Compare Hugging Face Transformers vs. VLLM

Transformers is a versatile library that includes pretrained models for natural language processing, computer vision, audio, and multimodal tasks, facilitating both inference and training. With the Transformers library, you can effectively train models tailored to your specific data, create inference applications, and utilize large language models for text generation. Visit the Hugging Face Hub now to discover a suitable model and leverage Transformers to kickstart your projects immediately. This library provides a streamlined and efficient inference class that caters to various machine learning tasks, including text generation, image segmentation, automatic speech recognition, and document question answering, among others. Additionally, it features a robust trainer that incorporates advanced capabilities like mixed precision, torch.compile, and FlashAttention, making it ideal for both training and distributed training of PyTorch models. The library ensures rapid text generation through large language models and vision-language models, and each model is constructed from three fundamental classes (configuration, model, and preprocessor), allowing for quick deployment in either inference or training scenarios. Overall, Transformers empowers users with the tools needed to create sophisticated machine learning solutions with ease and efficiency.

VLLM is an advanced library tailored for the efficient inference and deployment of Large Language Models (LLMs). Initially created at the Sky Computing Lab at UC Berkeley, it has grown into a collaborative initiative enriched by contributions from both academic and industry sectors. The library excels in providing exceptional serving throughput by effectively handling attention key and value memory through its innovative PagedAttention mechanism. It accommodates continuous batching of incoming requests and employs optimized CUDA kernels, integrating technologies like FlashAttention and FlashInfer to significantly improve the speed of model execution. Furthermore, VLLM supports various quantization methods, including GPTQ, AWQ, INT4, INT8, and FP8, and incorporates speculative decoding features. Users enjoy a seamless experience by integrating easily with popular Hugging Face models and benefit from a variety of decoding algorithms, such as parallel sampling and beam search. Additionally, VLLM is designed to be compatible with a wide range of hardware, including NVIDIA GPUs, AMD CPUs and GPUs, and Intel CPUs, ensuring flexibility and accessibility for developers across different platforms. This broad compatibility makes VLLM a versatile choice for those looking to implement LLMs efficiently in diverse environments.