---
id: pr-vllm-33284
repo: vllm-project/vllm
pr: 33284
title: '[Attention] Move MLA `forward` from backend to layer'
author: MatthewBonanni
date: '2026-01-31'
url: https://github.com/vllm-project/vllm/pull/33284
source_category: upstream-code
architectures:
- sm100
tags: []
techniques: []
hardware_features: []
kernel_types: []
languages: []
captured_at: '2026-05-16'
status: merged
merge_sha: aaa901ad55ee454f061649b4cc24f96c5ea04e33
inclusion_reason: defer
changed_paths:
- tests/v1/attention/test_mla_backends.py
- tests/v1/attention/test_sparse_mla_backends.py
- vllm/model_executor/layers/attention/attention.py
- vllm/model_executor/layers/attention/mla_attention.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backend.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/cutlass_mla.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/flashattn_mla.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/flashinfer_mla.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/flashmla.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/flashmla_sparse.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/rocm_aiter_mla.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/rocm_aiter_mla_sparse.py
- vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/triton_mla.py
artifact_dir: evidence/pull-bundles/vllm/gh-33284
head_ref_oid: 080e108446ac768499e8d6e86b966f036574b221
---
# [Attention] Move MLA `forward` from backend to layer

- Repository: `vllm-project/vllm`
- PR: [33284](https://github.com/vllm-project/vllm/pull/33284)
- Decision: `defer`
- Reason: defer

## Changed Paths

- `tests/v1/attention/test_mla_backends.py`
- `tests/v1/attention/test_sparse_mla_backends.py`
- `vllm/model_executor/layers/attention/attention.py`
- `vllm/model_executor/layers/attention/mla_attention.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backend.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/cutlass_mla.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/flashattn_mla.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/flashinfer_mla.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/flashmla.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/flashmla_sparse.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/rocm_aiter_mla.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/rocm_aiter_mla_sparse.py`
- `vllm/v1/attention/backends/mla/triton_mla.py`

## Evidence Bundle

`evidence/pull-bundles/vllm/gh-33284`
