TensorFlow is a platform for building machine-learning models and deploying them across servers, edge devices, and the web. Its model-building options include the Keras API, eager execution, and distributed training. For production workflows, TFX supports pipelines, TensorFlow Lite targets mobile and edge inference, and TensorFlow.js supports JavaScript environments, including browsers and Node.js. The broader ecosystem includes tf.data, TensorFlow Datasets, TensorBoard, and LiteRT. TensorFlow also provides tools and resources for fairness, interpretability, privacy, and security, including TF Privacy and TF Federated. It supports Python, Java, Go, and JavaScript, with model formats including SavedModel, Keras .keras, TensorFlow Lite, and TensorFlow.js. The platform is free and open source under the Apache 2.0 license. Supported 64-bit systems include Ubuntu, Windows, and macOS; macOS has no GPU support, and WSL2 GPU support is experimental. Google Colab can run TensorFlow tutorials in browser-based Jupyter notebooks without local setup.
Who it is for
TensorFlow suits developers and teams building machine-learning models for varied deployment environments, including server, edge, web, and mobile use. It also fits those looking for distributed training or responsible-AI resources.
What is good
- Free and open source under Apache 2.0.
- Supports distributed training.
- Deploys to servers, edge devices, and web.
- Works with Python, Java, Go, and JavaScript.
- Offers privacy tools for training and federated learning.
What to know first
- macOS has no GPU support.
- WSL2 GPU support is marked experimental.
Verdict
TensorFlow provides a free platform spanning model development and deployment across multiple environments. Check the system support details if GPU acceleration on macOS or WSL2 is important to your workflow.
TensorFlow plans and pricing
All plansCompared on deep learning software
- Free plan
- Yes
- Training mode
- local
- Deployment targets
- multiple
- GPU acceleration
- Yes
- Distributed training
- Yes
- Supported languages
- Python, Java, Go, JavaScript
- Model formats
- SavedModel, Keras .keras, TensorFlow Lite (.tflite), TensorFlow.js