TinyTorch/binder/MARIMO_NBGRADER_COMPATIBILITY.md

Marimo and NBGrader Compatibility

Short Answer: ✅ No, Marimo badges won't break NBGrader

Why:

• Marimo badges are just frontend UI elements (JavaScript links)
• They don't modify notebook files
• NBGrader reads from actual .ipynb files, not from the website
• Badges just create links to open notebooks in Marimo's cloud service

How It Works

Marimo Badges (What We Added)

• What they do: Add a "🍃 Open in Marimo" link to notebook pages
• What they don't do: Modify notebook files or NBGrader metadata
• Impact on NBGrader: None - they're just links

NBGrader Workflow

1. Instructors generate notebooks: tito nbgrader generate MODULE
2. NBGrader adds metadata to .ipynb files (grade_id, points, etc.)
3. Students work in notebooks (Jupyter, Colab, or Marimo)
4. Students submit notebooks back
5. NBGrader reads metadata from submitted .ipynb files

Potential Considerations

If Students Use Marimo to Edit Notebooks

Scenario 1: Students open .ipynb in Marimo

• ✅ Marimo can import Jupyter notebooks
• ✅ NBGrader metadata preserved (it's in the .ipynb file)
• ✅ Students submit .ipynb files back
• ✅ No problem - NBGrader works normally

Scenario 2: Students convert to Marimo .py format

• ⚠️ Marimo stores notebooks as .py files (not .ipynb)
• ⚠️ NBGrader metadata is in .ipynb format
• ⚠️ Converting to .py might lose NBGrader metadata
• ✅ Solution: Students should submit .ipynb files, not .py files

Best Practice for Students

For NBGrader assignments:

1. Students can use Marimo to view and learn from notebooks
2. For submissions, students should work in .ipynb format (Jupyter/Colab)
3. Or convert marimo .py back to .ipynb before submitting

For non-graded exploration:

• Students can freely use Marimo's .py format
• Great for learning and experimentation
• No NBGrader concerns

Recommendation

Keep Marimo badges - they're safe:

• ✅ Don't interfere with NBGrader
• ✅ Give students more options for learning
• ✅ Students can use Marimo for exploration
• ✅ For graded work, students use standard .ipynb workflow

Add to student instructions:

• "Marimo badges are for exploration and learning"
• "For NBGrader assignments, submit .ipynb files (not .py files)"
• "Marimo can import .ipynb files and preserve NBGrader metadata"

Technical Details

NBGrader Metadata Format

NBGrader stores metadata in notebook cell metadata:

{
  "nbgrader": {
    "grade": true,
    "grade_id": "tensor_memory",
    "points": 2,
    "schema_version": 3
  }
}

Marimo Format

Marimo stores notebooks as pure Python:

# Cell 1
import numpy as np

# Cell 2  
def memory_footprint(self):
    return self.data.nbytes

Conversion between formats:

• .ipynb → .py: Possible, but NBGrader metadata might be lost
• .py → .ipynb: Possible, but NBGrader metadata won't be restored

Conclusion

✅ Marimo badges are safe - they don't break NBGrader ✅ Students can use Marimo for learning and exploration ✅ For graded work, students should use .ipynb format ✅ No changes needed to NBGrader workflow

The badges are just convenient links - they don't interfere with the actual grading system!