Mohammad Adnan is Principal Engineer & AI trailblazer at Intuit, driving next-gen automation for small business; ex‑AWS leader.
Having spent years building and scaling artificial intelligence and machine language (AI/ML) solutions at AWS Bedrock and now at Intuit, I’ve witnessed firsthand the incredible advancements in large language models (LLMs). Although initial excitement often revolves around single-turn interactions, the real power unlocks when we orchestrate these models to tackle complex tasks through intelligent, multistep processes. This is where AI agents come into play. For example, if you wanted to plan a multi-city trip with specific budget and activity constraints, an AI agent powered by these frameworks could automate the entire process—from researching flights to managing your budget—something a simple prompt can’t achieve.
In this article, I’ll share my experience navigating the landscape of various agent frameworks through a practical comparison of several popular LLM agent tools. We’ll explore their unique strengths and weaknesses and how you can leverage them within your own use cases.
LangChain (Python/JS)
LangChain is your go-to if you need a highly flexible and extensively integrated framework. Its massive, active community provides a wealth of templates, plugins and prompt-chaining strategies. The sheer number of available integrations means you can connect your AI agent to virtually any API or data source. Plus, its robust memory management allows you to tailor how your agent retains information across multiple steps. Use LangChain when: You have complex tasks requiring integration with diverse tools and data sources, need fine-grained control over memory management and want to leverage a large and supportive community.
However, the sheer breadth of LangChain can be overwhelming for beginners, leading to a steeper learning curve. Debugging intricate prompt chains can also be challenging. And although cost-effective, scaling can require significant engineering effort. Consider another option if: You’re looking for a simpler, more visually oriented approach or are just starting your journey with AI agents.
Typical Use Case: LangChain excels at building sophisticated product support chatbots that can consult internal documentation, summarize it and engage in multiturn conversations to refine answers based on user queries.
LangGraph (Python)
If clarity and simplicity are your priorities, LangGraph is an excellent choice. Its node-based design provides a visual representation of your agent’s workflow, making it easy to understand and manage. Defining discrete “nodes” for each step offers a more intuitive approach compared to code-heavy chaining. Use LangGraph when: You prefer a visual, easy-to-understand way to build AI agent workflows, are working on smaller applications or value a clear pipeline view. It’s a great starting point for teams new to agent frameworks.
Although its simplicity is a strength, LangGraph might lack some of the more advanced features and extensive integrations found in LangChain. For very complex scenarios with numerous conditional branches or specialized tools, it might require more custom development. Consider other options if: You anticipate needing a vast array of pre-built integrations or highly intricate workflow logic right out of the box.
Typical Use Case: LangGraph is ideal for building small to medium-scale question-answering applications where you need a clear, step-by-step flow that’s easy for developers to trace and understand.
CrewAI (Python)
For enterprise-level applications requiring collaboration among multiple specialized AI agents, CrewAI is the framework to consider. Its focus on multi-agent orchestration, complete with role-based access control, logging, and monitoring, makes it suitable for complex organizational needs. The ability for agents to share results and escalate tasks enables sophisticated problem-solving. Use CrewAI when: You need to build applications with multiple interacting agents, have enterprise-level security and compliance requirements and need to manage complex, multistep workflows involving different specialized AI roles.
However, setting up and managing the interactions between multiple agents in CrewAI can introduce complexity. Debugging issues across a team of agents might also be more involved. Consider other options if: You’re building single-agent applications or have simpler collaboration needs.
Typical Use Case: CrewAI is well-suited for regulated industries like finance, where you might need multiple agents to parse legal documents, check for policy risks and compile final summaries while maintaining detailed access logs and ensuring compliance.
SpringAI (Java)
If your organization is heavily invested in the Java ecosystem, Spring AI offers a seamless way to integrate LLM capabilities into your existing applications. Its tight integration with Spring Boot and familiar Spring patterns makes it a natural choice for Java developers. Use Spring AI when: Your primary development language is Java and you want to easily embed LLM functionalities into your Spring Boot applications without switching languages.
Spring AI’s primary limitation is its focus on Java. It’s not the right choice for teams using other languages. Additionally, its built-in agent orchestration capabilities are currently less advanced compared to Python-based frameworks. Consider other options if: Your team primarily works with Python or you require more sophisticated, out-of-the-box agent orchestration features.
Typical Use Case: A healthcare firm maintaining Java microservices for patient data can use Spring AI to quickly add LLM-driven summarization or question-answer features to their existing endpoints.
AutoGen (Python)
AutoGen is your go-to framework when the primary goal is to generate and refine high-quality code. Its unique coder-reviewer agent workflow leads to iterative improvements, reducing debugging time. Use AutoGen when: Your main application involves generating code and you value the automated review and refinement process to improve code quality and reduce errors.
The iterative code generation process can sometimes be slower than a single-pass approach. It also requires careful configuration to ensure the coder and reviewer agents work effectively together. Consider other options if: Your application doesn’t primarily involve code generation or you need rapid, single-step outputs.
Typical Use Case: A development team building Python scripts for data cleaning can use AutoGen to have a “coder” agent propose an initial solution, followed by a “reviewer” agent that identifies potential issues and prompts revisions.
Bedrock Agent (AWS)
If you’re deeply embedded in the AWS ecosystem and want a hassle-free way to build intelligent applications, Bedrock Agents offers a fully managed experience. It gives you easy access to a variety of powerful language models and takes care of the underlying infrastructure, letting you focus on building your AI-powered solutions. Use Bedrock Agents when: You’re all-in on AWS and prioritize a managed service for building AI agents with diverse foundation models and integration with other AWS tools.
However, remember that being tightly integrated with AWS means you’re also tied to their platform. You’ll have less direct control over the nuts and bolts, and costs can add up if your usage is high. Consider other options if: You prefer the flexibility and control of open-source frameworks or are looking for cost-optimization strategies that might be available outside of a fully managed environment.
Typical Use Case: A large e-commerce company already running entirely on AWS could use Bedrock Agents to create a sophisticated product recommendation system that not only understands what customers are asking but also dives into product details, compares options and offers personalized suggestions.
Conclusion
Choosing the right AI agent framework is a crucial step in building intelligent and efficient applications. Although each framework offers unique advantages, remember that experimentation and hands-on experience are key to unlocking the full potential of AI agents. Which framework are you most excited to explore, and what innovative applications do you envision building?
Forbes Technology Council is an invitation-only community for world-class CIOs, CTOs and technology executives. Do I qualify?
