Matrix exponential determinant identity ($\det (e^A)=e^{\mathrm{tr}A}$)

The determinant is a smooth Lie group homomorphism from the real general linear group to ${\mathbb{R}}^{\times }$. Its derivative at the identity is the trace, and the flow-defined exponential on ${\mathbb{R}}^{\times }$ is the ordinary scalar exponential. Naturality of the Lie group exponential therefore proves the identity without diagonalizability assumptions. The series ${\sum }_{k\ge 0}{t}^k{A}^k/k!$ is the flow-defined matrix exponential because it solves $E^{\prime }=EA$, $E(0)=I$, and has inverse $E(-t)$.