WHAT I CANNOT CREATE,I DO NOT UNDERSTAND

Learn ML engineering by building LLMs, tokenizers, transformers, vector databases, RAG systems, and more from scratch.

Start buildingFree

No credit card required.

How Crackr works

Pick a project.
Build it from scratch.

Choose an ML system, work through its core pieces, and test your implementation as you build. All from your own development environment.

VBuild a Vector Database
RBuild a RAG System
TBuild a Transformer
Tokenizer project
Available now
Build a Tokenizer from Scratch

Build the machinery that turns raw text into tokens an LLM can process.

13 tasksPython7h 43m
01Choose

Choose a project.

Pick an ML system you want to understand and build.

Local environmentVS Code
Explorer
▾ Tokenizer
.gitignore
bpe_tokenizer.py
tiny_shakespeare.txt
▸ tests
bpe_tokenizer.py
1class BPETokenizer:
2    def train(self, text, vocab_size):
3        pairs = self.count_pairs(text)
4        while len(self.vocab) < vocab_size:
5            winner = max(pairs, key=pairs.get)
TerminalOutput
$ python bpe_tokenizer.py
459,792 tokens · round trip passed
main*Python 3.14
02Build

Build it on your machine.

Follow the steps and write the code using your own editor, terminal, and tools.

Automated evaluatorLatest push
implement-bpemain · 8f2a1c
Preparing Python 3.14 environmentdone
Running tokenizer evaluator4 checks
Saving latest attemptdone
All tests passed
Your BPE tokenizer passed every evaluator check.
4 / 4
UTF-8
Order
Bounds
Unknown
Continue to the next task
03Verify

Push your code. Pass the tests.

Push your code and see what works. Fix what fails and keep going.

Project catalog

What will you
build next?

Start with the fundamentals and work your way through the systems that power modern ML. New projects are added as the catalog grows.

PROJECT 01Free
Available now

Build a Tokenizer from Scratch

Turn raw Unicode text into tokens, then train and optimize a byte-level BPE tokenizer.

BPEUnicodePython
PROJECT 02
Coming soon

Build a Transformer from Scratch

Implement attention, normalization, training, and autoregressive text generation.

AttentionPyTorchLLMs
PROJECT 03
Coming soon

Build an Autograd Engine from Scratch

Build a computation graph, reverse-mode differentiation, and the machinery behind backpropagation.

GradientsGraphsBackprop
PROJECT 04
Coming soon

Build a Vector Database from Scratch

Store embeddings, implement similarity search, and index vectors for fast retrieval.

EmbeddingsIndexingSearch
PROJECT 05
Coming soon

Build RAG from Scratch

Chunk documents, retrieve relevant context, and ground model answers in your own data.

RetrievalRerankingRAG
PROJECT 06
Coming soon

Build a Diffusion Model from Scratch

Implement the noise schedule, denoising network, training objective, and image-sampling loop.

DiffusionDenoisingSampling
+
More projects are coming.
More systems, deeper internals, and new ways to learn by building.
Beta passes

Pay less while the catalog grows.

Pay $60 for complete beta access plus 12 months after beta ends, or pay $180 once for lifetime access. Both offers disappear when beta ends.

Always free01

Free Projects

$0No card required
After betaStill $0

Build any project marked Free from beginning to end.

AccessAll free projectsGuided curriculum and evaluations included
Beta offer02

Year Pass

Best value
$60Pay once
After beta$180 / year

Use the complete catalog while Crackr is in beta.

AccessBeta + 12 monthsEvery project released during your access
Beta offer03

Lifetime

$180Pay once
After beta$499 lifetime

Pay once and keep the complete catalog for good.

AccessForeverEvery current and future standard project

When beta ends

Public pricing

3 months

$60

1 year

$180

Lifetime

$499

Free projects stay free. Paid plans are one-time purchases with no automatic renewal.

FAQ

Common questions

The system you want to understand is one project away.

Start free, no credit card

Free projects include the complete curriculum and evaluations.

© 2026 Crackr. All rights reserved.

Built for engineers, by engineers.