LlamaIndex
Data framework for LLMs — RAG, agents, data connectors
📋 Overview
LlamaIndex is a data framework for LLMs that provides RAG, agents, and data connectors — focusing on connecting LLMs to external data. Unlike LangChain (which is general-purpose), LlamaIndex focuses specifically on data — providing connectors for 100+ data sources and optimized RAG pipelines. It provides a comprehensive solution for modern AI workflows.
✨ Key Features
- •40K+ GitHub stars — data framework for LLMs
- •100+ data connectors
- •Optimized RAG pipelines
- •Any LLM support
- •Agents and tools
- •MIT licensed
🎯 The Problem It Solves
LLMs need access to external data for most applications. LlamaIndex provides a framework for connecting LLMs to data sources with optimized RAG.
🔧 How It Works
LlamaIndex provides data connectors for 100+ sources (databases, APIs, files), indexes the data for efficient retrieval, and serves RAG queries. It supports any LLM and provides optimized pipelines for common patterns.
🚀 Installation & Quick Start
Installation
pip install llama-indexQuick Start
- pip install llama-index
- from llama_index.core import VectorStoreIndex, SimpleDirectoryReader
- documents = SimpleDirectoryReader('data').load_data()
- index = VectorStoreIndex.from_documents(documents)
- query_engine = index.as_query_engine()
- query_engine.query('What did the author say about X?')
✅ Pros
- •Best data connectors
- •Optimized RAG
- •Any LLM support
- •MIT licensed
- •Active community
- •Comprehensive documentation
❌ Cons
- •Smaller community than LangChain
- •Focus narrower
- •Documentation sparse
💬 Practitioner Verdict
“LlamaIndex is the best data framework for LLMs — the data connectors and RAG optimization are genuinely differentiated. The trade-off: smaller community than LangChain, the focus is narrower, and the documentation is sparse. For teams that need to connect LLMs to data, LlamaIndex is the default.”
Self-Hosted (Free)
Open source, MIT/Apache licensed. Run it yourself.
⭐ Star & Clone on GitHubFree forever. Your infrastructure, your data.
📊 Specifications
- Language
- Python
- License
- MIT
- Platform
- Linux, macOS, Windows
- Supported Models
- REST API, CLI
💰 Pricing Reality
100% free MIT license. No paid tier.