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Scikit-learn VS Azure Machine Learning Service

Compare Scikit-learn VS Azure Machine Learning Service and see what are their differences

Scikit-learn logo Scikit-learn

scikit-learn (formerly scikits.learn) is an open source machine learning library for the Python programming language.

Azure Machine Learning Service logo Azure Machine Learning Service

Build and deploy machine learning models in a simplified way with Azure Machine Learning service. Make machine learning more accessible with automated capabilities.
  • Scikit-learn Landing page
    Landing page //
    2022-05-06
  • Azure Machine Learning Service Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-22

Scikit-learn features and specs

  • Ease of Use
    Scikit-learn provides a high-level interface for common machine learning algorithms, making it easy for beginners and professionals to implement complex models with minimal coding.
  • Extensive Documentation and Community Support
    The library has comprehensive documentation and a large, active community. This makes it easy to find tutorials, examples, and solutions to common problems.
  • Integration with Other Libraries
    Scikit-learn integrates well with other scientific computing libraries such as NumPy, SciPy, and pandas, allowing for seamless data manipulation and analysis.
  • Variety of Algorithms
    It offers a wide array of machine learning algorithms for tasks such as classification, regression, clustering, and dimensionality reduction.
  • Performance
    Designed with performance in mind, many of the algorithms are optimized and some even support multicore processing.

Possible disadvantages of Scikit-learn

  • Limited Deep Learning Support
    Scikit-learn is primarily focused on traditional machine learning algorithms and does not offer support for deep learning models, unlike libraries like TensorFlow or PyTorch.
  • Not Ideal for Large-Scale Data
    While Scikit-learn performs well for moderate-sized datasets, it may not be the best choice for extremely large datasets or big data applications.
  • Lack of Online Learning Algorithms
    The library has limited support for online learning algorithms, which are useful for scenarios where data arrives in a stream and model needs to be updated incrementally.
  • Less Flexibility in Customization
    It can be less flexible compared to lower-level libraries when highly customized or specific implementations are needed.
  • Dependency Overhead
    Scikit-learn relies on several other Python libraries like NumPy and SciPy, which might require users to manage multiple dependencies.

Azure Machine Learning Service features and specs

  • Integrated Environment
    Azure Machine Learning provides an integrated environment for managing the end-to-end machine learning lifecycle, including data preparation, model training, deployment, and monitoring.
  • Scalability
    The service is designed to scale seamlessly, allowing users to handle large datasets and training jobs with ease, and leverage Azure's cloud infrastructure for computational power.
  • Automated Machine Learning
    Azure Machine Learning offers capabilities for automated machine learning that simplify the process of model selection, hyperparameter tuning, and performance optimization.
  • Security and Compliance
    Azure provides robust security features and compliance certifications, making it suitable for industries with stringent regulatory requirements.
  • Integration with Azure Services
    Easy integration with other Azure services like Azure Data Lake, Azure Databricks, and Azure IoT, allowing for streamlined workflows and data pipelines.
  • Developer Tools
    Support for popular developer tools, including Jupyter notebooks, Visual Studio Code, and interoperability with open-source libraries and frameworks.

Possible disadvantages of Azure Machine Learning Service

  • Cost
    The cost can escalate quickly, especially for large-scale deployments and extensive use of computational resources. Budget management is crucial to avoid unexpected expenses.
  • Complexity
    While powerful, the service can be complex for beginners, requiring a steep learning curve to effectively utilize all its features and capabilities.
  • Dependency on Azure Ecosystem
    Strong integration with other Azure services means that users might become locked into the Azure ecosystem, potentially limiting flexibility with multi-cloud strategies.
  • Performance Issues
    Users have occasionally reported performance issues, especially during peak usage times, which can affect the speed and efficiency of training models.
  • Limited Offline Capabilities
    Being a cloud service, Azure Machine Learning is contingent on internet access, which can be a limitation for offline environments or regions with poor connectivity.
  • Resource Management
    Efficiently managing compute resources and setting up appropriate scaling policies can be challenging and may require continuous monitoring and adjustment.

Scikit-learn videos

Learning Scikit-Learn (AI Adventures)

More videos:

  • Review - Python Machine Learning Review | Learn python for machine learning. Learn Scikit-learn.

Azure Machine Learning Service videos

What is Azure Machine Learning service and how data scientists use it

More videos:

  • Review - Azure Machine Learning service: Part 2 Training a Model

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Scikit-learn and Azure Machine Learning Service)
Data Science And Machine Learning
Data Science Tools
75 75%
25% 25
Python Tools
72 72%
28% 28
Data Dashboard
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Scikit-learn and Azure Machine Learning Service

Scikit-learn Reviews

15 data science tools to consider using in 2021
Scikit-learn is an open source machine learning library for Python that's built on the SciPy and NumPy scientific computing libraries, plus Matplotlib for plotting data. It supports both supervised and unsupervised machine learning and includes numerous algorithms and models, called estimators in scikit-learn parlance. Additionally, it provides functionality for model...

Azure Machine Learning Service Reviews

The 16 Best Data Science and Machine Learning Platforms for 2021
Description: The Azure Machine Learning service lets developers and data scientists build, train, and deploy machine learning models. The product features productivity for all skill levels via a code-first and drag-and-drop designer, and automated machine learning. It also features expansive MLops capabilities that integrate with existing DevOps processes. The service touts...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Scikit-learn should be more popular than Azure Machine Learning Service. It has been mentiond 31 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Scikit-learn mentions (31)

  • Must-Know 2025 Developer’s Roadmap and Key Programming Trends
    Python’s Growth in Data Work and AI: Python continues to lead because of its easy-to-read style and the huge number of libraries available for tasks from data work to artificial intelligence. Tools like TensorFlow and PyTorch make it a must-have. Whether you’re experienced or just starting, Python’s clear style makes it a good choice for diving into machine learning. Actionable Tip: If you’re new to Python,... - Source: dev.to / 3 months ago
  • 🚀 Launching a High-Performance DistilBERT-Based Sentiment Analysis Model for Steam Reviews 🎮🤖
    Scikit-learn (optional): Useful for additional training or evaluation tasks. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • Essential Deep Learning Checklist: Best Practices Unveiled
    How to Accomplish: Utilize data splitting tools in libraries like Scikit-learn to partition your dataset. Make sure the split mirrors the real-world distribution of your data to avoid biased evaluations. - Source: dev.to / 11 months ago
  • How to Build a Logistic Regression Model: A Spam-filter Tutorial
    Online Courses: Coursera: "Machine Learning" by Andrew Ng EdX: "Introduction to Machine Learning" by MIT Tutorials: Scikit-learn documentation: https://scikit-learn.org/ Kaggle Learn: https://www.kaggle.com/learn Books: "Hands-On Machine Learning with Scikit-Learn, Keras & TensorFlow" by Aurélien Géron "The Elements of Statistical Learning" by Trevor Hastie, Robert Tibshirani, and Jerome Friedman By... - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Link Prediction With node2vec in Physics Collaboration Network
    Firstly, we need a connection to Memgraph so we can get edges, split them into two parts (train set and test set). For edge splitting, we will use scikit-learn. In order to make a connection towards Memgraph, we will use gqlalchemy. - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
View more

Azure Machine Learning Service mentions (4)

  • AI Team Collaboration with Azure ML Studio
    Building an AI solution requires more than just one person. You need a team of experts who can work together efficiently and creatively. That’s why you need a platform that supports collaboration and communication among your AI team members. Azure Machine Learning Studio is not only a powerful infrastructure for computation and technical tasks, but also a management tool that helps you organize and streamline your... - Source: dev.to / almost 2 years ago
  • Databricks 2022 vs Databricks 2025
    I'm biased, but giving my honest personal opinion here, I think this sounds like a bad idea. I'm not optimistic about Databricks long term. They are a data prep company masquerading as a data science company. Nothing wrong with that, but Spark resources are expensive compared with SQL, and they are at risk from all fronts (Cloud providers, Snowflake, AI/ML platform players, etc.). I see their Databricks controlled... Source: about 3 years ago
  • 20+ Free Tools & Resources for Machine Learning
    Azure Machine Learning An enterprise-grade service for the end-to-end machine learning life cycle that allows you to build models at scale. - Source: dev.to / about 3 years ago
  • Jobs which combine Chemical Engineering and Computer Science
    Azure Machine Learning (specifically for Energy and Manufacturing. Source: about 4 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Scikit-learn and Azure Machine Learning Service, you can also consider the following products

Pandas - Pandas is an open source library providing high-performance, easy-to-use data structures and data analysis tools for the Python.

OpenCV - OpenCV is the world's biggest computer vision library

NumPy - NumPy is the fundamental package for scientific computing with Python

Dataiku - Dataiku is the developer of DSS, the integrated development platform for data professionals to turn raw data into predictions.

WEKA - WEKA is a set of powerful data mining tools that run on Java.

Exploratory - Exploratory enables users to understand data by transforming, visualizing, and applying advanced statistics and machine learning algorithms.