I have been browsing the documentation for the tensorflow.keras.save_model() API and I came across the parameter include_optimizer and I am wondering what would be the advantage of not including the optimizer, or perhaps what problems could arise if the optimizer isn't saved with the model?
To give more context for my specific use-case, I want to save a model and then use the generated .pb file with Tensorflow Serving. Is there any reason I would need to save the optimizer state, would not saving it reduce the overall size of the resultant file? If I don't save it is it possible that the model will not work correctly in TF serving?
Saving the optimizer state will require more space, as the optimizer has parameters that are adjusted during training. For some optimizers, this space can be significant, as several meta-parameters are saved for each tuned model parameter.
Saving the optimizer parameters allows you to restart training in exactly the same state as you saved the checkpoint, whereas without saving the optimizer state, even the same model parameters might result in a variety of training outcomes with different optimizer parameters.
Thus, if you plan on continuing to train your model from the saved checkpoint, you'd probably want to save the optimizer's state as well. However, if you're instead saving the model state for future use only for inference, you don't need the optimizer state for anything. Based on your description of wanting to deploy the model on TF Serving, it sounds like you'll only be doing inference with the saved model, so are safe to exclude the optimizer.