Choosing the Right Framework

With multiple excellent frameworks available, how do you pick the right one? This lesson provides a decision matrix based on real-world considerations.

Decision Matrix

Factor	LangChain	CrewAI	OpenAI SDK
Learning curve	Moderate	Easy	Easy
Flexibility	High	Medium	Medium
Community size	Largest (120K+)	Large (40K+)	Growing
Multi-model	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	❌ OpenAI only
Multi-agent	Via LangGraph	✅ Native	✅ Via handoffs
Production ready	✅ Yes	✅ Yes	✅ Yes
Debugging tools	LangSmith	Basic	OpenAI Dashboard

Choose by Use Case

🔬 Research & Analysis

Recommendation: CrewAI

• Multiple specialists collaborate
• Natural research workflow
• Role-based task delegation

🏢 Enterprise Applications

Recommendation: LangChain/LangGraph

• Extensive integrations
• Mature ecosystem
• Strong observability

💬 Customer Support Bots

Recommendation: OpenAI Agents SDK

• Clean handoff mechanism
• Built-in guardrails
• Simple architecture

🛠️ Quick Prototypes

Recommendation: OpenAI Agents SDK

• Minimal setup
• Fast iteration
• Clear documentation

🔄 Complex Workflows

Recommendation: LangGraph

• Visual state machines
• Conditional branching
• Advanced state management

Questions to Ask

Before choosing, answer these questions:

1. Model flexibility: Do you need to support multiple LLM providers?

   • Yes → LangChain or CrewAI
   • OpenAI only → OpenAI SDK

2. Team structure: Does your task naturally divide into roles?

   • Yes → CrewAI
   • No → LangChain or OpenAI SDK

3. Complexity: How complex is your agent logic?

   • Simple → OpenAI SDK
   • Moderate → Any framework
   • Complex → LangGraph

4. Dependencies: How important is minimal dependency?

   • Very → OpenAI SDK
   • Not critical → LangChain

Hybrid Approaches

You don't have to choose just one! Many production systems combine frameworks:

# Example: LangChain for tools + CrewAI for coordination
from langchain_community.tools import DuckDuckGoSearchRun
from crewai import Agent, Crew

# Use LangChain's tool ecosystem
search_tool = DuckDuckGoSearchRun()

# Use CrewAI's agent coordination
researcher = Agent(
    role="Researcher",
    tools=[search_tool]  # LangChain tool in CrewAI agent
)

Key Takeaways

1. No single "best" framework—context matters
2. Start simple—you can always add complexity
3. Consider your team—familiarity speeds development
4. Plan for growth—choose frameworks that scale with you

💡 Pro tip: Build a small proof-of-concept in your top two choices before committing.

Test your knowledge of agent frameworks in the quiz! :::