--- title: "rellm vs LLMs-from-scratch" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/r2d4-rellm-vs-rasbt-llms-from-scratch" tools: ["r2d4-rellm", "rasbt-llms-from-scratch"] --- # rellm vs LLMs-from-scratch *GraphCanon updated Jul 12, 2026* ## Verdict Pick rellm if rellm is a Python tool that guarantees structured outputs from language model completions by leveraging the Hugging Face Transformers library; pick LLMs-from-scratch if lLMs-from-scratch is a project-oriented repository aimed at building PyTorch-based language models from the ground up, with detailed step-by-step instructions. [rellm](https://github.com/r2d4/rellm) reports 513 GitHub stars, 23 forks, and 5 open issues, last pushed Aug 10, 2023. [LLMs-from-scratch](https://amzn.to/4fqvn0D) has 99k stars, 15k forks, and 4 open issues, last pushed Jun 2, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [rellm's repository](https://github.com/r2d4/rellm) and [LLMs-from-scratch's repository](https://github.com/rasbt/LLMs-from-scratch). | | [rellm](/tools/r2d4-rellm.md) | [LLMs-from-scratch](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Exact structure out of any language model completion | Implement a ChatGPT-like LLM in PyTorch from scratch, step by step | | Stars | 513 | 98,899 | | Forks | 23 | 15,183 | | Open issues | 5 | 4 | | Language | Python | Jupyter Notebook | | Adopt for | rellm is a Python tool that guarantees structured outputs from language model completions by leveraging the Hugging Face Transformers library. | LLMs-from-scratch is a project-oriented repository aimed at building PyTorch-based language models from the ground up, with detailed step-by-step instructions. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | MIT | Other | | Categories | Model Training, LLM Frameworks | LLM Frameworks, Model Training | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [rellm](/tools/r2d4-rellm.md) | [LLMs-from-scratch](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Dormant (18%) | Steady (60%) | | Days since push | 1065d | 38d | | Open issues (now) | 5 | 4 | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/r2d4-rellm/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: rellm - **Adopt for:** rellm is a Python tool that guarantees structured outputs from language model completions by leveraging the Hugging Face Transformers library. ## Decision facts: LLMs-from-scratch - **Adopt for:** LLMs-from-scratch is a project-oriented repository aimed at building PyTorch-based language models from the ground up, with detailed step-by-step instructions. ## Choose when ### Choose rellm if… - rellm is primarily Python; LLMs-from-scratch is Jupyter Notebook. - License: rellm is MIT, LLMs-from-scratch is Other. - Tags unique to rellm: llm, huggingface-transformers, transformers. - - When you require precise and exact structure in output data generated from any language model, utilizing rellm can ensure consistency. ### Choose LLMs-from-scratch if… - LLMs-from-scratch is primarily Jupyter Notebook; rellm is Python. - License: LLMs-from-scratch is Other, rellm is MIT. - Tags unique to LLMs-from-scratch: deep-learning, ai, artificial-intelligence, attention-mechanism. - - You are an advanced practitioner aiming to fully understand the underpinnings of LLMs using PyTorch as your primary framework. ## When NOT to use rellm - - Avoid using rellm if you are not working with the Hugging Face Transformers library or do not need structured output formats. - - If your project can tolerate some level of unstructured or less rigidly formatted outputs from language models, other solutions might be more appropriate. ## When NOT to use LLMs-from-scratch - - If you are looking for a rapid deployment of an LLM without understanding its intricate structure - this tool requires extensive manual and conceptual work. - - You prefer frameworks with automatic model generation or other high-level abstractions that simplify the process. This repository emphasizes manual creation, which is more time-consuming but offers丰 - a deeper learning experience. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between rellm and LLMs-from-scratch? rellm: Exact structure out of any language model completion. LLMs-from-scratch: Implement a ChatGPT-like LLM in PyTorch from scratch, step by step. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose rellm over LLMs-from-scratch? Choose rellm over LLMs-from-scratch when rellm is primarily Python; LLMs-from-scratch is Jupyter Notebook; License: rellm is MIT, LLMs-from-scratch is Other; Tags unique to rellm: llm, huggingface-transformers, transformers; - When you require precise and exact structure in output data generated from any language model, utilizing rellm can ensure consistency. ### When should I choose LLMs-from-scratch over rellm? Choose LLMs-from-scratch over rellm when LLMs-from-scratch is primarily Jupyter Notebook; rellm is Python; License: LLMs-from-scratch is Other, rellm is MIT; Tags unique to LLMs-from-scratch: deep-learning, ai, artificial-intelligence, attention-mechanism; - You are an advanced practitioner aiming to fully understand the underpinnings of LLMs using PyTorch as your primary framework. ### When should I avoid rellm? - Avoid using rellm if you are not working with the Hugging Face Transformers library or do not need structured output formats. - If your project can tolerate some level of unstructured or less rigidly formatted outputs from language models, other solutions might be more appropriate. ### When should I avoid LLMs-from-scratch? - If you are looking for a rapid deployment of an LLM without understanding its intricate structure - this tool requires extensive manual and conceptual work. - You prefer frameworks with automatic model generation or other high-level abstractions that simplify the process. This repository emphasizes manual creation, which is more time-consuming but offers丰 a deeper learning experience. ### Is rellm or LLMs-from-scratch more popular on GitHub? LLMs-from-scratch has more GitHub stars (98,899 vs 513). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are rellm and LLMs-from-scratch open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (rellm: MIT, LLMs-from-scratch: Other). ### Where can I find alternatives to rellm or LLMs-from-scratch? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [rellm alternatives](/tools/r2d4-rellm/alternatives) and [LLMs-from-scratch alternatives](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/alternatives) ([rellm markdown twin](/tools/r2d4-rellm/alternatives.md), [LLMs-from-scratch markdown twin](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/alternatives.md)), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes. ### Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison? Yes. The markdown twin at [this comparison](/compare/r2d4-rellm-vs-rasbt-llms-from-scratch.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, rellm or LLMs-from-scratch? rellm: Dormant. LLMs-from-scratch: Steady. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance. ### Where are the full trust reports for rellm and LLMs-from-scratch? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [rellm trust report](/tools/r2d4-rellm/trust); [LLMs-from-scratch trust report](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=r2d4-rellm`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=r2d4-rellm) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_