Introduce the variables api used for adjusting parameters during the training loop. (#158)

* Add the variable api.

* And add a comment.

2 files changed, 32 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/candle-core/src/lib.rs b/candle-core/src/lib.rs
index 0108c198..af1eb215 100644
--- a/candle-core/src/lib.rs
+++ b/candle-core/src/lib.rs
@@ -56,6 +56,7 @@ mod storage;
 mod strided_index;
 mod tensor;
 pub mod utils;
+mod variable;
 
 pub use cpu_backend::CpuStorage;
 pub use device::{Device, DeviceLocation};
@@ -67,6 +68,7 @@ pub use shape::{Shape, D};
 pub use storage::Storage;
 use strided_index::StridedIndex;
 pub use tensor::{Tensor, TensorId};
+pub use variable::Variable;
 
 #[cfg(feature = "cuda")]
 pub use cuda_backend::{CudaDevice, CudaStorage};
diff --git a/candle-core/src/variable.rs b/candle-core/src/variable.rs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..67675765
--- /dev/null
+++ b/candle-core/src/variable.rs
@@ -0,0 +1,30 @@
+// Variables are wrappers around tensors that can be modified, they are typically used for holding
+// weights and being modified by gradient descent.
+// They are not cloneable by default to avoid having too many potential writers on the data.
+// We also do not expose a public way to create variables as this would break the invariant that
+// the tensor within a variable is actually with `is_variable` set to `true`.
+use crate::Tensor;
+
+/// A variable is a wrapper around a tensor, however variables can have their content modified
+/// whereas tensors are immutable.
+#[derive(Debug)]
+pub struct Variable(Tensor);
+
+impl std::ops::Deref for Variable {
+    type Target = Tensor;
+
+    fn deref(&self) -> &Self::Target {
+        self.0.as_ref()
+    }
+}
+
+impl Variable {
+    pub fn as_tensor(&self) -> &Tensor {
+        &self.0
+    }
+
+    /// Consumes this `Variable` and return the underlying tensor.
+    pub fn into_inner(self) -> Tensor {
+        self.0
+    }
+}