---
title: "LLMs-from-scratch vs SAM-Adapter-PyTorch"
type: "comparison"
canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/rasbt-llms-from-scratch-vs-tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch"
tools: ["rasbt-llms-from-scratch", "tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch"]
---

# LLMs-from-scratch vs SAM-Adapter-PyTorch

*GraphCanon updated Jul 12, 2026*

## Verdict

Pick LLMs-from-scratch when lLMs-from-scratch is primarily Jupyter Notebook; SAM-Adapter-PyTorch is Python; pick SAM-Adapter-PyTorch when sAM-Adapter-PyTorch is primarily Python; LLMs-from-scratch is Jupyter Notebook.

[LLMs-from-scratch](https://amzn.to/4fqvn0D) reports 99k GitHub stars, 15k forks, and 4 open issues, last pushed Jun 2, 2026. [SAM-Adapter-PyTorch](https://github.com/tianrun-chen/SAM-Adapter-PyTorch) has 1.5k stars, 123 forks, and 66 open issues, last pushed May 17, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [LLMs-from-scratch's repository](https://github.com/rasbt/LLMs-from-scratch) and [SAM-Adapter-PyTorch's repository](https://github.com/tianrun-chen/SAM-Adapter-PyTorch).

| | [LLMs-from-scratch](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch.md) | [SAM-Adapter-PyTorch](/tools/tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tagline | Implement a ChatGPT-like LLM in PyTorch from scratch, step by step | Adapting Meta AI's Segment Anything to Downstream Tasks with Adapters and Prompts |
| Stars | 98,899 | 1,543 |
| Forks | 15,183 | 123 |
| Open issues | 4 | 66 |
| Language | Jupyter Notebook | Python |
| 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. | - |
| Persona | - | - |
| Runtime | - | - |
| License | Other | MIT |
| Categories | LLM Frameworks, Model Training | Model Training, LLM Frameworks, Computer Vision |

## Trust and health

_Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._

| | [LLMs-from-scratch](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch.md) | [SAM-Adapter-PyTorch](/tools/tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Days since push | 38d | 55d |
| Open issues (now) | 4 | 66 |
| Full report | [trust report](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch/trust.md) |

## 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 LLMs-from-scratch if…

- LLMs-from-scratch is primarily Jupyter Notebook; SAM-Adapter-PyTorch is Python.
- License: LLMs-from-scratch is Other, SAM-Adapter-PyTorch 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.

### Choose SAM-Adapter-PyTorch if…

- SAM-Adapter-PyTorch is primarily Python; LLMs-from-scratch is Jupyter Notebook.
- License: SAM-Adapter-PyTorch is MIT, LLMs-from-scratch is Other.
- Tags unique to SAM-Adapter-PyTorch: fine-tuning, camouflaged-target-detection, camouflaged-object-detection, image-segmentation.
- Also covers Computer Vision.

## 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.

## When NOT to use SAM-Adapter-PyTorch

- Model Training: Try prompting and RAG first; fine-tuning is the answer to style/format, not missing knowledge.
- LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.

## Common questions

### What is the difference between LLMs-from-scratch and SAM-Adapter-PyTorch?

LLMs-from-scratch: Implement a ChatGPT-like LLM in PyTorch from scratch, step by step. SAM-Adapter-PyTorch: Adapting Meta AI's Segment Anything to Downstream Tasks with Adapters and Prompts. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.

### When should I choose LLMs-from-scratch over SAM-Adapter-PyTorch?

Choose LLMs-from-scratch over SAM-Adapter-PyTorch when LLMs-from-scratch is primarily Jupyter Notebook; SAM-Adapter-PyTorch is Python; License: LLMs-from-scratch is Other, SAM-Adapter-PyTorch 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 choose SAM-Adapter-PyTorch over LLMs-from-scratch?

Choose SAM-Adapter-PyTorch over LLMs-from-scratch when SAM-Adapter-PyTorch is primarily Python; LLMs-from-scratch is Jupyter Notebook; License: SAM-Adapter-PyTorch is MIT, LLMs-from-scratch is Other; Tags unique to SAM-Adapter-PyTorch: fine-tuning, camouflaged-target-detection, camouflaged-object-detection, image-segmentation; Also covers Computer Vision.

### 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.

### When should I avoid SAM-Adapter-PyTorch?

Model Training: Try prompting and RAG first; fine-tuning is the answer to style/format, not missing knowledge. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.

### Is LLMs-from-scratch or SAM-Adapter-PyTorch more popular on GitHub?

LLMs-from-scratch has more GitHub stars (98,899 vs 1,543). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.

### Are LLMs-from-scratch and SAM-Adapter-PyTorch open source?

Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (LLMs-from-scratch: Other, SAM-Adapter-PyTorch: MIT).

### Where can I find alternatives to LLMs-from-scratch or SAM-Adapter-PyTorch?

GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [LLMs-from-scratch alternatives](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/alternatives) and [SAM-Adapter-PyTorch alternatives](/tools/tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch/alternatives) ([LLMs-from-scratch markdown twin](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/alternatives.md), [SAM-Adapter-PyTorch markdown twin](/tools/tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch/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/rasbt-llms-from-scratch-vs-tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.

### Which is better maintained, LLMs-from-scratch or SAM-Adapter-PyTorch?

LLMs-from-scratch: Steady. SAM-Adapter-PyTorch: 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 LLMs-from-scratch and SAM-Adapter-PyTorch?

GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [LLMs-from-scratch trust report](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/trust); [SAM-Adapter-PyTorch trust report](/tools/tianrun-chen-sam-adapter-pytorch/trust).

---

**Machine-readable endpoints**

- JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=rasbt-llms-from-scratch`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=rasbt-llms-from-scratch)
- 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/_
