Maps tokenization, embeddings, matrix operations, normalization, rotary position encoding, attention, KV cache, feed-forward layers, logits, and sampling into testable components.
Architecture topic: this page does not claim that the WordPress website implements or executes the described runtime behavior.
Pipeline
- Tokenize input and validate special tokens.
- Load embeddings and apply positional encoding.
- For each layer, run normalization, attention projections, causal attention with KV cache, residual updates, feed-forward projections, and residual updates.
- Apply final normalization and output projection.
- Sample or rank tokens under explicit policy.
Test boundaries
Test each operator against reference vectors, each layer against frozen tensors, quantized kernels against dequantized baselines, and generation against deterministic sampling settings.
Scope
This starter page defines the questions, boundaries, evidence, and failure modes that should be recorded before a capability is presented as supported.
Engineering considerations
- Identify the source, version, target environment, and owner.
- Separate observed values from estimates and externally reported values.
- Record trade-offs, unsupported cases, and fallback behavior.
- Link performance statements to a compatible benchmark methodology.
Verification questions
- What exact artifact, revision, backend, and environment were reviewed?
- Which assumptions could change the result?
- Which data should be retained so another engineer can reproduce the conclusion?