Unexpected file structure when serializing a model with layer called summary_layer #21166

niels-leif-bracher · 2025-04-15T00:58:13Z

Ordinarily, when serializing layers, we get a flat hierarchy in the resulting file. For example, the following code

@keras.saving.register_keras_serializable()
class TestModel(keras.Model):
    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(**kwargs)

        self.encoder = keras.layers.Dense(3)
        self.decoder = keras.layers.Dense(4)

    def build(self, input_shape):
        self.encoder.build(input_shape)
        self.decoder.build((None, 3))


model = TestModel()
model.build((None, 3))

keras.saving.save_model(model, "test_model.keras")
loaded = keras.saving.load_model("test_model.keras")

print(inspect_file("test_model.keras"))

when inspected with the tool described in #19705 results in the following file structure:

decoder

vars
- ...

encoder

vars
- ...

in the weights file. However, if a layer contains "summary" in its identifier:

@keras.saving.register_keras_serializable()
class TestModel(keras.Model):
    def __init__(self, **kwargs):
        super().__init__(**kwargs)

        self.summary_layer = keras.layers.Dense(3)
        self.decoder = keras.layers.Dense(4)

    def build(self, input_shape):
        self.summary_layer.build(input_shape)
        self.decoder.build((None, 3))


model = TestModel()
model.build((None, 3))

keras.saving.save_model(model, "test_model.keras")
loaded = keras.saving.load_model("test_model.keras")

print(inspect_file("test_model.keras"))

an extra nesting level called "layers" is added:

decoder

vars
- ...

layers

dense
- vars
  - ...

Such a sudden change in file structure is unexpected for users like me who rely on a consistent layout.

mehtamansi29 · 2025-04-16T16:00:52Z

Hi @niels-leif-bracher-

Thanks for reporting the issue. As we are not able to H5IOStore, here is the modified inspect_file function is there in this attached gist. Using that you can find the same result for saving and loading model.

github-actions · 2025-05-01T02:15:43Z

This issue is stale because it has been open for 14 days with no activity. It will be closed if no further activity occurs. Thank you.

github-actions bot assigned mehtamansi29 Apr 15, 2025

mehtamansi29 added type:Bug stat:awaiting response from contributor labels Apr 16, 2025

github-actions bot added the stale label May 1, 2025

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Unexpected file structure when serializing a model with layer called summary_layer #21166

Unexpected file structure when serializing a model with layer called summary_layer #21166

Unexpected file structure when serializing a model with layer called summary_layer #21166

Unexpected file structure when serializing a model with layer called summary_layer #21166

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