1# Python quickstart 2 3Using TensorFlow Lite with Python is great for embedded devices based on Linux, 4such as [Raspberry Pi](https://www.raspberrypi.org/){:.external} and 5[Coral devices with Edge TPU](https://coral.withgoogle.com/){:.external}, 6among many others. 7 8This page shows how you can start running TensorFlow Lite models with Python in 9just a few minutes. All you need is a TensorFlow model [converted to TensorFlow 10Lite](../convert/). (If you don't have a model converted yet, you can experiment 11using the model provided with the example linked below.) 12 13## About the TensorFlow Lite runtime package 14 15To quickly start executing TensorFlow Lite models with Python, you can install 16just the TensorFlow Lite interpreter, instead of all TensorFlow packages. We 17call this simplified Python package `tflite_runtime`. 18 19The `tflite_runtime` package is a fraction the size of the full `tensorflow` 20package and includes the bare minimum code required to run inferences with 21TensorFlow Lite—primarily the 22[`Interpreter`](https://www.tensorflow.org/api_docs/python/tf/lite/Interpreter) 23Python class. This small package is ideal when all you want to do is execute 24`.tflite` models and avoid wasting disk space with the large TensorFlow library. 25 26Note: If you need access to other Python APIs, such as the 27[TensorFlow Lite Converter](../convert/), you must install the 28[full TensorFlow package](https://www.tensorflow.org/install/). 29 30## Install TensorFlow Lite for Python 31 32To install the TensorFlow Lite runtime package, run this command: 33 34<pre class="devsite-terminal devsite-click-to-copy"> 35pip3 install --extra-index-url https://google-coral.github.io/py-repo/ tflite_runtime 36</pre> 37 38If you're on a Raspberry Pi, this command might fail due to a known issue with 39the `extra-index-url` option 40([#4011](https://github.com/raspberrypi/linux/issues/4011)). So we suggest you 41specify one of the 42[`tflite_runtime` wheels](https://github.com/google-coral/pycoral/releases/) 43that matches your system. For example, if you're running Raspberry Pi OS 10 44(which has Python 3.7), instead use this command: 45 46<pre class="devsite-terminal devsite-click-to-copy"> 47pip3 install https://github.com/google-coral/pycoral/releases/download/release-frogfish/tflite_runtime-2.5.0-cp37-cp37m-linux_armv7l.whl 48</pre> 49 50Note: If you're on Debian Linux and using TensorFlow Lite with a Coral ML 51accelerator, using pip to install `tflite_runtime` may not be compatible with 52other Coral libraries. To ensure all your libraries are compatible, instead 53install `tflite_runtime` as a 54[Debian package from Coral](https://coral.ai/software/#debian-packages). 55 56## Run an inference using tflite_runtime 57 58Instead of importing `Interpreter` from the `tensorflow` module, you now need to 59import it from `tflite_runtime`. 60 61For example, after you install the package above, copy and run the 62[`label_image.py`]( 63https://github.com/tensorflow/tensorflow/tree/master/tensorflow/lite/examples/python/) 64file. It will (probably) fail because you don't have the `tensorflow` library 65installed. To fix it, edit this line of the file: 66 67```python 68import tensorflow as tf 69``` 70 71So it instead reads: 72 73```python 74import tflite_runtime.interpreter as tflite 75``` 76 77And then change this line: 78 79```python 80interpreter = tf.lite.Interpreter(model_path=args.model_file) 81``` 82 83So it reads: 84 85```python 86interpreter = tflite.Interpreter(model_path=args.model_file) 87``` 88 89Now run `label_image.py` again. That's it! You're now executing TensorFlow Lite 90models. 91 92## Learn more 93 94For more details about the `Interpreter` API, read 95[Load and run a model in Python](inference.md#load-and-run-a-model-in-python). 96 97If you have a Raspberry Pi, try the 98[classify_picamera.py example](https://github.com/tensorflow/examples/tree/master/lite/examples/image_classification/raspberry_pi) 99to perform image classification with the Pi Camera and TensorFlow Lite. 100 101If you're using a Coral ML accelerator, check out the 102[Coral examples on GitHub](https://github.com/google-coral/tflite/tree/master/python/examples). 103 104To convert other TensorFlow models to TensorFlow Lite, read about the 105the [TensorFlow Lite Converter](../convert/). 106