---
name: experiment-tracking-swanlab
description: Tracks ML experiments with SwanLab, an open-source tool covering swanlab.init, config and metric logging, scalar charts, and media logging (images, audio, text, GIFs, point clouds, molecules), in cloud, local (mode="local" with swanlab[dashboard]), or self-hosted setups. Includes integrations for PyTorch, Transformers, PyTorch Lightning, and Fastai. Use when logging metrics and hyperparameters for training runs, comparing runs across seeds, checkpoints, or hyperparameters, running an offline or self-hosted dashboard instead of managed SaaS, logging media alongside scalars, or adding tracking callbacks to a Transformers, Lightning, or Fastai training loop. Not for other trackers such as Weights & Biases or MLflow.
license: MIT
metadata:
  version: 1.0.0
  category: ml-inference-and-ops
  maintainer: Kalaris Labs
  tags: MLOps, SwanLab, Experiment Tracking, Open Source, Visualization, PyTorch, Transformers, PyTorch Lightning, Fastai, Self-Hosted
  dependencies: swanlab>=0.7.11, pillow>=9.0.0, soundfile>=0.12.0
---

# SwanLab: Open-Source Experiment Tracking

## When to Use This Skill

Use SwanLab when you need to:
- **Track ML experiments** with metrics, configs, tags, and descriptions
- **Visualize training** with scalar charts and logged media
- **Compare runs** across seeds, checkpoints, and hyperparameters
- **Work locally or self-hosted** instead of depending on managed SaaS
- **Integrate** with PyTorch, Transformers, PyTorch Lightning, or Fastai

**Deployment**: Cloud, local, or self-hosted | **Media**: images, audio, text, GIFs, point clouds, molecules | **Integrations**: PyTorch, Transformers, PyTorch Lightning, Fastai

## Installation

```bash
# Install SwanLab plus the media dependencies used in this skill
pip install "swanlab>=0.7.11" "pillow>=9.0.0" "soundfile>=0.12.0"

# Add local dashboard support for mode="local" and swanlab watch
pip install "swanlab[dashboard]>=0.7.11"

# Optional framework integrations
pip install transformers pytorch-lightning fastai

# Login for cloud or self-hosted usage
swanlab login
```

`pillow` and `soundfile` are the media dependencies used by the Image and Audio examples in this skill. `swanlab[dashboard]` adds the local dashboard dependency required by `mode="local"` and `swanlab watch`.

## Quick Start

### Basic Experiment Tracking

```python
import swanlab

run = swanlab.init(
    project="my-project",
    experiment_name="baseline",
    config={
        "learning_rate": 1e-3,
        "epochs": 10,
        "batch_size": 32,
        "model": "resnet18",
    },
)

for epoch in range(run.config.epochs):
    train_loss = train_epoch()
    val_loss = validate()

    swanlab.log(
        {
            "train/loss": train_loss,
            "val/loss": val_loss,
            "epoch": epoch,
        }
    )

run.finish()
```

### With PyTorch

```python
import torch
import torch.nn as nn
import torch.optim as optim
import swanlab

run = swanlab.init(
    project="pytorch-demo",
    experiment_name="mnist-mlp",
    config={
        "learning_rate": 1e-3,
        "batch_size": 64,
        "epochs": 10,
        "hidden_size": 128,
    },
)

model = nn.Sequential(
    nn.Flatten(),
    nn.Linear(28 * 28, run.config.hidden_size),
    nn.ReLU(),
    nn.Linear(run.config.hidden_size, 10),
)
optimizer = optim.Adam(model.parameters(), lr=run.config.learning_rate)
criterion = nn.CrossEntropyLoss()

for epoch in range(run.config.epochs):
    model.train()
    for batch_idx, (data, target) in enumerate(train_loader):
        optimizer.zero_grad()
        logits = model(data)
        loss = criterion(logits, target)
        loss.backward()
        optimizer.step()

        if batch_idx % 100 == 0:
            swanlab.log(
                {
                    "train/loss": loss.item(),
                    "train/epoch": epoch,
                    "train/batch": batch_idx,
                }
            )

run.finish()
```

## Core Concepts

### 1. Projects and Experiments

**Project**: Collection of related experiments  
**Experiment**: Single execution of a training or evaluation workflow

```python
import swanlab

run = swanlab.init(
    project="image-classification",
    experiment_name="resnet18-seed42",
    description="Baseline run on ImageNet subset",
    tags=["baseline", "resnet18"],
    config={
        "model": "resnet18",
        "seed": 42,
        "batch_size": 64,
        "learning_rate": 3e-4,
    },
)

print(run.id)
print(run.config.learning_rate)
```

### 2. Configuration Tracking

```python
config = {
    "model": "resnet18",
    "seed": 42,
    "batch_size": 64,
    "learning_rate": 3e-4,
    "epochs": 20,
}

run = swanlab.init(project="my-project", config=config)

learning_rate = run.config.learning_rate
batch_size = run.config.batch_size
```

### 3. Metric Logging

```python
# Log scalars
swanlab.log({"loss": 0.42, "accuracy": 0.91})

# Log multiple metrics
swanlab.log(
    {
        "train/loss": train_loss,
        "train/accuracy": train_acc,
        "val/loss": val_loss,
        "val/accuracy": val_acc,
        "lr": current_lr,
        "epoch": epoch,
    }
)

# Log with custom step
swanlab.log({"loss": loss}, step=global_step)
```

### 4. Media and Chart Logging

```python
import numpy as np
import swanlab

# Image
image = np.random.randint(0, 255, (224, 224, 3), dtype=np.uint8)
swanlab.log({"examples/image": swanlab.Image(image, caption="Augmented sample")})

# Audio
wave = np.sin(np.linspace(0, 8 * np.pi, 16000)).astype("float32")
swanlab.log({"examples/audio": swanlab.Audio(wave, sample_rate=16000)})

# Text
swanlab.log({"examples/text": swanlab.Text("Training notes for this run.")})

# GIF video
swanlab.log({"examples/video": swanlab.Video("predictions.gif", caption="Validation rollout")})

# Point cloud
points = np.random.rand(128, 3).astype("float32")
swanlab.log({"examples/point_cloud": swanlab.Object3D(points, caption="Point cloud sample")})

# Molecule
swanlab.log({"examples/molecule": swanlab.Molecule.from_smiles("CCO", caption="Ethanol")})
```

```python
# Custom chart with swanlab.echarts
line = swanlab.echarts.Line()
line.add_xaxis(["epoch-1", "epoch-2", "epoch-3"])
line.add_yaxis("train/loss", [0.92, 0.61, 0.44])
line.set_global_opts(
    title_opts=swanlab.echarts.options.TitleOpts(title="Training Loss")
)

swanlab.log({"charts/loss_curve": line})
```

See [references/visualization.md](references/visualization.md) for more chart and media patterns.

### 5. Local and Self-Hosted Workflows

```python
import os
import swanlab

# Self-hosted or cloud login
swanlab.login(
    api_key=os.environ["SWANLAB_API_KEY"],
    host="http://your-server:5092",
)

# Local-only logging
run = swanlab.init(
    project="offline-demo",
    mode="local",
    logdir="./swanlog",
)

swanlab.log({"loss": 0.35, "epoch": 1})
run.finish()
```

```bash
# View local logs
swanlab watch -l ./swanlog

# Sync local logs later
swanlab sync ./swanlog
```

## Integration Examples

### HuggingFace Transformers

```python
from transformers import Trainer, TrainingArguments

training_args = TrainingArguments(
    output_dir="./results",
    per_device_train_batch_size=8,
    evaluation_strategy="epoch",
    logging_steps=50,
    report_to="swanlab",
    run_name="bert-finetune",
)

trainer = Trainer(
    model=model,
    args=training_args,
    train_dataset=train_dataset,
    eval_dataset=eval_dataset,
)

trainer.train()
```

See [references/integrations.md](references/integrations.md) for callback-based setups and additional framework patterns.

### PyTorch Lightning

```python
import pytorch_lightning as pl
from swanlab.integration.pytorch_lightning import SwanLabLogger

swanlab_logger = SwanLabLogger(
    project="lightning-demo",
    experiment_name="mnist-classifier",
    config={"batch_size": 64, "max_epochs": 10},
)

trainer = pl.Trainer(
    logger=swanlab_logger,
    max_epochs=10,
    accelerator="auto",
)

trainer.fit(model, train_loader, val_loader)
```

### Fastai

```python
from fastai.vision.all import accuracy, resnet34, vision_learner
from swanlab.integration.fastai import SwanLabCallback

learn = vision_learner(dls, resnet34, metrics=accuracy)
learn.fit(
    5,
    cbs=[
        SwanLabCallback(
            project="fastai-demo",
            experiment_name="pets-classification",
            config={"arch": "resnet34", "epochs": 5},
        )
    ],
)
```

See [references/integrations.md](references/integrations.md) for fuller framework examples.

## Best Practices

### 1. Use Stable Metric Names

```python
# Good: grouped metric namespaces
swanlab.log({
    "train/loss": train_loss,
    "train/accuracy": train_acc,
    "val/loss": val_loss,
    "val/accuracy": val_acc,
})

# Avoid mixing flat and grouped names for the same metric family
```

### 2. Initialize Early and Capture Config Once

```python
run = swanlab.init(
    project="image-classification",
    experiment_name="resnet18-baseline",
    config={
        "model": "resnet18",
        "learning_rate": 3e-4,
        "batch_size": 64,
        "seed": 42,
    },
)
```

### 3. Save Checkpoints Locally

```python
import torch
import swanlab

checkpoint_path = "checkpoints/best.pth"
torch.save(model.state_dict(), checkpoint_path)

swanlab.log(
    {
        "best/val_accuracy": best_val_accuracy,
        "artifacts/checkpoint_path": swanlab.Text(checkpoint_path),
    }
)
```

### 4. Use Local Mode for Offline-First Workflows

```python
run = swanlab.init(project="offline-demo", mode="local", logdir="./swanlog")
# ... training code ...
run.finish()

# Inspect later with: swanlab watch -l ./swanlog
```

### 5. Keep Advanced Patterns in References

- Use [references/visualization.md](references/visualization.md) for advanced chart and media patterns
- Use [references/integrations.md](references/integrations.md) for callback-based and framework-specific integration details

## Resources

- [Official docs (Chinese)](https://docs.swanlab.cn)
- [Official docs (English)](https://docs.swanlab.cn/en)
- [GitHub repo](https://github.com/SwanHubX/SwanLab)
- [Self-hosted repo](https://github.com/SwanHubX/self-hosted)

## See Also

- [references/integrations.md](references/integrations.md) - Framework-specific examples
- [references/visualization.md](references/visualization.md) - Charts and media logging patterns

## Agent operating procedure

1. **Check the environment.** Confirm hardware, framework and server versions, model format, and expected load.
2. **Pin down the inputs.** Confirm formats, identifiers and parameters from the data or the user. Ask rather than guess any value that changes the result.
3. **Run a small version first.** Serve or log a single request or run end to end before scaling.
4. **Execute the full task** using the instructions and references above.
5. **Validate the result.** Measure latency, throughput and output correctness against a reference; check resource usage and costs.
6. **Report.** State what was run (versions, commands, parameters), what was checked, and what is still uncertain.

| If this happens | Do this |
|---|---|
| The server fails to start or OOMs | Check model size versus memory, quantization and parallelism settings. |
| A function, flag or endpoint in these instructions is missing in the installed version | Check the installed version's own documentation (`help()`, `--help`, official docs), adapt, and tell the user. Never invent an API. |
| A required input, identifier or parameter is ambiguous | Ask the user, or state the assumption explicitly before running. |

**Integrity rules**

- Never fabricate results, parameters, identifiers, citations or statistics. If something cannot be run or verified, say so plainly.
- Do not expose services or credentials publicly; confirm cloud costs before provisioning.
- Treat version-specific details here as possibly outdated: confirm them against the official documentation for the installed version.
- Ask before actions that cost money, consume shared GPUs or cloud quota, touch personal or patient data, or cannot be undone.