(Beta) Implementing High-Performance Transformers with Scaled Dot Product Attention (SDPA)

Author: Driss Guessous

Summary

In this tutorial, we want to highlight a new torch.nn.functional function that can be helpful for implementing transformer architectures. The function is named torch.nn.functional.scaled_dot_product_attention. For detailed description of the function, see the PyTorch documentation. This function has already been incorporated into torch.nn.MultiheadAttention and torch.nn.TransformerEncoderLayer.

Overview

At a high level, this PyTorch function calculates the scaled dot product attention (SDPA) between query, key, and value according to the definition found in the paper Attention is all you need. While this function can be written in PyTorch using existing functions, a fused implementation can provide large performance benefits over a naive implementation.

Fused implementations

For CUDA tensor inputs, the function will dispatch into one of the following implementations:

• FlashAttention: Fast and Memory-Efficient Exact Attention with IO-Awareness

• Memory-Efficient Attention

• A PyTorch implementation defined in C++

Note

This tutorial requires PyTorch 2.0.0 or later.

import torch
import torch.nn as nn
import torch.nn.functional as F
device = "cuda" if torch.cuda.is_available() else "cpu"

# Example Usage:
query, key, value = torch.randn(2, 3, 8, device=device), torch.randn(2, 3, 8, device=device), torch.randn(2, 3, 8, device=device)
F.scaled_dot_product_attention(query, key, value)

tensor([[[-0.0785, -0.0800, -0.9304, -0.5363, -0.3219, -0.1328, -0.8073,
           0.7182],
         [-1.2878,  1.2066, -0.7048, -1.2859, -0.6869, -0.3590, -0.4863,
           0.7753],
         [ 0.1456, -0.3925, -1.0383, -0.4416, -0.3488, -0.1005, -0.9455,
           0.6831]],

        [[ 1.0862,  2.0293,  0.1795, -0.5690, -0.7223, -0.9340,  0.0684,
           0.3671],
         [ 0.9806,  2.0171,  0.0779, -0.7905, -0.8099, -0.7652,  0.2235,
           0.5074],
         [ 0.8019,  0.4958,  0.5257,  1.0821,  0.3943,  0.0891, -0.2876,
           0.3362]]], device='cuda:0')

Explicit Dispatcher Control

While the function will implicitly dispatch to one of the three implementations, the user can also explicitly control the dispatch via the use of a context manager. This context manager allows users to explicitly disable certain implementations. If a user wants to ensure the function is indeed using the fastest implementation for their specific inputs, the context manager can be used to sweep through measuring performance.

# Lets define a helpful benchmarking function:
import torch.utils.benchmark as benchmark
def benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(f, *args, **kwargs):
    t0 = benchmark.Timer(
        stmt="f(*args, **kwargs)", globals={"args": args, "kwargs": kwargs, "f": f}
    )
    return t0.blocked_autorange().mean * 1e6

# Lets define the hyper-parameters of our input
batch_size = 32
max_sequence_len = 1024
num_heads = 32
embed_dimension = 32

dtype = torch.float16

query = torch.rand(batch_size, num_heads, max_sequence_len, embed_dimension, device=device, dtype=dtype)
key = torch.rand(batch_size, num_heads, max_sequence_len, embed_dimension, device=device, dtype=dtype)
value = torch.rand(batch_size, num_heads, max_sequence_len, embed_dimension, device=device, dtype=dtype)

print(f"The default implementation runs in {benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(F.scaled_dot_product_attention, query, key, value):.3f} microseconds")

# Lets explore the speed of each of the 3 implementations
from torch.backends.cuda import sdp_kernel, SDPBackend

# Helpful arg mapper
backend_map = {
    SDPBackend.MATH: {"enable_math": True, "enable_flash": False, "enable_mem_efficient": False},
    SDPBackend.FLASH_ATTENTION: {"enable_math": False, "enable_flash": True, "enable_mem_efficient": False},
    SDPBackend.EFFICIENT_ATTENTION: {
        "enable_math": False, "enable_flash": False, "enable_mem_efficient": True}
}

with sdp_kernel(**backend_map[SDPBackend.MATH]):
    print(f"The math implementation runs in {benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(F.scaled_dot_product_attention, query, key, value):.3f} microseconds")


with sdp_kernel(**backend_map[SDPBackend.FLASH_ATTENTION]):
    try:
        print(f"The flash attention implementation runs in {benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(F.scaled_dot_product_attention, query, key, value):.3f} microseconds")
    except RuntimeError:
        print("FlashAttention is not supported. See warnings for reasons.")

with sdp_kernel(**backend_map[SDPBackend.EFFICIENT_ATTENTION]):
    try:
        print(f"The memory efficient implementation runs in {benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(F.scaled_dot_product_attention, query, key, value):.3f} microseconds")
    except RuntimeError:
        print("EfficientAttention is not supported. See warnings for reasons.")

The default implementation runs in 1777721.565 microseconds
The math implementation runs in 138386.306 microseconds
<timeit-src>:6: UserWarning:

Memory efficient kernel not used because: (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/native/transformers/cuda/sdp_utils.h:527.)

<timeit-src>:6: UserWarning:

Memory Efficient attention has been runtime disabled. (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/native/transformers/cuda/sdp_utils.h:338.)

<timeit-src>:6: UserWarning:

Flash attention kernel not used because: (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/native/transformers/cuda/sdp_utils.h:529.)

<timeit-src>:6: UserWarning:

Flash attention only supports sm75 and sm8x gpu architectures. Attempting to run on a sm 6.1 gpu. (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/native/transformers/cuda/sdp_utils.h:352.)

FlashAttention is not supported. See warnings for reasons.
The memory efficient implementation runs in 1778044.309 microseconds

Hardware dependence

Depending on what machine you ran the above cell on and what hardware is available, your results might be different. - If you don’t have a GPU and are running on CPU then the context manager will have no effect and all three runs should return similar timings. - Depending on what compute capability your graphics card supports flash attention or memory efficient might have failed.

Causal Self Attention

Below is an example implementation of a multi-headed causal self attention block inspired by Andrej Karpathy’s NanoGPT repository.

class CausalSelfAttention(nn.Module):

    def __init__(self, num_heads: int, embed_dimension: int, bias: bool=False, is_causal: bool=False, dropout:float=0.0):
        super().__init__()
        assert embed_dimension % num_heads == 0
        # key, query, value projections for all heads, but in a batch
        self.c_attn = nn.Linear(embed_dimension, 3 * embed_dimension, bias=bias)
        # output projection
        self.c_proj = nn.Linear(embed_dimension, embed_dimension, bias=bias)
        # regularization
        self.dropout = dropout
        self.resid_dropout = nn.Dropout(dropout)
        self.num_heads = num_heads
        self.embed_dimension = embed_dimension
        # Perform causal masking
        self.is_causal = is_causal

    def forward(self, x):
        # calculate query, key, values for all heads in batch and move head forward to be the batch dim
        query_projected = self.c_attn(x)

        batch_size = query_projected.size(0)
        embed_dim = query_projected.size(2)
        head_dim = embed_dim // (self.num_heads * 3)

        query, key, value = query_projected.chunk(3, -1)
        query = query.view(batch_size, -1, self.num_heads, head_dim).transpose(1, 2)
        key = key.view(batch_size, -1, self.num_heads, head_dim).transpose(1, 2)
        value = value.view(batch_size, -1, self.num_heads, head_dim).transpose(1, 2)

        if self.training:
            dropout = self.dropout
            is_causal = self.is_causal
        else:
            dropout = 0.0
            is_causal = False

        y = F.scaled_dot_product_attention(query, key, value, attn_mask=None, dropout_p=dropout, is_causal=is_causal)
        y = y.transpose(1, 2).view(batch_size, -1, self.num_heads * head_dim)

        y = self.resid_dropout(self.c_proj(y))
        return y


num_heads = 8
heads_per_dim = 64
embed_dimension = num_heads * heads_per_dim
dtype = torch.float16
model = CausalSelfAttention(num_heads=num_heads, embed_dimension=embed_dimension, bias=False, is_causal=True, dropout=0.1).to("cuda").to(dtype).eval()
print(model)

CausalSelfAttention(
  (c_attn): Linear(in_features=512, out_features=1536, bias=False)
  (c_proj): Linear(in_features=512, out_features=512, bias=False)
  (resid_dropout): Dropout(p=0.1, inplace=False)
)

NestedTensor and Dense tensor support

SDPA supports both NestedTensor and Dense tensor inputs. NestedTensors handle the case where the input is a batch of variable length sequences without needing to pad each sequence to the maximum length in the batch. For more information about NestedTensors see torch.nested and NestedTensors Tutorial.

import random
def generate_rand_batch(
    batch_size,
    max_sequence_len,
    embed_dimension,
    pad_percentage=None,
    dtype=torch.float16,
    device="cuda",
):
    if not pad_percentage:
        return (
            torch.randn(
                batch_size,
                max_sequence_len,
                embed_dimension,
                dtype=dtype,
                device=device,
            ),
            None,
        )
    # Random sequence lengths
    seq_len_list = [
        int(max_sequence_len * (1 - random.gauss(pad_percentage, 0.01)))
        for _ in range(batch_size)
    ]
    # Make random entry in the batch have max sequence length
    seq_len_list[random.randint(0, batch_size - 1)] = max_sequence_len
    return (
        torch.nested.nested_tensor(
            [
                torch.randn(seq_len, embed_dimension,
                            dtype=dtype, device=device)
                for seq_len in seq_len_list
            ]
        ),
        seq_len_list,
    )

random_nt, _ = generate_rand_batch(32, 512, embed_dimension, pad_percentage=0.5, dtype=dtype, device=device)
random_dense, _ = generate_rand_batch(32, 512, embed_dimension, pad_percentage=None, dtype=dtype, device=device)

# Currently the fused implementations don't support NestedTensor for training
model.eval()

with sdp_kernel(**backend_map[SDPBackend.FLASH_ATTENTION]):
    try:
        print(f"Random NT runs in {benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(model, random_nt):.3f} microseconds")
        print(f"Random Dense runs in {benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(model, random_dense):.3f} microseconds")
    except RuntimeError:
        print("FlashAttention is not supported. See warnings for reasons.")

/var/lib/jenkins/workspace/intermediate_source/scaled_dot_product_attention_tutorial.py:226: UserWarning:

The PyTorch API of nested tensors is in prototype stage and will change in the near future. (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/NestedTensorImpl.cpp:177.)

/var/lib/jenkins/workspace/intermediate_source/scaled_dot_product_attention_tutorial.py:174: UserWarning:

Memory efficient kernel not used because: (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/native/transformers/cuda/sdp_utils.h:527.)

/var/lib/jenkins/workspace/intermediate_source/scaled_dot_product_attention_tutorial.py:174: UserWarning:

Memory Efficient attention has been runtime disabled. (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/native/transformers/cuda/sdp_utils.h:338.)

/var/lib/jenkins/workspace/intermediate_source/scaled_dot_product_attention_tutorial.py:174: UserWarning:

Flash attention kernel not used because: (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/native/transformers/cuda/sdp_utils.h:529.)

/var/lib/jenkins/workspace/intermediate_source/scaled_dot_product_attention_tutorial.py:174: UserWarning:

Flash attention only supports sm75 and sm8x gpu architectures. Attempting to run on a sm 6.1 gpu. (Triggered internally at ../aten/src/ATen/native/transformers/cuda/sdp_utils.h:352.)

FlashAttention is not supported. See warnings for reasons.

Using SDPA with torch.compile

With the release of PyTorch 2.0, a new feature called torch.compile() has been introduced, which can provide significant performance improvements over eager mode. Scaled dot product attention is fully composable with torch.compile(). To demonstrate this, let’s compile the CausalSelfAttention module using torch.compile() and observe the resulting performance improvements.

batch_size = 32
max_sequence_len = 256
x = torch.rand(batch_size, max_sequence_len,
               embed_dimension, device=device, dtype=dtype)
print(
    f"The non compiled module runs in  {benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(model, x):.3f} microseconds")


compiled_model = torch.compile(model)
# Let's compile it
compiled_model(x)
print(
    f"The compiled module runs in  {benchmark_torch_function_in_microseconds(compiled_model, x):.3f} microseconds")

The non compiled module runs in  43013.376 microseconds
The compiled module runs in  43055.593 microseconds

The exact execution time is dependent on machine, however the results for mine: The non compiled module runs in 166.616 microseconds The compiled module runs in 166.726 microseconds That is not what we were expecting. Let’s dig a little deeper. PyTorch comes with an amazing built-in profiler that you can use to inspect the performance characteristics of your code.

from torch.profiler import profile, record_function, ProfilerActivity
activities = [ProfilerActivity.CPU]
if device == 'cuda':
    activities.append(ProfilerActivity.CUDA)

with profile(activities=activities, record_shapes=False) as prof:
    with record_function(" Non-Compilied Causal Attention"):
        for _ in range(25):
            model(x)
print(prof.key_averages().table(sort_by="cuda_time_total", row_limit=10))


with profile(activities=activities, record_shapes=False) as prof:
    with record_function("Compiled Causal Attention"):
        for _ in range(25):
            compiled_model(x)
print(prof.key_averages().table(sort_by="cuda_time_total", row_limit=10))

# For even more insights, you can export the trace and use ``chrome://tracing`` to view the results
# prof.export_chrome_trace("compiled_causal_attention_trace.json").

-------------------------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                   Name    Self CPU %      Self CPU   CPU total %     CPU total  CPU time avg     Self CUDA   Self CUDA %    CUDA total  CUDA time avg    # of Calls
-------------------------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------
                         Non-Compilied Causal Attention         0.44%       4.751ms         1.67%      18.093ms      18.093ms       0.000us         0.00%        1.216s        1.216s             1
                     aten::scaled_dot_product_attention         0.12%       1.349ms         0.26%       2.768ms     110.720us       0.000us         0.00%     973.843ms      38.954ms            25
          aten::_scaled_dot_product_efficient_attention         0.04%     434.000us         0.13%       1.419ms      56.760us       0.000us         0.00%     973.843ms      38.954ms            25
                     aten::_efficient_attention_forward         0.03%     295.000us         0.08%     871.000us      34.840us     973.843ms        90.38%     973.843ms      38.954ms            25
void attention_kernel_batched<AttentionKernel<cutlas...         0.00%       0.000us         0.00%       0.000us       0.000us     973.843ms        90.38%     973.843ms      38.954ms            25
                                           aten::matmul         0.09%       1.020ms         0.75%       8.095ms     161.900us       0.000us         0.00%     242.529ms       4.851ms            50
                                               aten::mm         0.42%       4.515ms         0.54%       5.839ms     116.780us     103.662ms         9.62%     242.529ms       4.851ms            50
                                           aten::linear         0.03%     345.000us         0.79%       8.568ms     171.360us       0.000us         0.00%     235.172ms       4.703ms            50
cudaOccupancyMaxActiveBlocksPerMultiprocessorWithFla...         0.07%     781.000us         0.07%     781.000us       4.463us      97.947ms         9.09%      97.947ms     559.697us           175
                      maxwell_fp16_sgemm_fp16_32x128_tn         0.00%       0.000us         0.00%       0.000us       0.000us      80.550ms         7.48%      80.550ms       3.222ms            25
-------------------------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------
Self CPU time total: 1.084s
Self CUDA time total: 1.078s

-------------------------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------
                                                   Name    Self CPU %      Self CPU   CPU total %     CPU total  CPU time avg     Self CUDA   Self CUDA %    CUDA total  CUDA time avg    # of Calls
-------------------------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------
                              Compiled Causal Attention         0.34%       3.624ms         1.47%      15.885ms      15.885ms       0.000us         0.00%        1.365s        1.365s             1
                                       CompiledFunction         0.72%       7.749ms         1.12%      12.154ms     486.160us       0.000us         0.00%        1.365s      54.607ms            25
          aten::_scaled_dot_product_efficient_attention         0.03%     283.000us         0.12%       1.284ms      51.360us       0.000us         0.00%        1.052s      42.084ms            25
                     aten::_efficient_attention_forward         0.03%     315.000us         0.08%     887.000us      35.480us     973.889ms        90.40%        1.052s      42.084ms            25
void attention_kernel_batched<AttentionKernel<cutlas...         0.00%       0.000us         0.00%       0.000us       0.000us     973.889ms        90.40%     973.889ms      38.956ms            25
                                               aten::mm         0.13%       1.368ms         0.19%       2.047ms      40.940us     103.403ms         9.60%     313.083ms       6.262ms            50
                                       cudaLaunchKernel         0.08%     876.000us         0.08%     876.000us      11.680us     158.208ms        14.69%     158.208ms       2.109ms            75
cudaOccupancyMaxActiveBlocksPerMultiprocessorWithFla...         0.01%      62.000us         0.01%      62.000us       0.354us     129.672ms        12.04%     129.672ms     740.983us           175
                      maxwell_fp16_sgemm_fp16_32x128_tn         0.00%       0.000us         0.00%       0.000us       0.000us      80.539ms         7.48%      80.539ms       3.222ms            25
                                 hgemm_128x128x8_NT_vec         0.00%       0.000us         0.00%       0.000us       0.000us      22.864ms         2.12%      22.864ms     914.560us            25
-------------------------------------------------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------  ------------
Self CPU time total: 1.081s
Self CUDA time total: 1.077s

The previous code snippet generates a report of the top 10 PyTorch functions that consumed the most GPU execution time, for both the compiled and non-compiled module. The analysis reveals that the majority of time spent on the GPU is concentrated on the same set of functions for both modules. The reason for this here is that torch.compile is very good at removing the framework overhead associated with PyTorch. If your model is launching large, efficient CUDA kernels, which in this case CausaulSelfAttention is, then the overhead of PyTorch can be hidden.

In reality, your module does not normally consist of a singular CausalSelfAttention block. When experimenting with Andrej Karpathy’s NanoGPT repository, compiling the module took the time per train step from: 6090.49ms to 3273.17ms! This was done on commit: ae3a8d5 of NanoGPT training on the shakespeare dataset.

Conclusion

In this tutorial, we have demonstrated the basic usage of torch.nn.functional.scaled_dot_product_attention. We have shown how the sdp_kernel context manager can be used to assert a certain implementation is used on GPU. As well, we built a simple CausalSelfAttention module that works with NestedTensor and is torch compilable. In the process we have shown how to the profiling tools can be used to explore the performance characteristics of a user defined module.