LangChain vs LangGraph: A Tale of Two Frameworks

LangChain and LangGraph are open-source frameworks designed for developing applications that utilize large language models (LLMs). LangChain is particularly effective for sequential tasks, as it organizes LLM operations in a directed acyclic graph (DAG) format. This structure provides modular components for tasks like data retrieval, summarization, and answering questions. On the other hand, LangGraph is a specialized library within LangChain that focuses on building stateful multi-agent systems. It supports complex, non-linear workflows through a graph structure that allows for loops and revisiting previous states. The main distinction between the two lies in their task management: LangChain is ideal for linear processes, while LangGraph excels in handling intricate, interactive systems that require maintaining context across multiple interactions.