LLMs from Scratch vs 
OpenAI Cookbook
LLMs from Scratch vs OpenAI Cookbook compared for 2026 — features, license, ease of use, performance and which one to choose. Build a GPT from nothing, line by line vs Practical recipes that work with any OpenAI-compatible API.
Updated regularly · curated by OpenSourceAI.tech
LLMs from Scratch vs OpenAI Cookbook at a glance
| Spec | LLMs from Scratch | OpenAI Cookbook |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Learn AI & machine learning | Learn AI & machine learning |
| Type | Book + code | Recipes |
| License | Apache-2.0 | MIT |
| Runs locally | Yes | Yes |
| Primary language | Python | Jupyter |
| Ease of use | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| Best for | genuinely understanding how an LLM works | copy-paste patterns that actually work |
| GitHub stars | 99k | 74.7k |
How LLMs from Scratch and OpenAI Cookbook score
| Criterion | LLMs from Scratch | OpenAI Cookbook |
|---|---|---|
| Popularity | 4.5 | 4.5 |
| Maintenance | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| Ease of use | 3.5 | 3.5 |
| Privacy | 5.0 | 5.0 |
| License freedom | 5.0 | 5.0 |
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
OpenAI Cookbook
A collection of working code recipes for LLM tasks — embeddings, RAG, function calling, evaluation. Written for the OpenAI API, but the patterns apply to any OpenAI-compatible endpoint, including your local models.
- Working code, not pseudo-code
- The patterns work with local models too (Ollama, vLLM)
- Covers evaluation, which most guides skip
Key differences
LLMs from Scratch is book + code, while OpenAI Cookbook is recipes. Their licenses differ (Apache-2.0 vs MIT), which matters if you ship a commercial product. In short, LLMs from Scratch fits genuinely understanding how an LLM works, and OpenAI Cookbook fits copy-paste patterns that actually work.
Which should you choose?
Choose LLMs from Scratch for genuinely understanding how an LLM works. Choose OpenAI Cookbook for copy-paste patterns that actually work.
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 OpenAI Cookbook 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 OpenAI Cookbook free?
LLMs from Scratch is free and open source (Apache-2.0), and OpenAI Cookbook is free and open source (MIT). Neither charges for the core software.
Can I run LLMs from Scratch and OpenAI Cookbook locally?
LLMs from Scratch: yes · OpenAI Cookbook: yes. Both can be used without sending your data to a third-party cloud where their setup allows.
LLMs from Scratch vs OpenAI Cookbook — which should I pick in 2026?
Choose LLMs from Scratch for genuinely understanding how an LLM works. Choose OpenAI Cookbook for copy-paste patterns that actually work.
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