# Core ML

5 Hacker News commenters recommended Core ML and 10 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 5 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People recommend it for running many models on Apple hardware, including the Neural Engine, but critics say it gives little control over which chip runs each layer.

## Why people recommend it

- Runs models on Neural Engine (2 comments): "I would most likely bet on CoreML since it have support for ANE" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47328002)) "converting them to CoreML so they run in the Neural Engine" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50072357))
- Handles many model types (2 comments): "It is very suitable and very straightforward for a crazy large amount of models!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=50083956)) "it works for that without much trouble" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=48457261))

## What people warn about

- Little control over hardware (2 comments): "CoreML didn't give you much control (or even feedback) on what parts of your model would run on the CPU, GPU, or ANE" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49679127)) "CoreML treats it as a black-box scheduler, stripping away any direct control or ability to train." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47257940))
- Bugs and crashes (2 comments): "tracking down an uncatchable C++ assertion in Apple's CoreML stack" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47567016)) "Mac's CoreML has had soo many bugs over the last couple years" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49264321))
- Weak for most use cases (2 comments): "ANE and CoreML is kind of meh for most use cases" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47244145)) "Also generally I think CoreML isn't the best." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=46352433))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [PyTorch](https://hackerapproved.com/p/pytorch.md): 131 recommend
- [MLX](https://hackerapproved.com/p/mlx.md): 75 recommend
- [JAX](https://hackerapproved.com/p/jax.md): 49 recommend
- [OpenCV](https://hackerapproved.com/p/opencv.md): 46 recommend
- [tinygrad](https://hackerapproved.com/p/tinygrad.md): 40 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Core ML", https://hackerapproved.com/p/coreml/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).