mlx: add compiled closure support

Wraps MLX's mlx_compile API so Go functions can be traced into fused
kernels. Contiguous elementwise chains collapse into a single
Metal/CUDA kernel instead of launching one per op.

Exposes Compile plus arity helpers (Compile1/2/3) that mirror Python's
@mx.compile decorator shape, lazily building the closure on first call
so package-level declarations work before the MLX dylib loads.

x/mlxrunner/mlx/array.go

@@ -27,7 +27,11 @@ var arrays []*Array
 
 func New(name string) *Array {
 	t := &Array{name: name}
-	arrays = append(arrays, t)
+	if tracing {
+		traceScratch = append(traceScratch, t)
+	} else {
+		arrays = append(arrays, t)
+	}
 	return t
 }
 

x/mlxrunner/mlx/compile.go

@@ -0,0 +1,192 @@
+package mlx
+
+// #include <stdlib.h>
+// #include "generated.h"
+//
+// extern int closureCallback(mlx_vector_array* res, mlx_vector_array input, void* payload);
+// extern void closureDestructor(void* payload);
+import "C"
+
+import (
+	"log/slog"
+	"runtime/cgo"
+	"sync"
+	"unsafe"
+)
+
+// CompileFunc is the signature of a function that can be compiled.
+type CompileFunc func(inputs ...*Array) []*Array
+
+// CompileOption configures Compile behavior.
+type CompileOption func(*compileConfig)
+
+type compileConfig struct {
+	shapeless bool
+}
+
+// Shapeless traces the function once against symbolic shapes so the compiled
+// graph accepts any input shape afterwards. Without this option, MLX re-traces
+// on each new (shape, dtype) combination and caches each specialization.
+func Shapeless() CompileOption {
+	return func(c *compileConfig) { c.shapeless = true }
+}
+
+// Compile returns a compiled version of fn. When called during another
+// compile's trace, fn is inlined directly so outer compiles can fuse through
+// inner ones.
+//
+// Compiled functions must not have side effects outside of the function. Do
+// not access data other than the arguments passed in (either Go data or MLX
+// arrays) unless it is a constant.
+func Compile(name string, fn CompileFunc, opts ...CompileOption) CompileFunc {
+	var cfg compileConfig
+	for _, o := range opts {
+		o(&cfg)
+	}
+
+	var closure C.mlx_closure
+	var once sync.Once
+
+	return func(inputs ...*Array) []*Array {
+		if tracing {
+			return fn(inputs...)
+		}
+
+		once.Do(func() {
+			payload := (*cgo.Handle)(C.malloc(C.size_t(unsafe.Sizeof(cgo.Handle(0)))))
+			*payload = cgo.NewHandle(fn)
+			src := C.mlx_closure_new_func_payload(
+				(*[0]byte)(C.closureCallback),
+				unsafe.Pointer(payload),
+				(*[0]byte)(C.closureDestructor),
+			)
+			defer C.mlx_closure_free(src)
+
+			closure = C.mlx_closure_new()
+			mlxCheck(name+": compile failed", func() C.int {
+				return C.mlx_compile(&closure, src, C.bool(cfg.shapeless))
+			})
+		})
+
+		inVec := C.mlx_vector_array_new()
+		defer C.mlx_vector_array_free(inVec)
+		for _, in := range inputs {
+			C.mlx_vector_array_append_value(inVec, in.ctx)
+		}
+
+		outVec := C.mlx_vector_array_new()
+		defer C.mlx_vector_array_free(outVec)
+		mlxCheck(name+": closure apply failed", func() C.int {
+			return C.mlx_closure_apply(&outVec, closure, inVec)
+		})
+
+		n := int(C.mlx_vector_array_size(outVec))
+		outputs := make([]*Array, n)
+		for i := range n {
+			outputs[i] = New(name)
+			C.mlx_vector_array_get(&outputs[i].ctx, outVec, C.size_t(i))
+		}
+		return outputs
+	}
+}
+
+// Compile1 compiles a unary function. See Compile.
+func Compile1(name string, fn func(*Array) *Array, opts ...CompileOption) func(*Array) *Array {
+	cf := Compile(name, func(in ...*Array) []*Array {
+		return []*Array{fn(in[0])}
+	}, opts...)
+	return func(a *Array) *Array {
+		return cf(a)[0]
+	}
+}
+
+// Compile2 compiles a binary function. See Compile.
+func Compile2(name string, fn func(*Array, *Array) *Array, opts ...CompileOption) func(*Array, *Array) *Array {
+	cf := Compile(name, func(in ...*Array) []*Array {
+		return []*Array{fn(in[0], in[1])}
+	}, opts...)
+	return func(a, b *Array) *Array {
+		return cf(a, b)[0]
+	}
+}
+
+// Compile3 compiles a ternary function. See Compile.
+func Compile3(name string, fn func(*Array, *Array, *Array) *Array, opts ...CompileOption) func(*Array, *Array, *Array) *Array {
+	cf := Compile(name, func(in ...*Array) []*Array {
+		return []*Array{fn(in[0], in[1], in[2])}
+	}, opts...)
+	return func(a, b, c *Array) *Array {
+		return cf(a, b, c)[0]
+	}
+}
+
+// tracing is true while a compile callback is running. Since MLX is
+// single-threaded at this level a plain Go bool suffices.
+var tracing bool
+
+// traceScratch collects arrays created during a compile trace so they can be
+// freed as a group when the callback returns.
+var traceScratch []*Array
+
+//export closureCallback
+func closureCallback(res *C.mlx_vector_array, input C.mlx_vector_array, payload unsafe.Pointer) (rc C.int) {
+	defer func() {
+		if r := recover(); r != nil {
+			slog.Error("mlx closure callback panicked", "panic", r)
+			rc = 1
+		}
+	}()
+
+	handle := *(*cgo.Handle)(payload)
+	fn := handle.Value().(CompileFunc)
+
+	// When tracing, we track all of the intermediates that are created and free them separately at the end of
+	// the process. This will give the effect of a single op - inputs are owned by the original caller (via
+	// the MLX layer) and outputs are transferred back to MLX to create a new Go side tensor.
+	if tracing {
+		panic("mlx: nested compile trace")
+	}
+	tracing = true
+	traceScratch = nil
+	defer func() {
+		for _, a := range traceScratch {
+			if a.pinned > 0 {
+				panic("mlx: traced array was pinned during compilation")
+			}
+			if a.Valid() {
+				C.mlx_array_free(a.ctx)
+				a.ctx.ctx = nil
+			}
+		}
+		tracing = false
+		traceScratch = nil
+	}()
+
+	n := int(C.mlx_vector_array_size(input))
+	inputs := make([]*Array, n)
+	for i := range n {
+		a := New("")
+		C.mlx_vector_array_get(&a.ctx, input, C.size_t(i))
+		inputs[i] = a
+	}
+
+	outputs := fn(inputs...)
+
+	var arrPtr *C.mlx_array
+	if len(outputs) > 0 {
+		handles := make([]C.mlx_array, len(outputs))
+		for i, out := range outputs {
+			handles[i] = out.ctx
+		}
+		arrPtr = &handles[0]
+	}
+	C.mlx_vector_array_set_data(res, arrPtr, C.size_t(len(outputs)))
+	return 0
+}
+
+//export closureDestructor
+func closureDestructor(payload unsafe.Pointer) {
+	handle := *(*cgo.Handle)(payload)
+	handle.Delete()
+	C.free(payload)
+}

x/mlxrunner/mlx/compile_test.go

@@ -0,0 +1,147 @@
+package mlx
+
+import (
+	"testing"
+)
+
+func TestCompileFusion(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+
+	// Compile fuses the ops inside a function body into a single kernel,
+	// eliminating intermediate buffers. Use a diamond-shaped graph where
+	// two branches must be materialized simultaneously without fusion,
+	// then compare peak memory against the compiled version which fuses
+	// everything into one kernel with no intermediates.
+	const n = 1024 * 1024 // 4MB per float32 array
+	data := make([]float32, n)
+	for i := range data {
+		data[i] = float32(i + 1)
+	}
+
+	// Diamond: both a*b and a+b must be live for the final multiply.
+	// Without fusion: peak includes both intermediates (~8MB extra).
+	// With fusion: single kernel, no intermediates.
+	body := func(a, b *Array) *Array {
+		return a.Multiply(b).Multiply(a.Add(b))
+	}
+
+	a := FromValues(data, n)
+	b := FromValues(data, n)
+	Pin(a, b)
+	defer Unpin(a, b)
+
+	// Compiled: ops fused into a single kernel.
+	EnableCompile()
+	fn := Compile2("diamond", body, Shapeless())
+	warm := fn(a, b)
+	Eval(warm)
+	Sweep()
+	ClearCache()
+	ResetPeakMemory()
+	y := fn(a, b)
+	Eval(y)
+	compiledPeak := PeakMemory()
+	Sweep()
+
+	// Uncompiled: ops evaluated individually, intermediates materialized.
+	ClearCache()
+	ResetPeakMemory()
+	z := body(a, b)
+	Eval(z)
+	uncompiledPeak := PeakMemory()
+	Sweep()
+
+	if compiledPeak == 0 && uncompiledPeak == 0 {
+		t.Skip("peak memory tracking not available")
+	}
+
+	t.Logf("peak memory: compiled=%d uncompiled=%d", compiledPeak, uncompiledPeak)
+
+	if compiledPeak >= uncompiledPeak {
+		t.Fatalf("compilation did not reduce peak memory: compiled=%d uncompiled=%d", compiledPeak, uncompiledPeak)
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCompileNested(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+
+	// A compiled function that calls another compiled function should
+	// produce correct results. The inner function inlines via isTracing()
+	// during the outer's trace.
+	inner := Compile1("silu", func(a *Array) *Array {
+		return a.Multiply(a.Sigmoid())
+	}, Shapeless())
+
+	outer := Compile2("swiglu", func(gate, up *Array) *Array {
+		return inner(gate).Multiply(up)
+	}, Shapeless())
+
+	gate := FromValues([]float32{0, 1, 2}, 3)
+	up := FromValues([]float32{1, 1, 1}, 3)
+	Pin(gate, up)
+	defer Unpin(gate, up)
+
+	y := outer(gate, up)
+	Eval(y)
+
+	// silu(x) = x * sigmoid(x); for x=0 → 0, x=1 → ~0.7311, x=2 → ~1.7616
+	got := y.Floats()
+	want := []float32{0, 0.7310586, 1.7615942}
+	for i, v := range got {
+		if v-want[i] > 1e-4 || want[i]-v > 1e-4 {
+			t.Fatalf("got[%d]=%v want %v", i, v, want[i])
+		}
+	}
+}
+
+func TestCompileCallbackPanicRecovers(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+
+	boom := Compile1("boom", func(a *Array) *Array {
+		panic("intentional test panic")
+	})
+
+	x := FromValues([]float32{1}, 1)
+	Pin(x)
+	defer Unpin(x)
+
+	defer func() {
+		r := recover()
+		if r == nil {
+			t.Fatal("expected panic from Call, got none")
+		}
+		if _, ok := r.(string); !ok {
+			t.Fatalf("expected string panic, got %T: %v", r, r)
+		}
+	}()
+	boom(x)
+}
+
+func TestCompileNoTrackingGrowth(t *testing.T) {
+	skipIfNoMLX(t)
+
+	// Repeated invocations of a compiled kernel should not grow the
+	// tracked-arrays list — the callback's traceScratch collects
+	// intermediates during tracing and frees them when the callback returns.
+	fn := Compile2("mul_add", func(a, b *Array) *Array {
+		return a.Multiply(b).Add(b)
+	})
+
+	a := FromValues([]float32{1, 2}, 2)
+	b := FromValues([]float32{3, 4}, 2)
+	Pin(a, b)
+	defer Unpin(a, b)
+
+	Sweep()
+	before := len(arrays)
+
+	for range 100 {
+		_ = fn(a, b)
+		Sweep()
+	}
+
+	after := len(arrays)
+	if after > before+2 {
+		t.Fatalf("tracked arrays grew from %d to %d across 100 calls (includes initial trace)", before, after)
+	}
+}

x/mlxrunner/mlx/mlx.go

@@ -9,8 +9,8 @@ package mlx
 // #include "generated.h"
 // #include <string.h>
 //
-// static char _mlx_last_error_msg[1024] = {0};
+// static __thread char _mlx_last_error_msg[1024] = {0};
-// static int  _mlx_last_error_flag = 0;
+// static __thread int  _mlx_last_error_flag = 0;
 //
 // static void _mlx_capture_error_handler(const char* msg, void* data) {
 //     (void)data;
@@ -30,15 +30,13 @@ package mlx
 //     _mlx_last_error_msg[0] = '\0';
 // }
 //
-// static int mlx_had_last_error(void) {
-//     return _mlx_last_error_flag;
-// }
-//
 // static const char* mlx_get_last_error(void) {
-//     return _mlx_last_error_flag ? _mlx_last_error_msg : NULL;
+//     return _mlx_last_error_flag ? _mlx_last_error_msg : "";
 // }
 import "C"
 
+import "runtime"
+
 func init() {
 	// Replace the default exit(-1) error handler with one that captures
 	// the error message so we can surface it in Go.
@@ -53,6 +51,24 @@ func Version() string {
 	return C.GoString(C.mlx_string_data(str))
 }
 
+// mlxCheck locks the goroutine to its OS thread, clears the captured error
+// state, calls fn, and panics with the captured message if fn returns non-zero.
+// The thread lock ensures the thread-local error state is read from the same
+// thread that executed the call.
+func mlxCheck(fallback string, fn func() C.int) {
+	runtime.LockOSThread()
+	defer runtime.UnlockOSThread()
+
+	C.mlx_clear_last_error()
+	if fn() != 0 {
+		msg := C.GoString(C.mlx_get_last_error())
+		if msg == "" {
+			msg = fallback
+		}
+		panic("mlx: " + msg)
+	}
+}
+
 func doEval(outputs []*Array, async bool) {
 	if len(outputs) == 0 {
 		return
@@ -67,20 +83,12 @@ func doEval(outputs []*Array, async bool) {
 		}
 	}
 
-	C.mlx_clear_last_error()
+	mlxCheck("eval failed", func() C.int {
-	var rc C.int
+		if async {
-	if async {
+			return C.mlx_async_eval(vector)
-		rc = C.mlx_async_eval(vector)
-	} else {
-		rc = C.mlx_eval(vector)
-	}
-	if rc != 0 {
-		msg := "mlx eval failed"
-		if C.mlx_had_last_error() != 0 {
-			msg = C.GoString(C.mlx_get_last_error())
 		}
-		panic("mlx: " + msg)
+		return C.mlx_eval(vector)
-	}
+	})
 }
 
 func AsyncEval(outputs ...*Array) {

x/mlxrunner/pipeline.go

@@ -23,15 +23,6 @@ func (r *Runner) TextGenerationPipeline(request Request) error {
 		return errors.New("model not loaded")
 	}
 
-	enableCompile := true
-	if modelCompile, ok := r.Model.(interface{ EnableCompile() bool }); ok {
-		enableCompile = modelCompile.EnableCompile()
-	}
-	if enableCompile {
-		mlx.EnableCompile()
-	} else {
-		mlx.DisableCompile()
-	}
 	mlx.ResetPeakMemory()
 	ctx := request.Ctx
 	var (

x/mlxrunner/runner.go

@@ -79,6 +79,8 @@ func (r *Runner) Load(modelName string) error {
 	r.Model = m
 	r.Tokenizer = m.Tokenizer()
 	r.contextLength = m.MaxContextLength()
+
+	mlx.EnableCompile()
 	return nil
 }