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Returning a tuple instead of list for meshgrid to make it compliant with Array API #4034
Description
Hi, currently mlx.core.meshgrid returns a list. I am proposing to make it return tuple for making it compliant with Array API, and how numpy, and cupy do it.
Impact
Low risk of breaking real-world code. Common workflows are fully compatible with tuples:
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Unpacking: X, Y = mx.meshgrid(x, y)
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Indexing & Iteration: grids[0], for g in grids:
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Direct passing: mx.stack(mx.meshgrid(...))
Only rare cases relying on isinstance(..., list) or container mutation (.append()) would be affected.
Activity
JasonHonKL commentedon Aug 6, 2026
@aaishwarymishra mind if I fix this later ?
aaishwarymishra commentedon Aug 6, 2026
@JasonHonKL Hi, this issue is a proposal I wont get started until a maintainer first approves it as workable :)
JasonHonKL commentedon Aug 6, 2026
sure no problem hahaha just having some spare time while searching for jobs lollll. But sure !
ev-br commentedon Aug 7, 2026
To expand on the numpy/array API history a bit: historically, numpy returned a list (and other array libraries followed, more or less). In NumPy 2.0, it was changed into returning a tuple. CuPy follows suit, and so does JAX (one reason for the backwards-incompatible change was I believe tuples are preferable in lazy/hit scenarios).
Finally, Array API standard itself changed it in its 2025.12 revision.
aaishwarymishra commentedon Aug 7, 2026
Jax themselves recently merged it jax-ml/jax#39779 :)
zcbenz commentedon Aug 11, 2026
Looks a nice change without hurting any existing code.
aaishwarymishra commentedon Aug 11, 2026
@JasonHonKL are you still interested to work on this ?
JasonHonKL commentedon Aug 11, 2026
@aaishwarymishra yeah sure. A bit busy today gonna work on it tomorrow.