sparse-transformer-experiments / experiments /sparse_transformer_v8.py
theapemachine's picture
Add sparse transformer v19 with Triton-backed KNN scheduler and various backward modes. Includes utilities for synthetic data generation and model training. Implements chunked sparse updates and integrates with existing sparse linear layers.
bc1b8eb
"""
Sparse Transformer v8: from masked-optimizer simulation to real sparse Linear backward.
v7 showed that Transformer Linear-row gradient support is heavy-tailed and stable,
and that a practical EMA selector can nearly match an oracle selector after a tiny
warmup. But v7 still computed dense gradients and only masked the optimizer step.
v8 tests the next question:
Can the sparse row mask be moved into the Linear backward pass itself?
Backward modes
--------------
1. masked_optimizer
v7-style control. Compute dense backward, but MaskedAdam only updates active
Linear rows. This should match the previous simulation behavior.
2. sparse_dW_full_dX
Custom autograd Linear computes grad_weight / grad_bias only for active output
rows, while still propagating full grad_input backward. This is the conservative
real-backward mode. It targets the dW part of Linear backward only.
3. sparse_dW_sparse_dX
Custom autograd Linear computes grad_weight only for active rows and also
propagates grad_input only through active output rows. This is the aggressive
mode. It may save more backward compute in a real kernel, but it can damage
upstream learning.
Important caveat
----------------
This script still performs a dense audit backward pass each training step to:
- compute oracle metrics,
- support oracle_current and stale_current controls,
- update practical EMA statistics only for active/observed rows.
The actual training update in sparse_dW_* modes comes from the custom sparse
backward pass, not from the dense audit gradients. This is a correctness and
semantics experiment, not a wall-clock benchmark.
Example
-------
Smoke test:
python3 sparse_transformer_v8.py --quick
Main comparison:
python3 sparse_transformer_v8.py \
--steps 2000 \
--active_fractions 0.05 0.02 \
--warmup_steps_list 5 \
--explore_fractions 0.00 \
--policies oracle_current predicted_magnitude random \
--backward_modes masked_optimizer sparse_dW_full_dX sparse_dW_sparse_dX
"""
from __future__ import annotations
import argparse
import math
import random
from typing import Dict, List, Literal, Optional, Tuple
import torch
torch.set_num_threads(1)
import torch.nn as nn
import torch.nn.functional as F
Policy = Literal["predicted_magnitude", "ucb_magnitude", "oracle_current", "stale_current", "random"]
BackwardMode = Literal["masked_optimizer", "sparse_dW_full_dX", "sparse_dW_sparse_dX"]
# -----------------------------
# Reproducibility and device
# -----------------------------
def set_seed(seed: int) -> None:
random.seed(seed)
torch.manual_seed(seed)
if torch.cuda.is_available():
torch.cuda.manual_seed_all(seed)
def device() -> str:
return "cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu"
def make_cpu_generator(seed: int) -> torch.Generator:
gen = torch.Generator(device="cpu")
gen.manual_seed(seed)
return gen
# -----------------------------
# Data
# -----------------------------
def make_synthetic_corpus(n_sentences: int = 12000, seed: int = 7) -> str:
rng = random.Random(seed)
names = ["ada", "turing", "grace", "lovelace", "noether", "shannon", "hopper", "gauss"]
verbs = ["builds", "tests", "traces", "compresses", "predicts", "routes", "writes", "measures"]
objects = ["signals", "gradients", "tokens", "circuits", "features", "masks", "errors", "states"]
adverbs = ["quietly", "boldly", "slowly", "quickly", "cleanly", "strangely", "carefully"]
clauses = [
"when the loss falls",
"after the mask shifts",
"before the model answers",
"while the signal drifts",
"if the pattern repeats",
"because the tail is noisy",
]
symbols = ["alpha", "beta", "gamma", "delta", "omega", "sigma"]
lines: List[str] = []
for _ in range(n_sentences):
t = rng.randrange(6)
if t == 0:
line = f"{rng.choice(names)} {rng.choice(verbs)} {rng.choice(objects)} {rng.choice(adverbs)}."
elif t == 1:
line = f"{rng.choice(clauses)}, {rng.choice(names)} {rng.choice(verbs)} {rng.choice(objects)}."
elif t == 2:
a, b = rng.sample(symbols, 2)
line = f"rule {a}: {rng.choice(objects)} -> {rng.choice(objects)}; rule {b}: {rng.choice(objects)} -> {rng.choice(objects)}."
elif t == 3:
line = f"the {rng.choice(objects)} {rng.choice(verbs)} the {rng.choice(objects)} {rng.choice(adverbs)}."
elif t == 4:
seq = " ".join(rng.choice(symbols) for _ in range(rng.randint(2, 7)))
line = f"sequence {seq} ends when {rng.choice(names)} {rng.choice(verbs)}."
else:
line = f"if {rng.choice(objects)} rise then {rng.choice(names)} {rng.choice(verbs)} {rng.choice(objects)} else wait."
lines.append(line)
return "\n".join(lines) + "\n"
class CharCorpus:
def __init__(self, text: str, block_size: int, device: str):
chars = sorted(set(text))
self.stoi = {ch: i for i, ch in enumerate(chars)}
self.itos = {i: ch for ch, i in self.stoi.items()}
self.vocab_size = len(chars)
self.block_size = block_size
self.device = device
data = torch.tensor([self.stoi[ch] for ch in text], dtype=torch.long)
split = int(0.9 * len(data))
self.train_data = data[:split]
self.val_data = data[split:]
def get_batch(
self,
split: str,
batch_size: int,
generator: Optional[torch.Generator] = None,
) -> Tuple[torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor]:
data = self.train_data if split == "train" else self.val_data
max_start = len(data) - self.block_size - 1
if max_start <= 0:
raise ValueError("Corpus too small for block_size")
ix = torch.randint(max_start, (batch_size,), generator=generator)
x = torch.stack([data[i : i + self.block_size] for i in ix])
y = torch.stack([data[i + 1 : i + self.block_size + 1] for i in ix])
return x.to(self.device), y.to(self.device)
def load_text(args: argparse.Namespace) -> str:
if args.text_path:
with open(args.text_path, "r", encoding="utf-8") as f:
return f.read()
return make_synthetic_corpus(args.synthetic_sentences, args.seed)
# -----------------------------
# Sparse Linear autograd
# -----------------------------
class MaskedLinearFunction(torch.autograd.Function):
@staticmethod
def forward( # type: ignore[override]
ctx,
x: torch.Tensor,
weight: torch.Tensor,
bias: Optional[torch.Tensor],
active_rows: torch.Tensor,
sparse_dx: bool,
) -> torch.Tensor:
ctx.save_for_backward(x, weight, active_rows)
ctx.has_bias = bias is not None
ctx.sparse_dx = bool(sparse_dx)
return F.linear(x, weight, bias)
@staticmethod
def backward(ctx, grad_y: torch.Tensor): # type: ignore[override]
x, weight, active_rows = ctx.saved_tensors
sparse_dx = bool(ctx.sparse_dx)
has_bias = bool(ctx.has_bias)
x_shape = x.shape
x_flat = x.reshape(-1, x.shape[-1])
gy_flat = grad_y.reshape(-1, grad_y.shape[-1])
active_idx = torch.nonzero(active_rows, as_tuple=False).flatten()
grad_weight = torch.zeros_like(weight)
grad_bias = torch.zeros(weight.shape[0], device=weight.device, dtype=weight.dtype) if has_bias else None
if active_idx.numel() > 0:
gy_active = gy_flat[:, active_idx]
grad_weight[active_idx] = gy_active.transpose(0, 1) @ x_flat
if grad_bias is not None:
grad_bias[active_idx] = gy_active.sum(dim=0)
if sparse_dx:
grad_x_flat = gy_active @ weight[active_idx]
else:
grad_x_flat = gy_flat @ weight
else:
# This can happen when a global top-k mask selects no rows from a
# particular layer. Conservative full_dX still propagates through that
# layer; aggressive sparse_dX cuts it off for that layer.
if sparse_dx:
grad_x_flat = torch.zeros_like(x_flat)
else:
grad_x_flat = gy_flat @ weight
grad_x = grad_x_flat.reshape(x_shape)
return grad_x, grad_weight, grad_bias, None, None
class SparseLinear(nn.Linear):
"""nn.Linear with an optional row-sparse backward pass."""
def __init__(self, in_features: int, out_features: int, bias: bool = True):
super().__init__(in_features, out_features, bias=bias)
self.sparse_enabled = False
self.sparse_dx = False
self.active_rows: Optional[torch.Tensor] = None
def set_sparse_backward(self, enabled: bool, active_rows: Optional[torch.Tensor], sparse_dx: bool) -> None:
self.sparse_enabled = bool(enabled)
self.sparse_dx = bool(sparse_dx)
self.active_rows = active_rows
def forward(self, x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
if not self.sparse_enabled or self.active_rows is None:
return F.linear(x, self.weight, self.bias)
return MaskedLinearFunction.apply(x, self.weight, self.bias, self.active_rows, self.sparse_dx)
# -----------------------------
# Mini GPT
# -----------------------------
class CausalSelfAttention(nn.Module):
def __init__(self, n_embd: int, n_head: int, block_size: int, dropout: float):
super().__init__()
assert n_embd % n_head == 0
self.n_head = n_head
self.head_dim = n_embd // n_head
self.c_attn = SparseLinear(n_embd, 3 * n_embd)
self.c_proj = SparseLinear(n_embd, n_embd)
self.dropout = nn.Dropout(dropout)
self.register_buffer("mask", torch.tril(torch.ones(block_size, block_size)).view(1, 1, block_size, block_size))
def forward(self, x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
B, T, C = x.shape
qkv = self.c_attn(x)
q, k, v = qkv.split(C, dim=2)
q = q.view(B, T, self.n_head, self.head_dim).transpose(1, 2)
k = k.view(B, T, self.n_head, self.head_dim).transpose(1, 2)
v = v.view(B, T, self.n_head, self.head_dim).transpose(1, 2)
att = (q @ k.transpose(-2, -1)) / math.sqrt(self.head_dim)
att = att.masked_fill(self.mask[:, :, :T, :T] == 0, float("-inf"))
att = F.softmax(att, dim=-1)
att = self.dropout(att)
y = att @ v
y = y.transpose(1, 2).contiguous().view(B, T, C)
return self.c_proj(y)
class FeedForward(nn.Module):
def __init__(self, n_embd: int, dropout: float):
super().__init__()
self.c_fc = SparseLinear(n_embd, 4 * n_embd)
self.c_proj = SparseLinear(4 * n_embd, n_embd)
self.dropout = nn.Dropout(dropout)
def forward(self, x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
return self.dropout(self.c_proj(F.gelu(self.c_fc(x))))
class Block(nn.Module):
def __init__(self, n_embd: int, n_head: int, block_size: int, dropout: float):
super().__init__()
self.ln1 = nn.LayerNorm(n_embd)
self.attn = CausalSelfAttention(n_embd, n_head, block_size, dropout)
self.ln2 = nn.LayerNorm(n_embd)
self.mlp = FeedForward(n_embd, dropout)
def forward(self, x: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
x = x + self.attn(self.ln1(x))
x = x + self.mlp(self.ln2(x))
return x
class MiniGPT(nn.Module):
def __init__(self, vocab_size: int, block_size: int, n_layer: int, n_head: int, n_embd: int, dropout: float):
super().__init__()
self.block_size = block_size
self.tok_emb = nn.Embedding(vocab_size, n_embd)
self.pos_emb = nn.Embedding(block_size, n_embd)
self.drop = nn.Dropout(dropout)
self.blocks = nn.Sequential(*[Block(n_embd, n_head, block_size, dropout) for _ in range(n_layer)])
self.ln_f = nn.LayerNorm(n_embd)
self.lm_head = SparseLinear(n_embd, vocab_size)
def forward(self, idx: torch.Tensor, targets: Optional[torch.Tensor] = None):
B, T = idx.shape
pos = torch.arange(T, device=idx.device)
x = self.tok_emb(idx) + self.pos_emb(pos)[None, :, :]
x = self.drop(x)
x = self.blocks(x)
x = self.ln_f(x)
logits = self.lm_head(x)
loss = None
if targets is not None:
loss = F.cross_entropy(logits.view(-1, logits.size(-1)), targets.view(-1))
return logits, loss
def named_sparse_linear_modules(model: nn.Module) -> List[Tuple[str, SparseLinear]]:
return [(name, m) for name, m in model.named_modules() if isinstance(m, SparseLinear)]
def parameter_fractions(model: nn.Module) -> Tuple[int, int, float]:
total = sum(p.numel() for p in model.parameters())
linear = 0
for _, m in named_sparse_linear_modules(model):
linear += m.weight.numel()
if m.bias is not None:
linear += m.bias.numel()
return total, linear, linear / max(1, total)
def configure_sparse_linears(
model: nn.Module,
masker: Optional["RowMasker"],
enabled: bool,
backward_mode: Optional[str],
) -> None:
sparse_dx = backward_mode == "sparse_dW_sparse_dX"
for _, m in named_sparse_linear_modules(model):
active = masker.row_mask_for(m) if masker is not None else None
m.set_sparse_backward(enabled=enabled, active_rows=active, sparse_dx=sparse_dx)
# -----------------------------
# Mask selector
# -----------------------------
class RowMasker:
def __init__(
self,
model: nn.Module,
policy: Policy,
active_fraction: float,
explore_fraction: float,
mass_beta: float,
unobserved_decay: float,
warmup_steps: int,
ucb_alpha: float,
mass_init: float,
device: str,
):
self.model = model
self.policy = policy
self.active_fraction = active_fraction
self.explore_fraction = explore_fraction
self.mass_beta = mass_beta
self.unobserved_decay = unobserved_decay
self.warmup_steps = warmup_steps
self.ucb_alpha = ucb_alpha
self.mass_init = mass_init
self.device = device
self.step_index = 0
self.linear_modules = [m for _, m in named_sparse_linear_modules(model)]
self.module_to_ids: Dict[SparseLinear, torch.Tensor] = {}
ids = []
offset = 0
for m in self.linear_modules:
n = m.weight.shape[0]
block_ids = torch.arange(offset, offset + n, device=device)
self.module_to_ids[m] = block_ids
ids.append(block_ids)
offset += n
self.n_blocks = offset
self.predicted_mass = torch.full((self.n_blocks,), mass_init, device=device)
self.last_full_mass = torch.full((self.n_blocks,), mass_init, device=device)
self.observed_count = torch.zeros(self.n_blocks, device=device)
self.global_mass_ema = torch.tensor(max(mass_init, 1e-6), device=device)
self.prev_active = torch.zeros(self.n_blocks, dtype=torch.bool, device=device)
self.active = torch.zeros(self.n_blocks, dtype=torch.bool, device=device)
self.row_masks: Dict[SparseLinear, torch.Tensor] = {
m: torch.zeros(m.weight.shape[0], dtype=torch.bool, device=device) for m in self.linear_modules
}
def _topk_mask(self, values: torch.Tensor, fraction: float) -> torch.Tensor:
k = max(1, int(fraction * values.numel()))
mask = torch.zeros_like(values, dtype=torch.bool)
noisy = values + 1e-9 * torch.rand_like(values)
mask[torch.topk(noisy, k=k).indices] = True
return mask
@staticmethod
def _jaccard(a: torch.Tensor, b: torch.Tensor) -> float:
inter = (a & b).sum().float()
union = (a | b).sum().float()
return float((inter / torch.clamp(union, min=1.0)).item())
def _set_active(self, active: torch.Tensor) -> None:
self.active = active
self.row_masks = {}
for m, ids in self.module_to_ids.items():
self.row_masks[m] = active[ids]
def _sample_exploit_explore(self, scores: torch.Tensor) -> torch.Tensor:
n = self.n_blocks
k_total = max(1, int(self.active_fraction * n))
k_explore = min(k_total, max(0, int(self.explore_fraction * k_total)))
k_exploit = k_total - k_explore
active = torch.zeros(n, dtype=torch.bool, device=self.device)
if k_exploit > 0:
active[torch.topk(scores + 1e-9 * torch.rand_like(scores), k=k_exploit).indices] = True
if k_explore > 0:
remaining = torch.nonzero(~active, as_tuple=False).flatten()
pick = remaining[torch.randperm(remaining.numel(), device=self.device)[:k_explore]]
active[pick] = True
return active
def choose_pre_backward(self, step: int) -> None:
self.step_index = step
if step < self.warmup_steps:
self._set_active(torch.ones(self.n_blocks, dtype=torch.bool, device=self.device))
return
if self.policy == "oracle_current":
# Oracle cannot choose until the dense audit gradient is known.
self._set_active(torch.zeros(self.n_blocks, dtype=torch.bool, device=self.device))
return
if self.policy == "random":
self._set_active(self._sample_exploit_explore(torch.rand(self.n_blocks, device=self.device)))
return
if self.policy == "stale_current":
self._set_active(self._topk_mask(self.last_full_mass, self.active_fraction))
return
if self.policy == "predicted_magnitude":
self._set_active(self._sample_exploit_explore(self.predicted_mass))
return
if self.policy == "ucb_magnitude":
t = max(1, step - self.warmup_steps + 1)
log_term = torch.log(torch.tensor(float(t + 2), device=self.device))
bonus_scale = torch.clamp(self.global_mass_ema, min=1e-8)
bonus = self.ucb_alpha * bonus_scale * torch.sqrt(log_term / (self.observed_count + 1.0))
self._set_active(self._sample_exploit_explore(self.predicted_mass + bonus))
return
raise ValueError(f"Unknown policy: {self.policy}")
@torch.no_grad()
def current_gradient_mass_from_grads(self) -> torch.Tensor:
mass = torch.zeros(self.n_blocks, device=self.device)
for m, ids in self.module_to_ids.items():
if m.weight.grad is None:
continue
row_sq = m.weight.grad.square().sum(dim=1)
if m.bias is not None and m.bias.grad is not None:
row_sq = row_sq + m.bias.grad.square()
mass[ids] = torch.sqrt(row_sq + 1e-30)
return mass
@torch.no_grad()
def audit_and_update_from_mass(self, step: int, mass: torch.Tensor) -> Dict[str, float]:
if step < self.warmup_steps:
active = torch.ones(self.n_blocks, dtype=torch.bool, device=self.device)
self._set_active(active)
elif self.policy == "oracle_current":
active = self._topk_mask(mass, self.active_fraction)
self._set_active(active)
else:
active = self.active
true_sq = mass.square().sum()
approx_sq = mass[active].square().sum()
cosine = float((torch.sqrt(approx_sq + 1e-30) / torch.sqrt(true_sq + 1e-30)).item())
oracle_mask = self._topk_mask(mass, self.active_fraction)
jacc = self._jaccard(active, oracle_mask)
stability = self._jaccard(active, self.prev_active)
self.prev_active = active.clone()
k20 = max(1, int(0.2 * self.n_blocks))
sorted_mass = torch.sort(mass, descending=True).values
top20_mass = float((sorted_mass[:k20].sum() / (sorted_mass.sum() + 1e-12)).item())
new_active = active & (self.observed_count == 0)
# Practical rule: update predicted statistics only for active/observed rows.
self.predicted_mass.mul_(self.unobserved_decay)
observed = active
if bool(observed.any().item()):
obs_mass = mass[observed]
first_seen = self.observed_count[observed] == 0
ema_mass = self.mass_beta * self.predicted_mass[observed] + (1.0 - self.mass_beta) * obs_mass
self.predicted_mass[observed] = torch.where(first_seen, obs_mass, ema_mass)
self.observed_count[observed] += 1.0
self.global_mass_ema = self.mass_beta * self.global_mass_ema + (1.0 - self.mass_beta) * obs_mass.mean()
# Dense audit signal; only stale_current is allowed to use this for selection.
self.last_full_mass = mass.detach().clone()
return {
"cosine": cosine,
"norm_ratio": cosine,
"top20_mass": top20_mass,
"jacc_oracle": jacc,
"stability": stability,
"active_fraction_real": float(active.float().mean().item()),
"coverage": float((self.observed_count > 0).float().mean().item()),
"avg_obs_count": float(self.observed_count.mean().item()),
"new_active_fraction": float(new_active.float().mean().item()),
}
def row_mask_for(self, module: SparseLinear) -> Optional[torch.Tensor]:
return self.row_masks.get(module)
# -----------------------------
# Masked Adam
# -----------------------------
class MaskedAdam:
def __init__(
self,
model: nn.Module,
masker: Optional[RowMasker],
lr: float,
betas=(0.9, 0.95),
eps=1e-8,
weight_decay=0.0,
freeze_non_linear_when_sparse: bool = False,
):
self.model = model
self.masker = masker
self.lr = lr
self.beta1, self.beta2 = betas
self.eps = eps
self.weight_decay = weight_decay
self.freeze_non_linear_when_sparse = freeze_non_linear_when_sparse
self.state: Dict[nn.Parameter, Dict[str, torch.Tensor]] = {}
self.linear_param: Dict[nn.Parameter, Tuple[SparseLinear, str]] = {}
for _, m in named_sparse_linear_modules(model):
self.linear_param[m.weight] = (m, "weight")
if m.bias is not None:
self.linear_param[m.bias] = (m, "bias")
def zero_grad(self) -> None:
for p in self.model.parameters():
p.grad = None
@torch.no_grad()
def step(self) -> None:
for p in self.model.parameters():
if p.grad is None:
continue
if self.masker is not None and self.freeze_non_linear_when_sparse and p not in self.linear_param:
continue
if p not in self.state:
self.state[p] = {"m": torch.zeros_like(p), "v": torch.zeros_like(p)}
m = self.state[p]["m"]
v = self.state[p]["v"]
g = p.grad
if self.weight_decay:
g = g.add(p, alpha=self.weight_decay)
row_mask = None
if self.masker is not None and p in self.linear_param:
module, kind = self.linear_param[p]
base = self.masker.row_mask_for(module)
if base is not None:
row_mask = base.view(-1, *([1] * (p.ndim - 1))) if kind == "weight" else base
if row_mask is None:
m.mul_(self.beta1).add_(g, alpha=1.0 - self.beta1)
v.mul_(self.beta2).addcmul_(g, g, value=1.0 - self.beta2)
p.add_(m / (torch.sqrt(v) + self.eps), alpha=-self.lr)
else:
mask = row_mask.expand_as(p)
if not bool(mask.any().item()):
continue
new_m = self.beta1 * m + (1.0 - self.beta1) * g
new_v = self.beta2 * v + (1.0 - self.beta2) * g * g
m[mask] = new_m[mask]
v[mask] = new_v[mask]
update = m / (torch.sqrt(v) + self.eps)
p[mask] = p[mask] - self.lr * update[mask]
# -----------------------------
# Training utilities
# -----------------------------
@torch.no_grad()
def estimate_loss(model: nn.Module, corpus: CharCorpus, batch_size: int, eval_iters: int, seed: int) -> Dict[str, float]:
model.eval()
configure_sparse_linears(model, masker=None, enabled=False, backward_mode=None)
out = {}
for split in ["train", "val"]:
losses = []
gen = make_cpu_generator(seed + (0 if split == "train" else 100000))
for _ in range(eval_iters):
x, y = corpus.get_batch(split, batch_size, generator=gen)
_, loss = model(x, y)
losses.append(float(loss.item()))
out[split] = sum(losses) / len(losses)
model.train()
return out
def dense_audit_pass(model: nn.Module, corpus_batch: Tuple[torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor], opt: MaskedAdam, masker: RowMasker) -> torch.Tensor:
x, y = corpus_batch
configure_sparse_linears(model, masker=None, enabled=False, backward_mode=None)
opt.zero_grad()
_, audit_loss = model(x, y)
audit_loss.backward()
mass = masker.current_gradient_mass_from_grads()
opt.zero_grad()
return mass
def sparse_training_backward(
model: nn.Module,
corpus_batch: Tuple[torch.Tensor, torch.Tensor],
opt: MaskedAdam,
masker: Optional[RowMasker],
backward_mode: Optional[BackwardMode],
) -> float:
x, y = corpus_batch
opt.zero_grad()
if masker is None or backward_mode is None or backward_mode == "masked_optimizer":
configure_sparse_linears(model, masker=None, enabled=False, backward_mode=None)
else:
configure_sparse_linears(model, masker=masker, enabled=True, backward_mode=backward_mode)
_, loss = model(x, y)
loss.backward()
configure_sparse_linears(model, masker=None, enabled=False, backward_mode=None)
return float(loss.item())
def train_run(
corpus: CharCorpus,
args: argparse.Namespace,
policy: Optional[Policy],
backward_mode: Optional[BackwardMode],
active_fraction: float,
warmup_steps: int,
explore_fraction: float,
seed_offset: int,
) -> Dict[str, float | str]:
# Same model initialization and same minibatch sequence for every run by default.
set_seed(args.seed + (seed_offset if args.unpaired_seeds else 0))
data_gen = make_cpu_generator(args.seed + 12345)
dev = corpus.device
model = MiniGPT(corpus.vocab_size, args.block_size, args.n_layer, args.n_head, args.n_embd, args.dropout).to(dev)
masker = None
if policy is not None:
masker = RowMasker(
model=model,
policy=policy,
active_fraction=active_fraction,
explore_fraction=explore_fraction,
mass_beta=args.mass_beta,
unobserved_decay=args.unobserved_decay,
warmup_steps=warmup_steps,
ucb_alpha=args.ucb_alpha,
mass_init=args.mass_init,
device=dev,
)
opt = MaskedAdam(
model,
masker,
lr=args.lr,
weight_decay=args.weight_decay,
freeze_non_linear_when_sparse=args.freeze_non_linear_when_sparse,
)
sums = {
"cosine": 0.0,
"norm_ratio": 0.0,
"top20_mass": 0.0,
"jacc_oracle": 0.0,
"stability": 0.0,
"active_fraction_real": 0.0,
"coverage": 0.0,
"avg_obs_count": 0.0,
"new_active_fraction": 0.0,
}
count = 0
for step in range(args.steps):
batch = corpus.get_batch("train", args.batch_size, generator=data_gen)
if masker is None:
loss_value = sparse_training_backward(model, batch, opt, masker=None, backward_mode=None)
opt.step()
else:
masker.choose_pre_backward(step)
full_mass = dense_audit_pass(model, batch, opt, masker)
metrics = masker.audit_and_update_from_mass(step, full_mass)
if step >= warmup_steps:
for k in sums:
sums[k] += metrics[k]
count += 1
loss_value = sparse_training_backward(model, batch, opt, masker=masker, backward_mode=backward_mode)
opt.step()
if args.verbose and (step % args.eval_interval == 0 or step == args.steps - 1):
losses = estimate_loss(model, corpus, args.batch_size, args.eval_iters, seed=args.seed + 555)
name = "dense" if policy is None else f"{policy}/{backward_mode}"
print(
f"{name:38s} step={step:5d} warm={warmup_steps:4d} explore={explore_fraction:.2f} "
f"loss={loss_value:.4f} train={losses['train']:.4f} val={losses['val']:.4f}"
)
losses = estimate_loss(model, corpus, args.batch_size, args.eval_iters, seed=args.seed + 999)
row: Dict[str, float | str] = {
"run": "dense_baseline" if policy is None else policy,
"mode": "dense" if backward_mode is None else backward_mode,
"target_active": 1.0 if policy is None else active_fraction,
"warmup": warmup_steps,
"explore": explore_fraction if policy is not None else 0.0,
"train_loss": losses["train"],
"val_loss": losses["val"],
}
if masker is None or count == 0:
row.update({
"cosine": float("nan"),
"norm_ratio": float("nan"),
"top20_mass": float("nan"),
"jacc_oracle": float("nan"),
"stability": float("nan"),
"active_fraction_real": 1.0,
"coverage": float("nan"),
"avg_obs_count": float("nan"),
"new_active_fraction": float("nan"),
})
else:
for k, v in sums.items():
row[k] = v / count
return row
def print_summary(rows: List[Dict[str, float | str]]) -> None:
print("\nSummary")
header = (
f"{'run':>22s} {'mode':>19s} {'target':>7s} {'actual':>7s} {'warm':>5s} {'expl':>5s} "
f"{'val':>8s} {'train':>8s} {'cos':>7s} {'top20':>7s} {'jacc':>7s} "
f"{'stable':>7s} {'cover':>7s} {'new':>7s}"
)
print(header)
print("-" * len(header))
for r in rows:
print(
f"{str(r['run']):>22s} "
f"{str(r['mode']):>19s} "
f"{float(r['target_active']):7.3f} "
f"{float(r['active_fraction_real']):7.3f} "
f"{int(float(r['warmup'])):5d} "
f"{float(r['explore']):5.2f} "
f"{float(r['val_loss']):8.4f} "
f"{float(r['train_loss']):8.4f} "
f"{float(r['cosine']):7.3f} "
f"{float(r['top20_mass']):7.3f} "
f"{float(r['jacc_oracle']):7.3f} "
f"{float(r['stability']):7.3f} "
f"{float(r['coverage']):7.3f} "
f"{float(r['new_active_fraction']):7.3f}"
)
def parse_args() -> argparse.Namespace:
p = argparse.ArgumentParser()
p.add_argument("--text_path", type=str, default=None)
p.add_argument("--synthetic_sentences", type=int, default=12000)
p.add_argument("--steps", type=int, default=1000)
p.add_argument("--quick", action="store_true")
p.add_argument("--batch_size", type=int, default=32)
p.add_argument("--block_size", type=int, default=64)
p.add_argument("--n_layer", type=int, default=2)
p.add_argument("--n_head", type=int, default=4)
p.add_argument("--n_embd", type=int, default=64)
p.add_argument("--dropout", type=float, default=0.0)
p.add_argument("--lr", type=float, default=3e-4)
p.add_argument("--weight_decay", type=float, default=0.0)
p.add_argument("--active_fractions", type=float, nargs="+", default=[0.05, 0.02])
p.add_argument("--policies", type=str, nargs="+", default=["oracle_current", "predicted_magnitude", "random"])
p.add_argument(
"--backward_modes",
type=str,
nargs="+",
default=["masked_optimizer", "sparse_dW_full_dX", "sparse_dW_sparse_dX"],
)
p.add_argument("--explore_fractions", type=float, nargs="+", default=[0.0])
p.add_argument("--warmup_steps_list", type=int, nargs="+", default=[5])
p.add_argument("--mass_beta", type=float, default=0.95)
p.add_argument("--unobserved_decay", type=float, default=1.0)
p.add_argument("--mass_init", type=float, default=0.0)
p.add_argument("--ucb_alpha", type=float, default=1.0)
p.add_argument("--freeze_non_linear_when_sparse", action="store_true")
p.add_argument("--eval_interval", type=int, default=200)
p.add_argument("--eval_iters", type=int, default=20)
p.add_argument("--seed", type=int, default=7)
p.add_argument("--unpaired_seeds", action="store_true", help="Use different init seeds per run instead of paired seeds.")
p.add_argument("--verbose", action="store_true")
return p.parse_args()
def main() -> None:
args = parse_args()
if args.quick:
args.steps = 40
args.eval_iters = 2
args.batch_size = 8
args.block_size = 32
args.n_layer = 1
args.n_embd = 32
args.n_head = 4
args.synthetic_sentences = 1200
args.active_fractions = [0.05]
args.policies = ["predicted_magnitude", "random"]
args.backward_modes = ["masked_optimizer", "sparse_dW_full_dX", "sparse_dW_sparse_dX"]
args.explore_fractions = [0.0]
args.warmup_steps_list = [5]
valid_policies = {"predicted_magnitude", "ucb_magnitude", "oracle_current", "stale_current", "random"}
valid_modes = {"masked_optimizer", "sparse_dW_full_dX", "sparse_dW_sparse_dX"}
for pol in args.policies:
if pol not in valid_policies:
raise ValueError(f"Unknown policy {pol!r}. Valid policies: {sorted(valid_policies)}")
for mode in args.backward_modes:
if mode not in valid_modes:
raise ValueError(f"Unknown backward mode {mode!r}. Valid modes: {sorted(valid_modes)}")
set_seed(args.seed)
dev = device()
print(f"device={dev}")
corpus = CharCorpus(load_text(args), args.block_size, dev)
print(f"vocab_size={corpus.vocab_size} train_tokens={len(corpus.train_data)} val_tokens={len(corpus.val_data)}")
print(f"policies={args.policies}")
print(f"backward_modes={args.backward_modes}")
print(f"active_fractions={args.active_fractions}")
print(f"warmup_steps_list={args.warmup_steps_list} explore_fractions={args.explore_fractions}")
print(f"mass_init={args.mass_init} mass_beta={args.mass_beta} ucb_alpha={args.ucb_alpha}")
print(f"paired_seeds={not args.unpaired_seeds}")
tmp_model = MiniGPT(corpus.vocab_size, args.block_size, args.n_layer, args.n_head, args.n_embd, args.dropout).to(dev)
total_params, linear_params, linear_frac = parameter_fractions(tmp_model)
del tmp_model
print(f"params total={total_params} linear={linear_params} linear_fraction={linear_frac:.3f}")
if args.freeze_non_linear_when_sparse:
print("freeze_non_linear_when_sparse=True: embeddings/layernorm/etc. are frozen in sparse runs")
else:
print("freeze_non_linear_when_sparse=False: non-Linear params are still updated densely")
if args.dropout != 0.0:
print("warning: dropout is nonzero; dense audit and sparse training passes may see different dropout masks")
rows: List[Dict[str, float | str]] = []
print("\nRunning dense baseline")
rows.append(
train_run(
corpus,
args,
policy=None,
backward_mode=None,
active_fraction=1.0,
warmup_steps=0,
explore_fraction=0.0,
seed_offset=0,
)
)
seed_offset = 100
for mode in args.backward_modes:
for af in args.active_fractions:
for pol in args.policies:
explore_values = args.explore_fractions if pol in {"predicted_magnitude", "ucb_magnitude"} else [0.0]
for warmup in args.warmup_steps_list:
for explore in explore_values:
print(
f"\nRunning mode={mode}, policy={pol}, "
f"active_fraction={af:.3f}, warmup={warmup}, explore={explore:.2f}"
)
rows.append(
train_run(
corpus,
args,
policy=pol, # type: ignore[arg-type]
backward_mode=mode, # type: ignore[arg-type]
active_fraction=af,
warmup_steps=warmup,
explore_fraction=explore,
seed_offset=seed_offset,
)
)
seed_offset += 1
print_summary(rows)
print("\nNotes")
print(" masked_optimizer is the v7-style dense-backward simulation control.")
print(" sparse_dW_full_dX uses custom Linear backward: sparse weight/bias grads, full input gradient.")
print(" sparse_dW_sparse_dX uses custom Linear backward: sparse weight/bias grads and sparse input gradient.")
print(" oracle_current uses dense audit gradients to choose rows; it is an upper bound.")
print(" predicted_magnitude uses EMA mass from active/observed rows only.")
print(" random is the sparse-support control.")
print(" dense audit gradients are still computed every step for metrics/control; this is not a speed benchmark.")
print(" The key comparison is masked_optimizer vs sparse_dW_full_dX. If they match, the v7 effect survives real dW sparsification.")
if __name__ == "__main__":
main()