Backend
Nearly everything in Burn is based on the Backend
trait, which enables you to run tensor
operations using different implementations without having to modify your code. While a backend may
not necessarily have autodiff capabilities, the AutodiffBackend
trait specifies when autodiff is
needed. This trait not only abstracts operations but also tensor, device, and element types,
providing each backend the flexibility they need. It's worth noting that the trait assumes eager
mode since burn fully supports dynamic graphs. However, we may create another API to assist with
integrating graph-based backends, without requiring any changes to the user's code.
Users are not expected to directly use the backend trait methods, as it is primarily designed with backend developers in mind rather than Burn users. Therefore, most Burn userland APIs are generic across backends. This approach helps users discover the API more organically with proper autocomplete and documentation.