EP-0133: Jupyter Rich Display & CLI Inspector¶

Abstract¶

This proposal adds two integration surfaces that reduce friction for users exploring algebrax:

1. Jupyter _repr_html_(): Rich HTML rendering of sparse matrices, semirings, and algebraic structures directly in Jupyter notebooks with color-coded heatmaps and formatted LaTeX.
2. CLI Inspector: A python -m algebrax inspect command that loads a JSON graph/matrix, applies a semiring power operation, and prints the result.

Motivation¶

The Steward (Harmony): "Move forward with the least friction." Users currently must write boilerplate to visualize results. Jupyter's _repr_html_() protocol and a CLI tool eliminate this friction.

Specification¶

1. _repr_html_() Protocol¶

Add _repr_html_() methods to:

• SparseMatrix wrapper class (or a display helper function algebrax.display.matrix_html())
• Semiring base class (showing the semiring name, zero, one, and operator symbols)
• SimplicialComplex (showing simplex counts and Betti numbers)
• AlgebraicTrie (showing a tree structure)

2. CLI Inspector¶

# Apply tropical matrix power and display result
python -m algebrax inspect graph.json --semiring tropical --power 5

# Show semiring catalog
python -m algebrax catalog

# Verify algebraic laws for a semiring
python -m algebrax verify --semiring viterbi

3. Display Helper Module: algebrax.display¶

def matrix_html(matrix: SparseMatrix, title: str = '') -> str:
    """Generate an HTML table with heatmap coloring for a sparse matrix."""

def semiring_card(semiring: Semiring) -> str:
    """Generate an HTML card summarizing a semiring's properties."""

Backwards Compatibility¶

Purely additive. No existing behavior changes.

Change Log¶

• 2026-08-02: Initial Draft.