · `Semigroup` · `Simplicity` · `Simulation` · `Social_complexity` · `Social_science` · `Social_system` · `Sociology` · [[Software_engineering]] · `Spontaneous_order` · `Stability_theory` · `Stable_manifold` · `Stable_manifold_theorem` · `Standard_map` · `State_(computer_science)` · `Statistical_learning_theory` · `Statistical_mechanics` · `String_(computer_science)` · `Supervised_learning` · `Svetlana_Jitomirskaya` · `Swinging_Atwood's_machine` · `Synchronization_of_chaos` · [[System]] · `Systemics` · [[Systems_theory]] · `Takens's_theorem` · `Technology` · `Tent_map` · `Theorem` · `Thorngate's_postulate_of_commensurate_complexity` · `Three-body_problem` · `Tilt-A-Whirl` · `Time_complexity` · `Tinkerbell_map` · `Topological_conjugacy` · `Travelling_salesman_problem` · `Turing_completeness` · `Turing_machine` · `U-rank` · `Van_der_Pol_oscillator` · `Vapnik–Chervonenkis_dimension` · [[Variety_(cybernetics)]] · `Warren_Weaver` · [[Wayback_Machine]] · [[Weather_forecasting]] · `Yakov_Sinai` · `Zaslavskii_map` · `Zero-Force_Evolutionary_Law`
## From the Real GENERATIVE library (beauty pass)

*Complexity — image hotlinked from Wikimedia Commons (via the Real G.E.N.E.R.A.T.I.V.E. course library, Information room). [Details & license](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Wikiquote-logo.svg).*
> Complexity characterizes the behavior of a system or model whose components interact in multiple ways and follow local rules, leading to non-linearity, randomness, collective dynamics, hierarchy, and emergence.[1][2] ([Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complexity))
<!-- BEAUTY-PASS-MEDIA:END -->
> p5.js MicroSim stub · part of Systems Thinking · [Wikipedia source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complexity)
> Relation: subfield of systems thinking.
## Concept summary
Complexity characterizes the behavior of a [[System|system]] or model whose components interact in multiple ways and follow local rules, leading to non-linearity, randomness, collective dynamics, [[Hierarchy|hierarchy]], and [[Emergence|emergence]].
## Build checklist
- [ ] Claim it: set `status: in-progress` + `lease` + `leased_at`
- [ ] Write the child page explaining the concept (tie it back to systems thinking)
- [ ] Finalize parameter ranges and defaults
- [ ] Implement the p5.js sketch (drawing + control regions)
- [ ] Add caption + the learning objective on the page
- [ ] Set `status: done`
## p5.js sketch
```javascript
// MicroSim: Complexity
let controls = {};
function setup() {
// createCanvas(...); create sliders for the parameters above.
}
function draw() {
// background(...); read controls; render emergence / agent-based; respond live.
}
```
---
Back to Systems Thinking · Wikipedia: [Complexity](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complexity)
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<!-- SEMIOTIC-PROFILE:START -->
## Semiotic profile
> *The semiotic universals this article invokes, machine-derived from the crossref — **unverified** (born so). Populated 2026-07-06 for the Systems room.*
**Universals (5):** 🟡 system (15) · 🟢 emergence (8) · 🟢 tree hierarchy (4) · 🟢 probability (2) · 🟢 noise (1)
**Enter by sign:** Systems Semiotic Gateway · Alphabetum · Icon Registry · ← Systems Portal
<!-- SEMIOTIC-PROFILE:END -->
<!-- BEAUTY-PASS-MEDIA:START -->
## Wikipedia : Wikitube
**Strict pair:** [Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Complexity) : [Wikitube](https://en.wikitube.io/wiki/Complexity)
## Previous hub tags
Tree parents: [[Agent-based_model]] · [[Complex_system]] · [[Dynamical_system]] · [[Emergence]] · [[Self-organization]] · [[Systems_theory]].
Legacy hubs: none.
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*Sources: 2 legacy notes. Minted wave 1, 2026-07-30 (v1.6 order).*