> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://aegean.ai/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Introduction to diffusion models

> Step-by-Step Diffusion, an elementary tutorial by Nakkiran, Bradley, Zhou, and Advani (Apple, 2024) covering diffusion models and flow matching.

The clearest entry point to diffusion models for a graduate-course audience: a 35-page tutorial that derives the algorithms from first principles without trading away rigor. Read it in full, then continue with the [DDPM theory page](/aiml-common/lectures/diffusion/ddpm/index) and the [DDPM MoG example](/aiml-common/lectures/diffusion/ddpm/ddpm_mog_tutorial).

<Card title="Step-by-Step Diffusion: An Elementary Tutorial" icon="file-pdf" href="https://arxiv.org/abs/2406.08929">
  Nakkiran, Bradley, Zhou, Advani · arXiv:2406.08929 · 35 pages

  An accessible derivation of diffusion models and flow matching that simplifies the math without sacrificing the rigor needed to write correct algorithms.
</Card>

<iframe src="https://arxiv.org/pdf/2406.08929" title="Step-by-Step Diffusion (PDF), Nakkiran et al." width="100%" height="900" style={{ border: "1px solid var(--gray-200, #ddd)", borderRadius: 8, marginTop: "1rem" }} />

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