Project Title

petals — Run Large Language Models at Home with Distributed Computing

Overview

Petals is an open-source Python project that enables users to run large language models (LLMs) at home using a BitTorrent-style distributed computing approach. This innovative method allows for fine-tuning and inference up to 10x faster than traditional offloading methods, making it an attractive solution for those looking to leverage powerful language models without the need for extensive on-premises infrastructure.

Key Features

Distributed computing model for running LLMs at home
Supports popular models like Llama 3.1, Mixtral, Falcon, and BLOOM
Fine-tuning and inference capabilities up to 10x faster than offloading
Privacy-focused, with options for public and private swarms

Use Cases

Researchers and developers needing to run large language models without access to high-end hardware
Individuals looking to fine-tune models for specific tasks on their personal computers
Educational institutions and small businesses that require powerful language models for projects but have limited resources

Advantages

Significantly faster processing times compared to traditional offloading methods
Allows for the use of large language models without the need for expensive infrastructure
Enhances privacy by processing data within a distributed network of trusted users

Limitations / Considerations

Relies on community participation to share GPUs and host model layers
Data privacy concerns due to the distributed nature of processing
May require technical knowledge to set up and manage a private swarm

Hugging Face Transformers: A library of state-of-the-art machine learning models for natural language processing, which can be used in conjunction with Petals for model selection and fine-tuning.
GPT-J: A large language model that can be used with Petals for various natural language tasks, differing in that it is a single model rather than a distributed computing platform.
BitTorrent: The original peer-to-peer file sharing protocol that inspired Petals' distributed computing approach, differing in its application to file sharing rather than computational tasks.

Basic Information

GitHub: https://github.com/bigscience-workshop/petals
Stars: 9,795
License: Unknown
Last Commit: 2025-09-21

📊 Project Information

Project Name: petals
GitHub URL: https://github.com/bigscience-workshop/petals
Programming Language: Python
⭐ Stars: 9,795
🍴 Forks: 573
📅 Created: 2022-06-12
🔄 Last Updated: 2025-09-21

🏷️ Project Topics

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📚 Documentation

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petals

Project Description