mindspore/RELEASE.md

# Release 0.1.0-alpha

## Main Features

### Ascend 910 Training and Inference Framework
* Recommended OS: Ubuntu 16.04 (or later) or EulerOS 2.5 or EulerOS 2.8
* Python version: 3.7.5
* Preset models
    * ResNet-50: residual structure-based convolutional neural network (CNN) for image classification, which is widely used.
    * AlexNet: classic CNN for image classification, achieving historical results in ImageNet LSVRC-2012.
    * LeNet: classic CNN for image classification, which was proposed by Yann LeCun.
    * VGG16: classic CNN for image classification, which was proposed by Oxford Visual Geometry Group.
    * YoloV3: real-time object detection network.
    * NEZHA: BERT-based Chinese pre-training network produced by Huawei Noah's Ark Laboratory.
* Execution modes
    * Graph mode: provides graph optimization methods such as memory overcommitment, IR fusion, and buffer fusion to achieve optimal execution performance.
    * PyNative mode: single-step execution mode, facilitating process debugging.
* Debugging capability and methods
    * Save CheckPoints and Summary data during training.
    * Support asynchronous printing.
    * Dump the computing data.
    * Support profiling analysis of the execution process performance.
* Distributed execution
    * Support AllReduce, AllGather, and BroadCast collective communication.
    * AllReduce data parallel: Each device obtains different training data, which accelerates the overall training process.
    * Collective communication-based layerwise parallel: Models are divided and allocated to different devices to solve the problem of insufficient memory for large model processing and improve the training speed.
    * Automatic parallel mode: The better data and model parallel mode can be predicted based on the cost model. It is recommended that this mode be used on ResNet series networks.
* Automatic differentiation
    * Implement automatic differentiation based on Source to Source.
    * Support distributed scenarios and automatic insertion of reverse communication operators.
* Data processing, augmentation, and save format
    * Load common datasets such as ImageNet, MNIST, CIFAR-10, and CIFAR-100.
    * Support common data loading pipeline operations, such as shuffle, repeat, batch, map, and sampler.
    * Provide basic operator libraries to cover common CV scenarios.
    * Support users to customize Python data augmentation operators through the Pyfunc mechanism.
    * Support the access of user-defined datasets through the GeneratorDataset mechanism.
    * Provide the MindSpore data format, data aggregation and storage, random access example, data partition, efficient parallel read, user-defined index, and dataset search.
    * Convert user datasets to the MindSpore data format.
    * After data processing and augmentation, provide training applications in feed and graph modes.
* FP32/16 mixed precision computation, supporting automatic and manual configuration
* Provide common operators such as nn, math, and array, which can be customized.

### Inference Deployment
* Deploy models in MindSpore format on the Ascend 310 platform for inference.
* Save models in ONNX format.
* Support saving models in LITE format and running models based on the lightweight inference framework.
    * Recommended OS: Android 4.3 or later
    * Supported network type: LeNet
    * Provide the generalization operators generated by TVM and operators generated after specific networks are tuned.

### Other Hardware Support
* GPU platform training
    * Recommended OS: Ubuntu 16.04
    * CUDA version: 9.2 or 10.1
    * CuDNN version: 7.6 or later
    * Python version: 3.7.5
    * NCCL version: 2.4.8-1
    * OpenMPI version: 3.1.5
    * Supported models: AlexNet, LeNet, and LSTM
    * Supported datasets: MNIST and CIFAR-10
    * Support data parallel.
* CPU platform training
    * Recommended OS: Ubuntu 16.04
    * Python version: 3.7.5
    * Supported model: LeNet
    * Supported dataset: MNIST
    * Provide only the stand-alone operation version.

## Peripherals and Tools
* [MindSpore Official Website] (https://www.mindspore.cn/)
* [MindInsight Visualization Debugging and Optimization] (https://gitee.com/mindspore/mindinsight)
* [MindArmour Model Security Hardening Package] (https://gitee.com/mindspore/mindarmour)
* [GraphEngine Computational Graph Engine] (https://gitee.com/mindspore/graphengine)