The field of deep learning has seen tremendous advancements, and the ongoing transition from Theano to other frameworks raises intriguing questions. While Theano was once a groundbreaking project, its discontinuation offers a unique opportunity for frameworks like Mariana to shine. In this article, we will explore what Mariana brings to the table and how it can streamline the world of deep neural networks effectively.
Introducing Mariana: The Future of Deep Learning Frameworks
Mariana is crafted to be an efficient language that allows complex deep neural networks to be expressed and manipulated with ease. Its design caters to everyone—from beginners to seasoned researchers—making it user-friendly yet flexible enough for advanced AI research. With compatibilities such as Google’s GPUs and Colab, Mariana is perfectly positioned to empower researchers, teachers, and students alike.
Here’s a quick snapshot of what’s new in Mariana V2:
- New built-in visualization for interactive architecture and parameters.
- Function mixins that allow easy combination of training functions.
- Access to gradients and updates on demand.
- User-friendly error messages for smoother navigation.
- Streamlined code with clear execution paths for training and testing.
- Chainable optimization rules for flexible configurations.
- Just-in-time function compilation for efficiency.
- Lasagne compatibility for quick integration of existing layers.
- Unlimited layers and inputs—innovation at your fingertips!
A Code Analogy: Building a House
To better understand the components of Mariana, let’s think of building a house. Each component in the code snippet below serves as part of the structure:
import Mariana.layers as ML
import Mariana.scenari as MS
import Mariana.costs as MC
import Mariana.activations as MA
import Mariana.regularizations as MR
ls = MS.GradientDescent(lr = 0.01, momentum=0.9)
cost = MC.NegativeLogLikelihood()
inp = ML.Input(28*28, name='InputLayer')
h1 = ML.Hidden(300, activation=MA.ReLU(), name='Hidden1', regularizations=[MR.L1(0.0001)])
h2 = ML.Hidden(300, activation=MA.ReLU(), name='Hidden2', regularizations=[MR.L1(0.0001)])
o = ML.SoftmaxClassifier(10, learningScenari=[ls], cost=cost, name='Probabilities')
# Connecting layers
concat = ML.C([inp, h2])
MLP_skip = concat o
MLP_skip.init()
# Training
for i in range(1000):
MLP_skip['Probabilities'].train(InputLayer.inputs: train_set[0], Probabilities.targets: train_set[1])
The Input Layer serves as the foundation of your house, receiving all the essential input data, much like the raw materials needed for construction. The Hidden Layers are akin to the walls of your house, processing and shaping the input data to build out intricate structures and rooms (features). The Softmax Classifier stands like the final polish of the house, deciding the best outcome from all the constructed features, analogous to ensuring that the doors are placed correctly for functionality and access. In essence, just like building a cohesive house, each element in Mariana plays a critical role in constructing the final model that can effectively predict outcomes.
Troubleshooting Common Issues
As with any software, users might encounter roadblocks while working with Mariana. Here are some common issues and troubleshooting tips you may find useful:
- Installation Problems: Make sure that all packages are correctly installed and compatible with each other.
- Model Training Issues: If your model isn’t training, check that your inputs, hyperparameters, and architecture are correctly set.
- Debugging Errors: Pay close attention to the error messages. Mariana provides user-friendly indications that explain what might be going wrong.
- Visualization Errors: If visualizations aren’t working, ensure that interactive features are supported by your environment.
For more insights, updates, or to collaborate on AI development projects, stay connected with fxis.ai.
Looking Ahead
Mariana’s future is bright, with plans for a complete refactorization of its training encapsulation and the inclusion of arbitrary recurrences like LSTMs. The community has a lot to gain from these developments, and your participation could make a difference!
At fxis.ai, we believe that such advancements are crucial for the future of AI, as they enable more comprehensive and effective solutions. Our team is continually exploring new methodologies to push the envelope in artificial intelligence, ensuring that our clients benefit from the latest technological innovations.

