TinyTorch/QUICKSTART.md

TinyTorch Quick Start Guide

🚀 5-Minute Start: From Zero to Running

Get TinyTorch running and see your future ML framework in action.

Step 1: Install (2 minutes)

# Clone and enter directory
git clone https://github.com/mlsysbook/TinyTorch.git
cd TinyTorch

# Setup virtual environment
python -m venv .venv
source .venv/bin/activate  # Windows: .venv\Scripts\activate

# Install everything
pip install -r requirements.txt && pip install -e .

Step 2: Verify (30 seconds)

# Check installation
tito system doctor

✅ Expected: All green checkmarks and "System ready!"

Step 3: Experience (2 minutes)

# See your future framework in action
tito demo quick

# See your learning journey
tito checkpoint status

# Get personalized guidance
tito help --interactive

Step 4: Start Building (30 seconds)

# Enter first module
cd modules/source/01_setup
jupyter lab setup_dev.py

🎉 Success! You're now building ML systems from scratch.

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🎯 What Happens Next?

Your Learning Path

Today: Setup & First Module     →  Week 1: Tensors & Operations
Week 2: Neural Networks         →  Week 4: Computer Vision  
Week 8: Language Models         →  Week 12: System Optimization

Essential Commands to Remember

tito checkpoint status          # See your progress
tito module complete 0X         # Finish a module  
tito help --quick              # Quick reference
tito leaderboard join          # Join global community

When You Get Stuck

tito system doctor             # Check technical issues
tito help troubleshooting      # Common problems
tito help --interactive        # Get guidance

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📚 Choose Your Commitment Level

🔬 Explorer (15 minutes)

Just want to see what this is about?

tito demo quick                # See framework in action
tito checkpoint timeline       # View learning journey

🎯 Weekend Builder (8-12 hours)

Want to build something real?

Goal: Build neural network that solves XOR problem

• Modules 1-6: Foundation components
• Test with: python examples/xor_1969/minsky_xor_problem.py

🚀 Systems Engineer (8-12 weeks)

Ready for the full transformation?

Goal: Complete ML framework with community participation

• All 20 modules with systematic progression
• Community leaderboard participation
• TinyMLPerf optimization competition

🎓 Instructor (2-3 weeks setup)

Want to teach this course?

tito nbgrader setup-instructor  # Classroom configuration

Resources: Instructor Guide

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🌍 Join the Global Community

Connect with learners worldwide building ML systems:

# Join community leaderboard
tito leaderboard join

# See global progress
tito leaderboard view

# Compete in optimization challenges
tito olympics explore

Why Join?

• Learn from peers building the same systems
• Celebrate milestones with supportive community
• Compete in Olympics for optimization mastery
• Share achievements and inspire others

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❓ Quick FAQ

Q: Do I need ML experience? A: No! Start with basic Python knowledge - we teach the rest.

Q: How long does this take? A: Your choice:

• 15 minutes: Quick exploration
• Weekend: Build neural networks
• 8-12 weeks: Complete framework

Q: What will I build? A: Your own ML framework capable of:

• Training CNNs on CIFAR-10 to 75%+ accuracy
• Building GPT-style language models
• Optimizing for production deployment

Q: How is this different from PyTorch tutorials? A: PyTorch teaches you to USE frameworks. TinyTorch teaches you to BUILD them.

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🎯 Ready to Start?

Choose your first command:

# 🔬 Quick exploration
tito demo quick

# 🎯 Structured learning  
tito help --interactive

# 🚀 Jump right in
cd modules/source/01_setup && jupyter lab setup_dev.py

Next: Follow the Complete User Manual for detailed guidance.

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You're about to understand how ML frameworks really work. Let's build! 🚀