Transformers are Just an Expensive While Loop

📰 Medium · Machine Learning

Transformers, the basis of large language models, can be simplified to an expensive while loop, helping developers understand the underlying mechanics of Gen AI

intermediate Published 19 Apr 2026

Action Steps

Read the article to understand the basics of transformers and how they relate to while loops
Explore the transformer architecture and its components, such as self-attention and feed-forward neural networks
Implement a simple while loop to mimic the behavior of a transformer, using a programming language like Python
Compare the performance of the while loop implementation with a traditional transformer implementation
Apply this understanding to optimize or improve the performance of large language models in your own projects

Who Needs to Know This

This article is relevant to software engineers, machine learning engineers, and developers who want to understand the inner workings of large language models and Gen AI, as it provides a simplified explanation of the transformer architecture

Key Insight

💡 The transformer architecture, the basis of large language models, can be broken down into a simple while loop, making it more accessible to developers

Key Takeaways

Transformers, the basis of large language models, can be simplified to an expensive while loop, helping developers understand the underlying mechanics of Gen AI

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Title: Transformers are Just an Expensive While Loop

URL Source: https://medium.com/@chitrangsharma1999/transformers-are-just-an-expensive-while-loop-187a11bbb4be?source=rss------machine_learning-5

Published Time: 2026-04-19T20:01:26Z

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# Transformers are Just an Expensive While Loop | by Chitrangsharma | Apr, 2026 | Medium

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# **Transformers are Just an Expensive While Loop**

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**User:** Hey GPT!

**GPT:** Hey there, how are you doing today?

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Did you know that this simple exchange was just an incredibly expensive **while** loop finally hitting a break condition?

Doesn’t make much sense, right? I thought the same thing. But as a software engineer trying to navigate the Gen AI hype, I started digging into how Large Language Models (LLMs) actually work under the hood. What I found was fascinating, and it’s not about how “magical” the algorithms are or how they are going to make us all obsolete.

I want to share my learnings with any developer who wants to understand Gen AI past the surface level. And don’t worry, this article isn’t just more AI-gen

Read full article → ← Back to Reads

Transformers are Just an Expensive While Loop

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