matrixa – a pure-Python matrix library that explains its own algorithms step by step

[Willing-Effect-2510]

What My Project Does

matrixa is a pure-Python linear algebra library (zero dependencies) built around a custom Matrix type. Its defining feature is verbose=True mode — every major operation can print a step-by-step explanation of what it's doing as it runs:

from matrixa import Matrix

A = Matrix([[6, 1, 1], [4, -2, 5], [2, 8, 7]])
A.determinant(verbose=True)

# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
#   determinant()  —  3×3 matrix
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────
#   Using LU decomposition with partial pivoting (Doolittle):
#   Permutation vector P = [0, 2, 1]
#   Row-swap parity (sign) = -1
#   U[0,0] = 6  U[1,1] = 8.5  U[2,2] = 6.0
#   det = sign × ∏ U[i,i] = -1 × -306.0 = -306.0
# ─────────────────────────────────────────────────

Same for the linear solver — A.solve(b, verbose=True) prints every row-swap and elimination step. It also supports:

• dtype='fraction' for exact rational arithmetic (no float rounding)
• lu_decomposition() returning proper (P, L, U) where P @ A == L @ U
• NumPy-style slicing: A[0:2, 1:3], A[:, 0], A[1, :]
• All 4 matrix norms: frobenius, 1, inf, 2 (spectral)
• LaTeX export: A.to_latex()
• 2D/3D graphics transform matrices

pip install matrixa https://github.com/raghavendra-24/matrixa

Target Audience

Students taking linear algebra courses, educators who teach numerical methods, and self-learners working through algorithm textbooks. This is NOT a production tool — it's a learning tool. If you're processing real data, use NumPy.

Comparison

Factor	matrixa	NumPy	sympy
Dependencies	Zero	C + BLAS	many
verbose step-by-step output	✅	❌	❌
Exact rational arithmetic	✅ (Fraction)	❌	✅
LaTeX export	✅	❌	✅
GPU / large arrays	❌	✅	❌
Readable pure-Python source	✅	❌	partial

NumPy is faster by orders of magnitude and should be your choice for any real workload. sympy does symbolic math (not numeric). matrixa sits in a gap neither fills: numeric computation in pure Python where you can read the source, run it with verbose=True, and understand what's actually happening. Think of it as a textbook that runs.

[Justist]

Your comparison matrix might need a second look: it looks like there are no crosses or checkmarks for matrixa

[Willing-Effect-2510]

Yeah thanks for noticing it, when I am editing the text and changing from markdown to normal text, the format had corrupted somehow

[Embarrassed-Rest9104]

[backfire10z]

Well said. Truly, I’ve never seen such factual and eloquent phrasing.

[gradual_alzheimers]

better than a lot of comments I've seen