matlike

Matlike is an informal term used primarily in mathematics and computer science to describe objects, structures, or data types that exhibit properties analogous to those of matrices. Though not a formally defined concept, the adjective “matlike” conveys that the entity supports operations such as indexing by two coordinates, conformity to rectangular dimensions, and the ability to participate in linear‑algebraic computations like addition, scalar multiplication, and matrix multiplication.

In mathematics, a matlike object may refer to a rectangular array of numbers, symbols, or functions that can be treated as a matrix for the purpose of applying algebraic methods. Examples include block matrices, incidence matrices, and tensor slices that retain a two‑dimensional arrangement.

In programming, the term is most frequently encountered in the context of scientific‑computing libraries. Languages such as Python, Julia, and MATLAB provide matlike classes that implement the matrix interface while allowing flexibility in storage and behavior. For instance, NumPy’s ndarrays, Julia’s AbstractMatrix, and MATLAB’s built‑in matrix type are all considered matlike because they support elementwise indexing, broadcasting, and overloaded operators for linear algebra. Some libraries introduce lightweight matlike objects that act as views or proxies, enabling efficient manipulation of submatrices without copying data.

Related concepts include array, tensor, and linear operator. While every matrix is matlike, not all matlike objects satisfy the strict axioms of a matrix (e.g., they may be sparse, distributed, or symbolic). The matlike designation helps developers and researchers convey the expected interface and capabilities without committing to a specific implementation.