Reinforcement Learning from Human Feedback (RLHF) is a textbook covering the fundamentals of RLHF, aimed at individuals with a basic ML or software background. It provides a structured learning resource for this complex topic, leveraging a robust document compilation template.

How It Works

This project utilizes Pandoc, a universal document converter, to compile Markdown files into various formats including PDF, EPUB, and HTML. The core approach involves a Makefile that automates the build process, streamlining the creation of the textbook from its source Markdown chapters. This design offers flexibility in output formats and simplifies content management.

Quick Start & Requirements

• Primary install/run: Use make commands such as make pdf, make epub, make html, or make docx.
• Prerequisites: Pandoc (version 3.6.4 recommended), make, and for PDF output: texlive-fonts-recommended, texlive-xetex (~800MB). pandoc-crossref is recommended for cross-referencing. Python 3 is needed for utility scripts.
• Links: rlhfbook.com (pre-order/main site), Pandoc Manual.

Highlighted Details

• Automated build system for multiple output formats (PDF, EPUB, HTML, DOCX) via Makefile.
• Support for cross-references using the pandoc-crossref filter.
• Content creation in Markdown, with integrated support for images, tables, and LaTeX equations.
• Customizable book metadata and output templates.

Maintenance & Community

The project is authored by Nathan Lambert. No specific community channels (like Discord/Slack) or roadmap details are provided in the README.

Licensing & Compatibility

The code is licensed under the permissive MIT license. However, the book's content (found in chapters/) is licensed under the Creative Commons Non-Commercial ShareAlike Attribution License (CC-BY-NC-SA-4.0), restricting commercial use.

Limitations & Caveats

Cross-chapter links in the PDF output are broken due to the chosen nested structure, which prioritizes the web experience. Coding agents may introduce Unicode characters (e.g., curly apostrophes, em-dashes) that cause Pandoc PDF build failures. Non-HTML outputs may not handle internal links effectively.