What it does
The Pumpkin Book is a study guide for Zhou Zhihua's "Machine Learning", a well-known Chinese textbook often called the Watermelon Book. The textbook skips many of the steps in its formulas.
This guide fills in those steps, explaining how each formula is worked out using undergraduate-level maths. Its makers suggest reading the textbook first and turning to this guide when you get stuck.
It is in Chinese. A PDF version and video lessons are available, and a printed edition has also been published.
Who it's for
Students who read Chinese and are studying machine learning with the Watermelon Book.
Can I use it without coding?
Yes. It's a book: download the PDF or read it online. New to this? Start here.
Can I run it?
- Cost
- FreeNothing to pay or sign up for.
- Computer
- An ordinary computer is fine
- API key
- Not needed
Try it
- Download the free PDF from the project's releases page.
- Read it alongside Zhou Zhihua's Machine Learning textbook, the Watermelon Book.
- Look up a formula here whenever you can't follow its derivation in the textbook.
Using Claude Code, Cursor or another AI coding assistant? Paste the prompt and it will walk you through the setup.New to this?
Before you install
- Only download from the official GitHub page or the official download page above. Copies with similar names exist for many popular projects.
- No standard license listed. Check the GitHub page before using it for business.
- More on staying safe