Glossary

What is JAX

JAX is an open-source library developed by Google for high-performance numerical computing and machine learning. Its name stands for 'Just After eXecution', indicating its ability to optimize at runtime, particularly in automatic differentiation.


Combining the ease of use of NumPy with the power of TensorFlow, JAX allows users to perform efficient computations through simple Python code. One of its key features is the support for automatic differentiation, enabling easy gradient calculations.


JAX employs a compiler known as XLA (Accelerated Linear Algebra) to convert Python functions into efficient machine code, enhancing computational speed. This optimization makes JAX excel in handling large-scale data.


JAX is widely used in machine learning, scientific computing, and numerical optimization. Many cutting-edge research and applications have adopted JAX, especially in deep learning, reinforcement learning, and generative models.


In the future, JAX may continue to expand its capabilities, attracting more developers and researchers. With the ongoing development of machine learning and artificial intelligence, JAX is likely to improve further in performance and usability.


Despite its advantages, such as high performance and flexibility, JAX has some drawbacks. The learning curve can be steep for beginners, particularly for those unfamiliar with NumPy or machine learning. Additionally, the ecosystem around JAX is still evolving compared to other frameworks like TensorFlow or PyTorch, and some features may not be fully developed yet.