# \[ANN\] Dimensions.jl, a library for accessing the scalar dimensions of structured types
**URL:** https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935
**Category:** Package Announcements
**Created:** [April 30, 2026, 5:59pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935 "2026-04-30T17:59:37Z")
**Posts on this page:** 9
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@tuckermcclure](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/tuckermcclure)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2026, 5:59pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/1 "2026-04-30T17:59:37Z")
Hi all,
I’d like to announce a new package called Dimensions whose purpose is to make it easy to define and access a type’s “dimensions” (e.g., a Position type with `x`, `y`, and `z` fields has 3 dimensions). This is useful when you need to break arbitrary structured types “all the way down to the scalars.” Please see the readme here:
> **[GitHub - Gradient-Aerospace/Dimensions.jl: A Julia package for defining and working with a...](https://github.com/Gradient-Aerospace/Dimensions.jl)**
>
> A Julia package for defining and working with a type's scalar dimensions.
I hope this package establishes a pattern folks find useful, such that Dimensions might become a common way for defining this type of behavior.
I have registered this with the General registry, and it’s in the 3-day waiting period for new packages. @goerz left a comment there suggesting that I post here _before_ it’s actually available to see if folks objected to the name, since the name is so general. There are certainly other viable names, but is the name “Dimensions” a problem for anyone? I have benefitted substantially from the Julia ecosystem and don’t want to make problems for folks. 🙂
For reference, [here is the PR into the General registry](https://github.com/JuliaRegistries/General/pull/154359).
---
### Author:  [@jd-foster](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/jd-foster)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2026, 1:26am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/2 "2026-05-01T01:26:10Z")
Hi Tucker,
Looks like this package nicely addresses a common problem in practice.
I also find that “Dimensions” might be too broad name for the scope of the package. Could I suggest one alternative, “StructDimensions”, which would fit with the existing theme of packages such as “StructArrays”, “StructEquality” and the like. All the best.
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### Author:  [@aplavin](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/aplavin)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2026, 2:21am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/3 "2026-05-01T02:21:53Z")
> [@tuckermcclure](#):
>
> This is useful when you need to break arbitrary structured types “all the way down to the scalars.”
There’s a pretty generic
```julia-auto
using AccessorsExtra
vals = getall(yourobj, RecursiveOfType(Real))
```
It can even go in the other direction, `setall(yourobj, RecursiveOfType(Real), vals)`.
---
### Author:  [@tuckermcclure](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/tuckermcclure)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2026, 4:38pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/4 "2026-05-01T16:38:35Z")
> [@jd-foster](#):
>
> Could I suggest one alternative, “StructDimensions”, which would fit with the existing theme of packages such as “StructArrays”, “StructEquality” and the like.
Hi @jd-foster. Thanks. I like that “StructDimensions” tries in with the Struct\* ecosystem. That said, it’s not always about structured information. E.g., this works on SVector from StaticArrays (sure, there’s a `struct` involved in its definition, but nobody says “it works on structs like SVector”).
I would suggest “TypeDimensions”, but the dimensions aren’t always encoded in the type (e.g., a Vector’s dimensions are not available from the type). Seems misleading.
Counter-proposal: ScalarDimensions.jl. That name makes it clearer that this is about “getting down the scalars” rather than other uses of the word “dimensions” like “array dimensions”.
What do you think?
---
### Author:  [@tuckermcclure](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/tuckermcclure)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2026, 4:45pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/5 "2026-05-01T16:45:01Z")
Thanks, @aplavin. I did not know about AccessorsExtra! That’s an interesting alternative.
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### Author:  [@Benny](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/Benny)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2026, 4:48pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/6 "2026-05-01T16:48:10Z")
The direct support for `StaticArrays`, which are somewhere between scalars or arrays, and `AbstractVector` (how does a dynamic array contribute to a type’s dimensions?) gives me pause about `ScalarDimensions`. I think a broader sense of “composite type” could work, but Julia uses that term for `struct` so there would be confusion.
If dynamic array elements don’t actually factor into the dimensions, maybe `StaticDimensions`. Or maybe you could dodge strict structural characteristics with `FlattenDimensions`.
---
### Author:  [@tuckermcclure](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/tuckermcclure)
#### Post date: [May 1, 2026, 5:02pm UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/7 "2026-05-01T17:02:59Z")
I think I hear what you’re saying, @Benny. Good suggestions.
Consider that this is the desired (and current) behavior for “non-static” types:
```julia-auto
julia> using Dimensions
julia> x = [1.1, 2.2, 3.3];
julia> getdim(x, 3)
3.3
julia> numdims(x)
3
```
---
### Author:  [@tp2750](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/tp2750)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2026, 4:59am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/8 "2026-05-03T04:59:53Z")
I would expect the package Dimensions.jl to provide the type Dimension.
I suggest calling it GetDimensions.jl to indicate that it mainly provides functions.
---
### Author:  [@jd-foster](https://discourse.julialang.org/u/jd-foster)
#### Post date: [May 3, 2026, 9:21am UTC](https://discourse.julialang.org/t/ann-dimensions-jl-a-library-for-accessing-the-scalar-dimensions-of-structured-types/136935/9 "2026-05-03T09:21:44Z")
> [@tuckermcclure](#):
>
> Counter-proposal: [ScalarDimensions.jl](https://juliaregistries.github.io/General/packages/redirect_to_repo/ScalarDimensions). That name makes it clearer that this is about “getting down the scalars” rather than other uses of the word “dimensions” like “array dimensions”.
I like that name, makes sense to me.