TensorFlow estimators and TensorFlow runs packages

TensorFlow estimators and the TensorFlow runs packages are great packages to use for deep learning. In this section, we will use both to train a model based on our churn prediction data from Chapter 4, Training Deep Prediction Models.

TensorFlow estimators

TensorFlow estimators allow you to build TensorFlow models using a simpler API interface. In R, the tfestimators package allows you to call this API. There are different model types, including linear models and neural networks. The following estimators are available:

• linear_regressor() for linear regression
• linear_classifier() for linear classification
• dnn_regressor() for deep neural network regression
• dnn_classifier() for deep neural network classification
• dnn_linear_combined_regressor() for deep neural network linear combined regression
• dnn_linear_combined_classifier() for deep neural network linear combined classification

Estimators hide a lot of the detail in creating a deep learning model...