:orphan:
# DMCreate
Creates an empty `DM` object. `DM`s are the abstract objects in PETSc that mediate between meshes and discretizations and the algebraic solvers, time integrators, and optimization algorithms.
## Synopsis
```
#include "petscdm.h"
#include "petscdmlabel.h"
#include "petscds.h"
PetscErrorCode DMCreate(MPI_Comm comm, DM *dm)
```
Collective
## Input Parameter
- ***comm -*** The communicator for the `DM` object
## Output Parameter
- ***dm -*** The `DM` object
## Notes
See `DMType` for a brief summary of available `DM`.
The type must then be set with `DMSetType()`. If you never call `DMSetType()` it will generate an
error when you try to use the dm.
## See Also
[](ch_dmbase), `DM`, `DMSetType()`, `DMType`, `DMDACreate()`, `DMDA`, `DMSLICED`, `DMCOMPOSITE`, `DMPLEX`, `DMMOAB`, `DMNETWORK`
## Level
beginner
## Location
src/dm/interface/dm.c
## Examples
src/dm/field/tutorials/ex1.c
src/dm/impls/forest/tutorials/ex1.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex1.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex10.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex11.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex14.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex1f90.F90
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex5.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex6.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex7.c
src/dm/impls/plex/tutorials/ex8.c
## Implementations
DMCreate_Composite in src/dm/impls/composite/pack.c
DMCreate_DA in src/dm/impls/da/dacreate.c
DMCreate_Forest in src/dm/impls/forest/forest.c
DMCreate_pforest in src/dm/impls/forest/p4est/pforest.h
DMCreate_Moab in src/dm/impls/moab/dmmoab.cxx
DMCreate_Network in src/dm/impls/network/networkcreate.c
DMCreate_Patch in src/dm/impls/patch/patchcreate.c
DMCreate_Plex in src/dm/impls/plex/plexcreate.c
DMCreate_Product in src/dm/impls/product/product.c
DMCreate_Redundant in src/dm/impls/redundant/dmredundant.c
DMCreate_Shell in src/dm/impls/shell/dmshell.c
DMCreate_Sliced in src/dm/impls/sliced/sliced.c
DMCreate_Stag in src/dm/impls/stag/stag.c
DMCreate_Swarm in src/dm/impls/swarm/swarm.c
---
[Edit on GitLab](https://gitlab.com/petsc/petsc/-/edit/release/src/dm/interface/dm.c)
[Index of all DM routines](index.md)
[Table of Contents for all manual pages](/manualpages/index.md)
[Index of all manual pages](/manualpages/singleindex.md)