
pytorch-lightning
High-level PyTorch framework with Trainer class, automatic distributed training (DDP/FSDP/DeepSpeed), callbacks system, and minimal boilerplate. Scales from laptop to supercomputer with same code. Use when you want clean training loops with built-in best practices.
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Install
Works with every agent the skills CLI supports.
npx skills add https://github.com/orchestra-research/ai-research-skills --skill pytorch-lightning- 01
Install
Run the command in your project. The CLI asks which agents to install for.
- 02
Describe the task
Ask your agent for something this skill covers. It loads pytorch-lightning automatically when relevant.
- 03
Review the result
The agent follows the SKILL.md steps, scripts and references bundled with the skill.
SKILL.md
The instructions your agent reads when the skill is triggered.
PyTorch Lightning - High-Level Training Framework
Quick start
PyTorch Lightning organizes PyTorch code to eliminate boilerplate while maintaining flexibility.
Installation:
pip install lightning
Convert PyTorch to Lightning (3 steps):
import lightning as L
import torch
from torch import nn
from torch.utils.data import DataLoader, Dataset
# Step 1: Define LightningModule (organize your PyTorch code)
class LitModel(L.LightningModule):
def __init__(self, hidden_size=128):
super().__init__()
self.model = nn.Sequential(
nn.Linear(28 * 28, hidden_size),
nn.ReLU(),
nn.Linear(hidden_size, 10)
)
def training_step(self, batch, batch_idx):
x, y = batch
y_hat = self.model(x)
loss = nn.functional.cross_entropy(y_hat, y)
self.log('train_loss', loss) # Auto-logged to TensorBoard
return loss
def configure_optimizers(self):
return torch.optim.Adam(self.parameters(), lr=1e-3)
# Step 2: Create data
train_loader = DataLoader(train_dataset, batch_size=32)
# Step 3: Train with Trainer (handles everything else!)
trainer = L.Trainer(max_epochs=10, accelerator='gpu', devices=2)
model = LitModel()
trainer.fit(model, train_loader)
That's it! Trainer handles:
- GPU/TPU/CPU switching
- Distributed training (DDP, FSDP, DeepSpeed)
- Mixed precision (FP16, BF16)
- Gradient accumulation
- Checkpointing
- Logging
- Progress bars
Common workflows
Workflow 1: From PyTorch to Lightning
Original PyTorch code:
model = MyModel()
optimizer = torch.optim.Adam(model.parameters())
model.to('cuda')
for epoch in range(max_epochs):
for batch in train_loader:
batch = batch.to('cuda')
optimizer.zero_grad()
loss = model(batch)
loss.backward()
optimizer.step()
Lightning version:
class LitModel(L.LightningModule):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.model = MyModel()
def training_step(self, batch, batch_idx):
loss = self.model(batch) # No .to('cuda') needed!
return loss
def configure_optimizers(self):
return torch.optim.Adam(self.parameters())
# Train
trainer = L.Trainer(max_epochs=10, accelerator='gpu')
trainer.fit(LitModel(), train_loader)
Benefits: 40+ lines → 15 lines, no device management, automatic distributed
Workflow 2: Validation and testing
class LitModel(L.LightningModule):
def __init__(self):
super().__init__()
self.model = MyModel()
def training_step(self, batch, batch_idx):
x, y = batch
y_hat = self.model(x)
loss = nn.functional.cross_entropy(y_hat, y)
self.log('train_loss', loss)
return loss
def validation_step(self, batch, batch_idx):
x, y = batch
y_hat = self.model(x)
val_loss = nn.functional.cross_entropy(y_hat, y)
acc = (y_hat.argmax(dim=1) == y).float().mean()
self.log('val_loss', val_loss)
self.log('val_acc', acc)
def test_step(self, batch, batch_idx):
x, y = batch
y_hat = self.model(x)
test_loss = nn.functional.cross_entropy(y_hat, y)
self.log('test_loss', test_loss)
def configure_optimizers(self):
return torch.optim.Adam(self.parameters(), lr=1e-3)
# Train with validation
trainer = L.Trainer(max_epochs=10)
trainer.fit(model, train_loader, val_loader)
# Test
trainer.test(model, test_loader)
Automatic features:
- Validation runs every epoch by default
- Metrics logged to TensorBoard
- Best model checkpointing based on val_loss
Workflow 3: Distributed training (DDP)
# Same code as single GPU!
model = LitModel()
# 8 GPUs with DDP (automatic!)
trainer = L.Trainer(
accelerator='gpu',
devices=8,
strategy='ddp' # Or 'fsdp', 'deepspeed'
)
trainer.fit(model, train_loader)
Launch:
# Single command, Lightning handles the rest
python train.py
No changes needed:
- Automatic data distribution
- Gradient synchronization
- Multi-node support (just set
num_nodes=2)
Workflow 4: Callbacks for monitoring
from lightning.pytorch.callbacks import ModelCheckpoint, EarlyStopping, LearningRateMonitor
# Create callbacks
checkpoint = ModelCheckpoint(
monitor='val_loss',
mode='min',
save_top_k=3,
filename='model-{epoch:02d}-{val_loss:.2f}'
)
early_stop = EarlyStopping(
monitor='val_loss',
patience=5,
mode='min'
)
lr_monitor = LearningRateMonitor(logging_interval='epoch')
# Add to Trainer
trainer = L.Trainer(
max_epochs=100,
callbacks=[checkpoint, early_stop, lr_monitor]
)
trainer.fit(model, train_loader, val_loader)
Result:
- Auto-saves best 3 models
- Stops early if no improvement for 5 epochs
- Logs learning rate to TensorBoard
Workflow 5: Learning rate scheduling
class LitModel(L.LightningModule):
# ... (training_step, etc.)
def configure_optimizers(self):
optimizer = torch.optim.Adam(self.parameters(), lr=1e-3)
# Cosine annealing
scheduler = torch.optim.lr_scheduler.CosineAnnealingLR(
optimizer,
T_max=100,
eta_min=1e-5
)
return {
'optimizer': optimizer,
'lr_scheduler': {
'scheduler': scheduler,
'interval': 'epoch', # Update per epoch
'frequency': 1
}
}
# Learning rate auto-logged!
trainer = L.Trainer(max_epochs=100)
trainer.fit(model, train_loader)
When to use vs alternatives
Use PyTorch Lightning when:
- Want clean, organized code
- Need production-ready training loops
- Switching between single GPU, multi-GPU, TPU
- Want built-in callbacks and logging
- Team collaboration (standardized structure)
Key advantages:
- Organized: Separates research code from engineering
- Automatic: DDP, FSDP, DeepSpeed with 1 line
- Callbacks: Modular training extensions
- Reproducible: Less boilerplate = fewer bugs
- Tested: 1M+ downloads/month, battle-tested
Use alternatives instead:
- Accelerate: Minimal changes to existing code, more flexibility
- Ray Train: Multi-node orchestration, hyperparameter tuning
- Raw PyTorch: Maximum control, learning purposes
- Keras: TensorFlow ecosystem
Common issues
Issue: Loss not decreasing
Check data and model setup:
# Add to training_step
def training_step(self, batch, batch_idx):
if batch_idx == 0:
print(f"Batch shape: {batch[0].shape}")
print(f"Labels: {batch[1]}")
loss = ...
return loss
Issue: Out of memory
Reduce batch size or use gradient accumulation:
trainer = L.Trainer(
accumulate_grad_batches=4, # Effective batch = batch_size × 4
precision='bf16' # Or 'fp16', reduces memory 50%
)
Issue: Validation not running
Ensure you pass val_loader:
# WRONG
trainer.fit(model, train_loader)
# CORRECT
trainer.fit(model, train_loader, val_loader)
Issue: DDP spawns multiple processes unexpectedly
Lightning auto-detects GPUs. Explicitly set devices:
# Test on CPU first
trainer = L.Trainer(accelerator='cpu', devices=1)
# Then GPU
trainer = L.Trainer(accelerator='gpu', devices=1)
Advanced topics
Callbacks: See references/callbacks.md for EarlyStopping, ModelCheckpoint, custom callbacks, and callback hooks.
Distributed strategies: See references/distributed.md for DDP, FSDP, DeepSpeed ZeRO integration, multi-node setup.
Hyperparameter tuning: See references/hyperparameter-tuning.md for integration with Optuna, Ray Tune, and WandB sweeps.
Hardware requirements
- CPU: Works (good for debugging)
- Single GPU: Works
- Multi-GPU: DDP (default), FSDP, or DeepSpeed
- Multi-node: DDP, FSDP, DeepSpeed
- TPU: Supported (8 cores)
- Apple MPS: Supported
Precision options:
- FP32 (default)
- FP16 (V100, older GPUs)
- BF16 (A100/H100, recommended)
- FP8 (H100)
Resources
- Docs: https://lightning.ai/docs/pytorch/stable/
- GitHub: https://github.com/Lightning-AI/pytorch-lightning ⭐ 29,000+
- Version: 2.5.5+
- Examples: https://github.com/Lightning-AI/pytorch-lightning/tree/master/examples
- Discord: https://discord.gg/lightning-ai
- Used by: Kaggle winners, research labs, production teams
FAQ
What does the pytorch-lightning skill do?
High-level PyTorch framework with Trainer class, automatic distributed training (DDP/FSDP/DeepSpeed), callbacks system, and minimal boilerplate. Scales from laptop to supercomputer with same code. Use when you want clean training loops with built-in best practices.
How do I install pytorch-lightning?
Run npx skills add https://github.com/orchestra-research/ai-research-skills --skill pytorch-lightning in your project. The skills CLI detects the agents you use and copies the skill into the right folder. For Claude Code you can also place the skill folder at ~/.claude/skills/pytorch-lightning/ (personal) or .claude/skills/pytorch-lightning/ (project).
Which AI agents can use pytorch-lightning?
Any agent that supports the open Agent Skills format (a folder with a SKILL.md file), including Claude Code, Codex, Cursor, GitHub Copilot, Gemini CLI, Windsurf, Cline, OpenCode and more.
Is pytorch-lightning safe to install?
No partner security audit is available yet. Skills can run commands and scripts, so read the SKILL.md and any bundled files before installing.
Who maintains pytorch-lightning?
It is published by orchestra-research in orchestra-research/ai-research-skills. It has 972 recorded installs.
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