93 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
93 lines
4.4 KiB
Markdown
<!-- omit in toc -->
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# Inference & Chat
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Training is only satisfying if you can actually *talk* to the result. The original
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[`generate_text.py`](https://github.com/FareedKhan-dev/train-llm-from-scratch/blob/main/scripts/generate_text.py) does raw continuation for the base model, but it's
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hard-wired to the legacy config and has no chat template — so I added a small inference layer that loads
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**any** stage checkpoint (base / SFT / DPO / PPO / GRPO) and talks to it correctly.
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For the underlying decoding loop, context cropping, temperature, and stop-token behavior, read
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[Generation & Sampling](foundations/generation.md).
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<details>
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<summary>Mermaid source (live, editable)</summary>
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```mermaid
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flowchart LR
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CK[(any checkpoint)]:::ckpt --> LD[load_model_from_ckpt<br/>dims from stored cfg]:::proc
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LD --> MODE{chat or raw?}:::proc
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MODE -->|instruction model| CT[wrap in chat template]:::proc
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MODE -->|base model| RAW[raw prefix]:::proc
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CT --> GEN{{generate<br/>temperature / top-p / greedy}}:::model
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RAW --> GEN
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GEN --> DEC([decode → reply]):::eval
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classDef ckpt fill:#eeeeee,stroke:#555,stroke-width:2px,color:#222;
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classDef proc fill:#d6e8ff,stroke:#2c6fbb,stroke-width:2px,color:#0d2c52;
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classDef model fill:#ffe8a3,stroke:#d48806,stroke-width:2px,color:#5a3d00;
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classDef eval fill:#e8d6ff,stroke:#8e44ad,stroke-width:2px,color:#3d1a5a;
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```
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</details>
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## Load any checkpoint by its stored config
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[`load_model_from_ckpt`](https://github.com/FareedKhan-dev/train-llm-from-scratch/blob/main/src/post_training/inference.py) reads the model dimensions from the
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checkpoint's saved `cfg`, so you never re-specify `n_embed`/`n_blocks`, and it tolerates DDP /
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reward-head key prefixes:
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```python
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ck = torch.load(ckpt_path, map_location="cpu", weights_only=False)
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cfg = {**(ck.get("cfg") or {}), **(overrides or {})}
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model = Transformer(n_head=cfg["n_head"], n_embed=cfg["n_embed"], ...)
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state = {k.removeprefix("module.").removeprefix("transformer."): v for k, v in state.items()}
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```
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## Chat vs raw
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[`generate_reply`](https://github.com/FareedKhan-dev/train-llm-from-scratch/blob/main/src/post_training/inference.py#L37) has two modes, reusing the same tested
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generation core as training/eval ([`batched_generate`](https://github.com/FareedKhan-dev/train-llm-from-scratch/blob/main/src/post_training/evaluation.py#L24)):
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- **chat** (default) — wraps your text in the chat template (optionally with a `system` message) and
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returns the decoded assistant turn. Use this for SFT/DPO/PPO/GRPO checkpoints.
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- **raw** (`--raw`) — treats your text as a prefix and returns the base model's continuation (no
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template). Use this for `base_pretrained.pt`.
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```python
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if raw:
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ids = get_tokenizer().encode_ordinary(user_text)
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else:
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ids = encode_prompt([{"role": "user", "content": user_text}]) # ...ends at <|assistant|>
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out = batched_generate(model, [ids], max_new_tokens, device=device,
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temperature=temperature, top_k=top_k, top_p=top_p, greedy=greedy)
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```
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Decoding is defensive — [`decode`](https://github.com/FareedKhan-dev/train-llm-from-scratch/blob/main/src/post_training/chat_template.py) drops the EOT terminator and
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any padding-vocab ids (the model's vocab is padded to 50304 but r50k_base only decodes 0–50255).
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## The CLI
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[`scripts/chat.py`](https://github.com/FareedKhan-dev/train-llm-from-scratch/blob/main/scripts/chat.py) is one-shot or an interactive REPL:
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```bash
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# instruction-tuned models (chat template applied automatically)
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PYTHONPATH=. python scripts/chat.py --ckpt /ephemeral/ckpts/sft.pt --prompt "What is 13 + 29?"
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PYTHONPATH=. python scripts/chat.py --ckpt /ephemeral/ckpts/grpo.pt --prompt "..." --greedy
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# base-model continuation
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PYTHONPATH=. python scripts/chat.py --ckpt /ephemeral/ckpts/base_pretrained.pt --raw --prompt "Once upon a time"
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# interactive REPL (omit --prompt)
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PYTHONPATH=. python scripts/chat.py --ckpt /ephemeral/ckpts/sft.pt
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```
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Sampling controls: `--temperature`, `--top_p`, `--top_k`, or `--greedy` for deterministic argmax. Runs
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on `--device cuda` or `cpu` (both verified).
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## Sampling knobs, briefly
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- **greedy** — reproducible, best for eval / math (`--greedy`).
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- **temperature** — higher = more random; ~`0.7–1.0` for open-ended chat.
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- **top_p / top_k** — nucleus / top-k truncation to cut the long tail of unlikely tokens.
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That's the full loop: pretrain → align → reason → measure → chat. Back to the [overview](README.md).
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