Local AI Glossary
What is NF4 (Normal Float 4-bit)?
Source: local-llm.net/glossary
A 4-bit quantization format designed by Tim Dettmers (used in QLoRA) that maps weight values to a 4-bit representation optimized for the normal (Gaussian) distribution that neural network weights typically follow. NF4 achieves better quality than standard INT4 for normally distributed weights.
How NF4 (Normal Float 4-bit) fits in the local AI stack
NF4 (Normal Float 4-bit) is part of the broader local AI ecosystem. See the related guides, comparisons, and tools below to see how it applies in practice.
See also
- Full Local AI Glossary
- All learn topics
- What is Local AI?
- Quantization explained
- Hardware requirements
- How to choose a local LLM