Quick Start with PyTorch: Tensor Dimension Transformation and Common Operations

This article introduces the core knowledge of PyTorch tensors, including basics, dimension transformations, common operations, and exercise suggestions. Tensors are the basic structure for storing data in PyTorch, similar to NumPy arrays, and support GPU acceleration and automatic differentiation. They can be created using `torch.tensor()` from lists/numbers, `torch.from_numpy()` from NumPy arrays, or built-in functions to generate tensors of all zeros, ones, or random values. Dimension transformation is a key operation: `reshape()` flexibly adjusts the shape (keeping the total number of elements unchanged), `squeeze()` removes singleton dimensions, `unsqueeze()` adds singleton dimensions, and `transpose()`/`permute()` swap dimensions. Common operations include basic arithmetic operations, matrix multiplication with `matmul()`, broadcasting (automatic dimension expansion for operations), and aggregation operations such as `sum()`, `mean()`, and `max()`. The article suggests consolidating tensor operations through exercises, such as dimension adjustment, broadcasting mechanisms, and dimension swapping, to master the "shape language" and lay a foundation for subsequent model construction.