How to Train a YOLOv8 Classification Model

YOLOv8, introduced in January 2023 by Ultralytics, represents the latest iteration in computer vision models, supporting tasks like object detection, classification, and image segmentation, with a user-friendly Python SDK and command line tools for training and validation. This guide focuses on utilizing YOLOv8 to train a model that classifies banana ripeness using a dataset from Roboflow Universe, leveraging the ultralytics pip package for model training and Roboflow for dataset preparation. The process involves installing the necessary software, preparing and annotating the dataset, and then training the model using pre-trained weights for enhanced performance. Users are guided through evaluating the model's effectiveness using validation metrics and are shown how to deploy the trained model for further use, either through Roboflow Deploy or on their own hardware. The guide emphasizes experimentation with model parameters to optimize performance while providing step-by-step instructions for each stage of the training process.