tf.keras.layers.Layer

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This is the class from which all layers inherit.

Inherits From: Module

tf.keras.layers.Layer(
    trainable=True, name=None, dtype=None, dynamic=False, **kwargs
)

Used in the notebooks

A layer is a callable object that takes as input one or more tensors and that outputs one or more tensors. It involves computation, defined in the call() method, and a state (weight variables), defined either in the constructor __init__() or in the build() method.

Users will just instantiate a layer and then treat it as a callable.

We recommend that descendants of Layer implement the following methods:

• __init__(): Defines custom layer attributes, and creates layer state variables that do not depend on input shapes, using add_weight().
• build(self, input_shape): This method can be used to create weights that depend on the shape(s) of the input(s), using add_weight(). __call__() will automatically build the layer (if it has not been built yet) by calling build().
• call(self, inputs, *args, **kwargs): Called in __call__ after making sure build() has been called. call() performs the logic of applying the layer to the input tensors (which should be passed in as argument). Two reserved keyword arguments you can optionally use in call() are:
  • training (boolean, whether the call is in inference mode or training mode). See more details in the layer/model subclassing guide
  • mask (boolean tensor encoding masked timesteps in the input, used in RNN layers). See more details in the layer/model subclassing guide A typical signature for this method is call(self, inputs), and user could optionally add training and mask if the layer need them. *args and **kwargs is only useful for future extension when more input parameters are planned to be added.
• get_config(self): Returns a dictionary containing the configuration used to initialize this layer. If the keys differ from the arguments in __init__, then override from_config(self) as well. This method is used when saving the layer or a model that contains this layer.

Examples:

Here's a basic example: a layer with two variables, w and b, that returns y = w . x + b. It shows how to implement build() and call(). Variables set as attributes of a layer are tracked as weights of the layers (in layer.weights).

class SimpleDense(Layer):

  def __init__(self, units=32):
      super(SimpleDense, self).__init__()
      self.units = units

  def build(self, input_shape):  # Create the state of the layer (weights)
    w_init = tf.random_normal_initializer()
    self.w = tf.Variable(
        initial_value=w_init(shape=(input_shape[-1], self.units),
                             dtype='float32'),
        trainable=True)
    b_init = tf.zeros_initializer()
    self.b = tf.Variable(
        initial_value=b_init(shape=(self.units,), dtype='float32'),
        trainable=True)

  def call(self, inputs):  # Defines the computation from inputs to outputs
      return tf.matmul(inputs, self.w) + self.b

# Instantiates the layer.
linear_layer = SimpleDense(4)

# This will also call `build(input_shape)` and create the weights.
y = linear_layer(tf.ones((2, 2)))
assert len(linear_layer.weights) == 2

# These weights are trainable, so they're listed in `trainable_weights`:
assert len(linear_layer.trainable_weights) == 2

Note that the method add_weight() offers a shortcut to create weights:

class SimpleDense(Layer):

  def __init__(self, units=32):
      super(SimpleDense, self).__init__()
      self.units = units

  def build(self