The Illustrated GPT-2 (Visualizing Transformer LMs)
by Jay Alammar
See exactly how a decoder-only GPT generates text, one token at a time.
Overview
A natural follow-up to The Illustrated Transformer, this guide focuses on decoder-only models like GPT-2 (the same family as today's chat models). It visualizes masked self-attention, how the model processes a prompt, and how it generates text autoregressively token by token. If the general transformer explainer left you wondering how generation actually works, this fills the gap.
At a Glance
- Topic
- Models
- Level
- Intermediate
- Format
- Guide
- Cost
- Free
- Duration
- ~40 min read
- Provider
- Jay Alammar
- Hands-on
- No
- Certificate
- None
What You’ll Learn
- ✓Decoder-only (GPT-style) architecture
- ✓Masked self-attention
- ✓Autoregressive text generation
- ✓How prompts flow through the model
Highlights
- •Focuses on the GPT/decoder-only family
- •Same clear illustrated style
Who It’s For
Best For
- ✓Learners who want to understand text generation
Prerequisites
- •The Illustrated Transformer or equivalent
FAQ
What is The Illustrated GPT-2 (Visualizing Transformer LMs)?
Jay Alammar's illustrated guide to GPT-2 and decoder-only language models — masked self-attention and autoregressive generation.
Is The Illustrated GPT-2 (Visualizing Transformer LMs) free?
The Illustrated GPT-2 (Visualizing Transformer LMs) is free to access.
What level is The Illustrated GPT-2 (Visualizing Transformer LMs) for?
The Illustrated GPT-2 (Visualizing Transformer LMs) is aimed at a intermediate audience. Recommended background: The Illustrated Transformer or equivalent.
How long does The Illustrated GPT-2 (Visualizing Transformer LMs) take?
Expect roughly ~40 min read. Most learners work through it at their own pace.
What will I learn from The Illustrated GPT-2 (Visualizing Transformer LMs)?
You'll learn: Decoder-only (GPT-style) architecture; Masked self-attention; Autoregressive text generation; How prompts flow through the model.