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vllm.distributed.weight_transfer

Weight transfer engines for syncing model weights from trainers to inference workers.

Modules:

Name Description
base

Base class for weight transfer engines.

factory

Factory for weight transfer engines with lazy loading.

nccl_engine

NCCL-based weight transfer engine.

packed_tensor

Packed tensor utilities for efficient weight transfer.

__all__ module-attribute

__all__ = ['WeightTransferEngineFactory']

WeightTransferEngineFactory

Factory for creating weight transfer engines with lazy loading.

This factory implements a registry pattern that supports: - Lazy loading: Engine modules are only imported when actually needed - Extensibility: Custom engines can be registered at runtime - Centralized registration: All built-in engines registered in one place

Source code in vllm/distributed/weight_transfer/factory.py
class WeightTransferEngineFactory:
    """Factory for creating weight transfer engines with lazy loading.

    This factory implements a registry pattern that supports:
    - Lazy loading: Engine modules are only imported when actually needed
    - Extensibility: Custom engines can be registered at runtime
    - Centralized registration: All built-in engines registered in one place
    """

    _registry: dict[str, Callable[[], type[WeightTransferEngine]]] = {}

    @classmethod
    def register_engine(
        cls,
        name: str,
        module_path_or_cls: str | type[WeightTransferEngine],
        class_name: str | None = None,
    ) -> None:
        """Register an engine with lazy-loading or direct class reference.

        Supports two calling conventions:
        1. Lazy loading: register_engine(name, module_path, class_name)
        2. Direct class: register_engine(name, engine_cls)

        Args:
            name: The name to register the engine under (e.g., "nccl")
            module_path_or_cls: Either a module path string for lazy loading,
                or the engine class directly
            class_name: Name of the engine class (required if module_path is string)

        Raises:
            ValueError: If an engine with the same name is already registered
        """
        if name in cls._registry:
            raise ValueError(f"Weight transfer engine '{name}' is already registered.")

        if isinstance(module_path_or_cls, str):
            # Lazy loading path
            module_path = module_path_or_cls
            if class_name is None:
                raise ValueError(
                    "class_name is required when registering with module path"
                )

            def loader() -> type[WeightTransferEngine]:
                module = importlib.import_module(module_path)
                return getattr(module, class_name)

            cls._registry[name] = loader
        else:
            # Direct class registration
            engine_cls = module_path_or_cls
            cls._registry[name] = lambda: engine_cls

    @classmethod
    def create_engine(
        cls,
        config: "WeightTransferConfig",
        parallel_config: "ParallelConfig",
    ) -> WeightTransferEngine:
        """Create a weight transfer engine instance.

        Args:
            config: Weight transfer configuration containing the backend name
            parallel_config: Parallel configuration for the engine

        Returns:
            An initialized weight transfer engine instance

        Raises:
            ValueError: If the backend is not registered
        """
        backend = config.backend
        if backend not in cls._registry:
            available = list(cls._registry.keys())
            raise ValueError(
                f"Invalid weight transfer backend: {backend}. "
                f"Available engines: {available}"
            )
        engine_cls = cls._registry[backend]()

        logger.info(
            "Creating weight transfer engine: %s",
            engine_cls.__name__,
        )

        return engine_cls(config, parallel_config)

_registry class-attribute instance-attribute

_registry: dict[
    str, Callable[[], type[WeightTransferEngine]]
] = {}

create_engine classmethod

create_engine(
    config: WeightTransferConfig,
    parallel_config: ParallelConfig,
) -> WeightTransferEngine

Create a weight transfer engine instance.

Parameters:

Name Type Description Default
config WeightTransferConfig

Weight transfer configuration containing the backend name

required
parallel_config ParallelConfig

Parallel configuration for the engine

required

Returns:

Type Description
WeightTransferEngine

An initialized weight transfer engine instance

Raises:

Type Description
ValueError

If the backend is not registered

Source code in vllm/distributed/weight_transfer/factory.py
@classmethod
def create_engine(
    cls,
    config: "WeightTransferConfig",
    parallel_config: "ParallelConfig",
) -> WeightTransferEngine:
    """Create a weight transfer engine instance.

    Args:
        config: Weight transfer configuration containing the backend name
        parallel_config: Parallel configuration for the engine

    Returns:
        An initialized weight transfer engine instance

    Raises:
        ValueError: If the backend is not registered
    """
    backend = config.backend
    if backend not in cls._registry:
        available = list(cls._registry.keys())
        raise ValueError(
            f"Invalid weight transfer backend: {backend}. "
            f"Available engines: {available}"
        )
    engine_cls = cls._registry[backend]()

    logger.info(
        "Creating weight transfer engine: %s",
        engine_cls.__name__,
    )

    return engine_cls(config, parallel_config)

register_engine classmethod

register_engine(
    name: str,
    module_path_or_cls: str | type[WeightTransferEngine],
    class_name: str | None = None,
) -> None

Register an engine with lazy-loading or direct class reference.

Supports two calling conventions: 1. Lazy loading: register_engine(name, module_path, class_name) 2. Direct class: register_engine(name, engine_cls)

Parameters:

Name Type Description Default
name str

The name to register the engine under (e.g., "nccl")

required
module_path_or_cls str | type[WeightTransferEngine]

Either a module path string for lazy loading, or the engine class directly

required
class_name str | None

Name of the engine class (required if module_path is string)

None

Raises:

Type Description
ValueError

If an engine with the same name is already registered

Source code in vllm/distributed/weight_transfer/factory.py
@classmethod
def register_engine(
    cls,
    name: str,
    module_path_or_cls: str | type[WeightTransferEngine],
    class_name: str | None = None,
) -> None:
    """Register an engine with lazy-loading or direct class reference.

    Supports two calling conventions:
    1. Lazy loading: register_engine(name, module_path, class_name)
    2. Direct class: register_engine(name, engine_cls)

    Args:
        name: The name to register the engine under (e.g., "nccl")
        module_path_or_cls: Either a module path string for lazy loading,
            or the engine class directly
        class_name: Name of the engine class (required if module_path is string)

    Raises:
        ValueError: If an engine with the same name is already registered
    """
    if name in cls._registry:
        raise ValueError(f"Weight transfer engine '{name}' is already registered.")

    if isinstance(module_path_or_cls, str):
        # Lazy loading path
        module_path = module_path_or_cls
        if class_name is None:
            raise ValueError(
                "class_name is required when registering with module path"
            )

        def loader() -> type[WeightTransferEngine]:
            module = importlib.import_module(module_path)
            return getattr(module, class_name)

        cls._registry[name] = loader
    else:
        # Direct class registration
        engine_cls = module_path_or_cls
        cls._registry[name] = lambda: engine_cls