Understanding the Differences: Fine-Tuning vs. Transfer Learning
Tags: finetuning, deeplearning, transferlearning
Published: 2023-08-25 13:31:10

In the world of machine learning and deep learning, two popular techniques often used to leverage pre-trained models are fine-tuning and transfer learning. These approaches allow us to benefit from the knowledge and expertise captured in pre-existing models. In this article, we will delve into the details of both techniques, highlighting their differences and showcasing Python code snippets to help you understand their implementation.

**Transfer Learning: A Brief Overview**
Transfer learning involves using a pre-trained model as a starting point for a new task or domain. The idea is to leverage the knowledge acquired by the pre-trained model on a large dataset and apply it to a related task with a smaller dataset. By doing so, we can benefit from the general features and patterns learned by the pre-trained model, saving time and computational resources.

Transfer learning typically involves two main steps:

_**Feature Extraction:**_ In this step, we use the pre-trained model as a fixed feature extractor. We remove the final layers responsible for classification and replace them with new layers that are specific to our task. The pre-trained model’s weights are frozen, and only the weights of the newly added layers are trained on the smaller dataset.
**_Fine-Tuning:_** Fine-tuning takes the process a step further by unfreezing some of the pre-trained model’s layers and allowing them to be updated with the new dataset. This step enables the model to adapt and learn more specific features related to the new task or domain.
Now, let’s take a closer look at the implementation of transfer learning using Python code snippets.

```
from tensorflow.keras.applications import VGG16
from tensorflow.keras.layers import Dense, Flatten
from tensorflow.keras.models import Model

# Load the pre-trained VGG16 model
base_model = VGG16(weights='imagenet', include_top=False, input_shape=(224, 224, 3))
# Freeze the weights of the pre-trained layers
for layer in base_model.layers:
    layer.trainable = False
# Add new classification layers
x = Flatten()(base_model.output)
x = Dense(256, activation='relu')(x)
output = Dense(num_classes, activation='softmax')(x)
# Create the new model
model = Model(inputs=base_model.input, outputs=output)
# Compile and train the model on the new dataset
model.compile(optimizer='adam', loss='categorical_crossentropy', metrics=['accuracy'])
model.fit(train_images, train_labels, epochs=10, validation_data=(val_images, val_labels))
```


In the code snippet above, we use the VGG16 model, a popular pre-trained model for image classification, as our base model. We freeze the weights of the pre-trained layers, add new classification layers on top of the base model, and compile the new model for training. The model is then trained on the new dataset, leveraging the pre-trained weights as a starting point.

**Fine-Tuning: A Closer Look**
While transfer learning involves freezing the pre-trained model’s weights and only training the new layers, fine-tuning takes it a step further by allowing the pre-trained layers to be updated. This additional step is beneficial when the new dataset is large enough and similar to the original dataset on which the pre-trained model was trained.

Fine-tuning involves the following steps:

_**Feature Extraction:**_ Similar to transfer learning, we use the pre-trained model as a feature extractor. We replace the final classification layers with new layers specific to our task and freeze the weights of the pre-trained layers.
_**Fine-Tuning:**_ In this step, we unfreeze some of the pre-trained layers and allow them to be updated during training. This process enables the model to learn more task-specific features while preserving the general knowledge acquired from the original dataset.
Now, let’s explore the implementation of fine-tuning using Python code snippets.
```
from tensorflow.keras.applications import VGG16
from tensorflow.keras.layers import Dense, Flatten
from tensorflow.keras.models import Model

# Load the pre-trained VGG16 model
base_model = VGG16(weights='imagenet', include_top=False, input_shape=(224, 224, 3))
# Freeze the initial layers and fine-tune the later layers
for layer in base_model.layers[:15]:
    layer.trainable = False
for layer in base_model.layers[15:]:
    layer.trainable = True
# Add new classification layers
x = Flatten()(base_model.output)
x = Dense(256, activation='relu')(x)
output = Dense(num_classes, activation='softmax')(x)
# Create the new model
model = Model(inputs=base_model.input, outputs=output)
# Compile and train the model on the new dataset
model.compile(optimizer='adam', loss='categorical_crossentropy', metrics=['accuracy'])
model.fit(train_images, train_labels, epochs=10, validation_data=(val_images, val_labels))

```

In the above code snippet, we again use the VGG16 model as our base model and follow the same steps as in transfer learning to replace the classification layers and freeze the initial layers. However, in fine-tuning, we unfreeze some of the later layers to allow them to be updated during training. This way, the model can learn more task-specific features while still benefiting from the pre-trained weights.

Key Differences between Fine-Tuning and Transfer Learning
Now that we have explored the implementation of both fine-tuning and transfer learning, let’s summarize the key differences between the two techniques:

**Training Approach:** In transfer learning, we freeze all the pre-trained layers and only train the new layers added on top. In fine-tuning, we unfreeze some of the pre-trained layers and allow them to be updated during training.
**Domain Similarity:** Transfer learning is suitable when the new task or domain is somewhat similar to the original task or domain on which the pre-trained model was trained. Fine-tuning is more effective when the new dataset is large enough and closely related to the original dataset.
**Computational Resources:** Transfer learning requires fewer computational resources since only the new layers are trained. Fine-tuning, on the other hand, may require more resources, especially if we unfreeze and update a significant number of pre-trained layers.
**Training Time:** Transfer learning generally requires less training time since we are training fewer parameters. Fine-tuning may take longer, especially if we are updating a larger number of pre-trained layers.
**Dataset Size:** Transfer learning is effective when the new dataset is small, as it leverages the pre-trained model’s knowledge on a large dataset. Fine-tuning is more suitable for larger datasets, as it allows the model to learn more specific features related to the new task.
It’s important to note that the choice between fine-tuning and transfer learning depends on the specific task, dataset, and available computational resources. Experimentation and evaluation are key to determining the most effective approach for a given scenario.

**Conclusion**
Fine-tuning and transfer learning are powerful techniques that allow us to leverage pre-trained models in machine learning and deep learning tasks. While transfer learning freezes all the pre-trained layers and only trains the new layers, fine-tuning goes a step further by allowing the pre-trained layers to be updated. Both techniques have their advantages and are suitable for different scenarios.

By understanding the differences between these techniques, you can make informed decisions when applying them to your own machine learning projects.

**References**

What Is Transfer Learning? [Examples & Newbie-Friendly Guide]
www.v7labs.com

Hands-on Transfer Learning with Keras and the VGG16 Model
www.learndatasci.com

Transfer Learning and Fine Tuning
www.scaler.com