LangChain
A framework for building applications powered by language models with data connections and reasoning chains.
Definition
LangChain is an open-source framework for developing applications powered by language models. It provides tools to connect LLMs to external data sources, chain multiple AI operations together, and build complex AI workflows with memory and reasoning capabilities.
The framework abstracts common AI application patterns—RAG, agents, chains—making sophisticated AI applications accessible to developers without deep ML expertise.
Why It Matters
LangChain accelerates AI application development by handling common patterns and integrations. Understanding it helps organizations evaluate build-vs-buy decisions and understand what's possible with modern AI frameworks.
It's become the standard for connecting LLMs to business data and processes.
Examples in Practice
A company uses LangChain to build a customer support AI that queries their knowledge base, accesses customer records, and maintains conversation context across interactions.
A developer builds a research assistant with LangChain that searches documents, synthesizes findings, and produces structured reports—tasks requiring multiple chained AI operations.