Introduction
Tensorflow and Keras are well-known machine learning frameworks for developers or data scientists. In the next sections we will examine the advantages, disadvantages, and differences between these libraries. We will also explore Tensorflow vs Keras in this article.
General description
- Learn more about Keras vs. TensorFlow.
- Find out how they differ from each other.
- Find out which one is best for you.
- Learn the pros and cons of both frameworks.
What is TensorFlow?
TensorFlow is a robust end-to-end deep learning framework. TensorFlow APIs are organized in a hierarchical structure, and higher-level APIs build on lower-level APIs. Machine learning researchers use low-level APIs to create and test new algorithms.
What is Keras?
Keras is a Python-based deep learning API. Keras is simple, but not simplistic. Keras reduces the cognitive load on developers, allowing them to focus on the most important aspects of the problem.
It is flexible and adheres to the disclosure principle of increasing complexity: basic tasks are quick and easy, while advanced workflows can be achieved through clear, incremental steps. It features industry-leading performance and scalability and is used by organizations such as NASA, YouTube, and Waymo.
TensorFlow and Keras
Characteristic | TensorFlow | Hard |
Developed by | Google brain | François Chollet (now part of TensorFlow) |
API level | Low level and high level | High level |
Flexibility | Highly flexible, supports custom operations and layers | Less flexible, mainly for standard layers and models. |
Easy to use | Steeper learning curve, more control | Easy to use, simple to implement |
Deployment | Extensive support (TensorFlow Lite, TensorFlow Serving) | Use TensorFlow for implementation |
Performance | Optimized for performance, supports distributed training | Optimized via TensorFlow backend |
Community support | Great community, extensive resources. | Large community, integrated within TensorFlow |
Case of use | Suitable for complex and large-scale projects | Ideal for rapid prototyping and experimentation. |
Data management | Advanced data management with tf.data API | Simplified data handling with built-in methods |
Display | TensorBoard for advanced model visualization | Supports TensorBoard |
Pros and cons
Let us now explore the pros and cons of Tensorflow and Keras.
TensorFlow
Advantages:
- Tensor Flow outperforms all other major platforms in terms of graphing for a given data set.
- Tensor flow offers the benefit of supporting and using a wide range of backend software.
- It offers the best community support and is also useful for debugging subgraphs.
- Easy to extend as it allows you to create custom blocks to develop new concepts.
Cons:
- Tensor flow is slower than other platforms of the same type.
- Creating custom layers and features can be complicated and time-consuming. For example, designing a new convolutional layer for a specialized image processing task may require significant effort and expertise.
Hard
Advantages:
- It aims to be simple and intuitive. It encapsulates most of the low-level complexity of TensorFlow, making it an ideal alternative for those new to deep learning.
- Supports rapid prototyping of neural networks, allowing you to quickly experiment with alternative topologies.
- Its code is usually more concise and readable than TensorFlow code.
- It has been included as an official high-level API in TensorFlow since version 2.0, ensuring compatibility and synergy between the two.
Cons:
- It has little versatility, despite its considerable simplicity. It may not be the ideal choice for sophisticated users who need exact control over all aspects of their models.
- Customizing layers and processes is difficult.
Also Read: Top 6 Deep Learning Frameworks You Should Know in 2024
Conclusion
TensorFlow stands out for its flexibility and scalability for complex projects and offers extensive control over the design of neural networks, making it ideal for large-scale applications such as Google search algorithms. In contrast, Keras shines with its easy-to-use interface, perfect for rapid prototyping, such as quickly building and testing a sentiment analysis model for customer reviews. Now you can choose which framework to adopt and find out which one is best for you: TensorFlow or Keras!
Frequent questions
A. Performance differences between directly using Keras and TensorFlow are minimal because Keras operations are ultimately compiled into TensorFlow computational graphs.
A. Yes, TensorFlow 2.0 integrates Keras as its official high-level API. This helps achieve a unified experience for high- and low-level operations.