LLMs from Scratch vs 
ML Interviews Book
LLMs from Scratch vs ML Interviews Book compared for 2026 — features, license, ease of use, performance and which one to choose. Build a GPT from nothing, line by line vs What ML interviews actually ask.
Updated regularly · curated by OpenSourceAI.tech
LLMs from Scratch vs ML Interviews Book at a glance
| Spec | LLMs from Scratch | ML Interviews Book |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learn AI & machine learning | Learn AI & machine learning |
| Type | Book + code | Book |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Custom (free to read) |
| Runs locally | Yes | Yes |
| Primary language | Python | Markdown |
| Ease of use | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| Best for | genuinely understanding how an LLM works | preparing for an ML role, or checking your gaps |
| GitHub stars | 99k | — |
How LLMs from Scratch and ML Interviews Book score
| Criterion | LLMs from Scratch | ML Interviews Book |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity | 4.5 | n/a |
| Maintenance | 5.0 | n/a |
| Ease of use | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Privacy | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| License freedom | 5.0 | 3.5 |
Scores are computed automatically from public signals — GitHub stars (popularity), recent commit activity (maintenance), license type (freedom), local-first design (privacy) and onboarding complexity (ease of use). Indicative, not a verdict.
What each one is
LLMs from Scratch
Sebastian Raschka's companion repository to "Build a Large Language Model (From Scratch)": you implement attention, a transformer, pretraining and fine-tuning yourself, in plain PyTorch.
- You build every component yourself — no black boxes
- Runs on a laptop, no cluster needed
- The clearest explanation of attention anywhere
ML Interviews Book
Chip Huyen's open book on machine learning interviews: the questions companies really ask, why they ask them, and how to think about the answers.
- Real questions from real companies
- Explains the reasoning, not just the answer
- Doubles as a checklist of what you should know
Key differences
LLMs from Scratch is book + code, while ML Interviews Book is book. Their licenses differ (Apache-2.0 vs Custom (free to read)), which matters if you ship a commercial product. In short, LLMs from Scratch fits genuinely understanding how an LLM works, and ML Interviews Book fits preparing for an ML role, or checking your gaps.
Which should you choose?
Choose LLMs from Scratch for genuinely understanding how an LLM works. Choose ML Interviews Book for preparing for an ML role, or checking your gaps.
There is rarely one winner — many setups use both. The right pick depends on your hardware, your team's skills, and whether you value simplicity or control.
Frequently asked questions
Is LLMs from Scratch or ML Interviews Book easier to use?
Both sit at a similar level (Intermediate). Your choice should come down to fit rather than difficulty.
Are LLMs from Scratch and ML Interviews Book free?
LLMs from Scratch is free and open source (Apache-2.0), and ML Interviews Book is free and open source (Custom (free to read)). Neither charges for the core software.
Can I run LLMs from Scratch and ML Interviews Book locally?
LLMs from Scratch: yes · ML Interviews Book: yes. Both can be used without sending your data to a third-party cloud where their setup allows.
LLMs from Scratch vs ML Interviews Book — which should I pick in 2026?
Choose LLMs from Scratch for genuinely understanding how an LLM works. Choose ML Interviews Book for preparing for an ML role, or checking your gaps.
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