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TensorFlow vs TensorFlow.js: What are the differences?
TensorFlow vs TensorFlow.js
TensorFlow is a popular open-source machine learning framework developed by Google, while TensorFlow.js is a JavaScript library that allows developers to run TensorFlow models directly in the browser.
Architecture: The main difference between TensorFlow and TensorFlow.js lies in their architecture. TensorFlow is designed to run on CPUs, GPUs, and TPUs, while TensorFlow.js is specifically designed to run in the browser using WebGL, which enables high-performance GPU-accelerated computations.
Deployment: TensorFlow models are typically deployed on remote servers or local machines, making them accessible through APIs or command-line interfaces. On the other hand, TensorFlow.js allows models to be deployed and run directly in the browser without the need for a server, enabling client-side machine learning applications.
Language Support: TensorFlow supports multiple programming languages, including Python, C++, and JavaScript. TensorFlow.js, as its name suggests, is focused on JavaScript and allows developers to build and deploy machine learning models using JavaScript code.
Model Size: TensorFlow.js models tend to have smaller sizes compared to traditional TensorFlow models. This is important for browser-based applications where minimizing the model size is crucial for faster loading times and reduced bandwidth consumption.
Training Capability: TensorFlow provides a comprehensive set of tools and APIs for model training, including distributed training across multiple devices and servers. While TensorFlow.js also supports training, it is primarily used for deploying pre-trained models and making predictions in the browser.
Community and Ecosystem: TensorFlow has a large and active community of developers and researchers, with extensive libraries, pre-trained models, and frameworks built around it. TensorFlow.js, being a relative newcomer, has a smaller but growing community, with a more focused ecosystem around browser-based machine learning.
In summary, TensorFlow and TensorFlow.js differ in their architecture, deployment options, language support, model size, training capability, and community ecosystem. TensorFlow is a versatile machine learning framework that can run on different hardware devices, while TensorFlow.js is specifically designed for running models in the browser using JavaScript, making it accessible to a wider range of developers and enabling client-side machine learning applications.
Pytorch is a famous tool in the realm of machine learning and it has already set up its own ecosystem. Tutorial documentation is really detailed on the official website. It can help us to create our deep learning model and allowed us to use GPU as the hardware support.
I have plenty of projects based on Pytorch and I am familiar with building deep learning models with this tool. I have used TensorFlow too but it is not dynamic. Tensorflow works on a static graph concept that means the user first has to define the computation graph of the model and then run the ML model, whereas PyTorch believes in a dynamic graph that allows defining/manipulating the graph on the go. PyTorch offers an advantage with its dynamic nature of creating graphs.
For data analysis, we choose a Python-based framework because of Python's simplicity as well as its large community and available supporting tools. We choose PyTorch over TensorFlow for our machine learning library because it has a flatter learning curve and it is easy to debug, in addition to the fact that our team has some existing experience with PyTorch. Numpy is used for data processing because of its user-friendliness, efficiency, and integration with other tools we have chosen. Finally, we decide to include Anaconda in our dev process because of its simple setup process to provide sufficient data science environment for our purposes. The trained model then gets deployed to the back end as a pickle.
Pros of TensorFlow
- High Performance32
- Connect Research and Production19
- Deep Flexibility16
- Auto-Differentiation12
- True Portability11
- Easy to use6
- High level abstraction5
- Powerful5
Pros of TensorFlow.js
- Open Source6
- NodeJS Powered5
- Deploy python ML model directly into javascript2
- Cost - no server needed for inference1
- Privacy - no data sent to server1
- Runs Client Side on device1
- Can run TFJS on backend, frontend, react native, + IOT1
- Easy to share and use - get more eyes on your research1
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Cons of TensorFlow
- Hard9
- Hard to debug6
- Documentation not very helpful2