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Apache Burr

Open-source Python framework for building LLM applications as explicit state machines — actions, state, transitions, plus a bundled UI for execution tracing and debugging. Apache Software Foundation incubating.

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In Plain English

Open-source Python framework for building LLM applications as explicit state machines — actions, state, transitions, plus a bundled UI for execution tracing and debugging. Apache Software Foundation incubating.

OverviewFeaturesPricingUse CasesLimitationsFAQSecurity

Overview

Apache Burr (currently incubating at the ASF) is a Python framework that models LLM applications as state machines — explicit Actions, State, and Transitions instead of the chained-call abstractions favored by LangChain or the graph-of-nodes pattern in LangGraph. Burr's pitch is operational: state management, replay, debugging, and persistence are framework primitives rather than escape hatches, which is why production teams cite it specifically for getting from prototype to deployed. The cookbook covers concrete patterns: counter and 'choose your own adventure' toys; GPT-like multimodal chatbots; conversational RAG (often paired with Hamilton); divide-and-conquer agent patterns; web-server deployment; provisioning and monitoring; guardrails; hyperparameter tuning; simulations. The framework ships a bundled Burr UI for post-hoc state-machine visualization and execution trace monitoring — debugging surface that Reddit's LocalLlama community and engineers at Peanut Robotics, Watto.ai, Paxton AI, and Provectus specifically called out in public testimonials. Integrations include Hamilton, Streamlit, OpenTelemetry, Traceloop, Langchain, Pydantic, Haystack, and Ray. Burr is free and open-source under the Apache 2.0 license, with optional paid hosting from DAGWorks for teams that don't want to run telemetry infrastructure themselves.

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Editorial Review

Apache Burr (Incubating) establishes a clear paradigm for AI application development by treating every workflow as an explicit state machine. Its bundled telemetry UI, pluggable persistence, and framework-agnostic design make it a compelling choice for teams prioritizing observability and reliability. The trade-off is a smaller ecosystem and more upfront design effort compared to larger frameworks.

Key Features

Post-Hoc State Machine Visualization+

Define applications as explicit state machines with decorator-based actions and conditional transitions, then inspect and replay executions through the built-in Burr UI's trace viewer and state inspector.

Framework-Agnostic Integration+

Works seamlessly with any LLM provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, local models) and Python library, with no vendor lock-in or required abstraction layers.

Built-in Telemetry & Debugging UI+

Every installation includes a local web UI for step-by-step execution traces, state inspection, and time-travel debugging — no external services or accounts required.

Persistent State Management+

Pluggable persistence backends support in-memory, SQLite, PostgreSQL, Redis, and custom stores for checkpointing, recovery, and long-running workflow state.

Production FastAPI Integration+

Deploy applications as web services with built-in FastAPI support, enabling straightforward scaling and integration into existing service architectures.

Apache Software Foundation Governance+

Currently incubating at the ASF, benefiting from its proven governance model with vendor-neutral oversight, transparent development, and community-driven roadmap.

Advanced State Inspection Tools+

Deep introspection capabilities allow examination of state at every step, enabling reproducible debugging and comprehensive audit trails for compliance.

Multi-Modal Data Handling+

Seamlessly manages state containing text, images, embeddings, and structured data across actions and transitions in complex AI pipelines.

Pricing Plans

Open Source

Free

    DAGWorks Cloud (Hosted)

    Custom

      See Full Pricing →Free vs Paid →Is it worth it? →

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      Best Use Cases

      🎯

      Production LLM applications where replay, debug, and audit are required (regulated industries, support automation)

      ⚡

      Conversational RAG with rich session state across multiple turns and persistence backends

      🔧

      Divide-and-conquer agent patterns where orchestration logic must be explicit and inspectable

      🚀

      Teams burned by LangChain's abstraction sprawl who want explicit graphs and typed state

      Limitations & What It Can't Do

      We believe in transparent reviews. Here's what Apache Burr doesn't handle well:

      • ⚠Apache Burr (Incubating) is Python-only and does not provide SDKs for other languages. The ecosystem is smaller than LangChain's, with fewer pre-built integrations. The state machine paradigm requires upfront architectural design. Burr Cloud enterprise features are still in beta with pricing not yet finalized. As an ASF incubating project, it has not yet graduated to top-level project status.

      Pros & Cons

      ✓ Pros

      • ✓Explicit state-machine model makes replay, debug, and audit trivial — primitives, not escape hatches
      • ✓Bundled Burr UI for execution-trace visualization is consistently cited as best-in-class for stateful agents
      • ✓Framework-agnostic — works with any LLM client and slots into existing RAG/observability stacks

      ✗ Cons

      • ✗Smaller community than LangChain/LangGraph means fewer ready-made tutorials and Stack Overflow answers
      • ✗ASF incubation status means governance is stabilizing but API changes are possible
      • ✗State-machine modeling requires upfront design — less attractive than 'chain a few prompts' starter patterns

      Frequently Asked Questions

      Do I need deep knowledge of state machines to use Burr?+

      While basic understanding helps, Burr's state machine model is intentionally simple. Actions define inputs and outputs, and transitions specify which action runs next. The decorator-based API makes it feel like writing standard Python functions with clear control flow.

      Can Burr work with any LLM provider or is it tied to a specific one?+

      Burr is completely framework-agnostic. Actions are standard Python functions, so you can call OpenAI, Anthropic, local models via Ollama, or any other provider. There is no built-in LLM abstraction layer that forces you into a specific integration.

      How does Burr's debugging compare to LangChain's LangSmith?+

      Burr's telemetry UI is built-in and free, providing step-by-step execution traces, state inspection, and time-travel debugging out of the box. LangSmith is a separate paid service starting at $39 per seat per month. Burr's approach requires no external accounts or API keys for local debugging.

      Is Burr production-ready for enterprise applications?+

      Yes. Burr includes FastAPI integration, persistent state backends, and robust error handling suitable for production. Its Apache Software Foundation incubation status signals community commitment to long-term maintenance and governance. Note that the project is still in ASF incubation, so users should evaluate maturity for their specific requirements.

      What's the performance overhead of Burr's state machine model?+

      Burr's overhead is minimal since it primarily orchestrates function calls and manages state transitions. The actual computational work happens in your actions (LLM calls, data processing), and Burr adds negligible latency to the orchestration layer.

      How difficult is migrating from LangChain to Burr?+

      Migration involves restructuring chain logic into actions and transitions. Since Burr actions are plain Python functions, existing LangChain tool integrations can often be wrapped directly. The main effort is in redesigning the flow as an explicit state machine.

      What enterprise support options are available?+

      The open-source version includes community support via Discord and GitHub. Burr Cloud (currently in beta) is planned to offer hosted observability and team features. Beta access is currently free; post-GA pricing has not been publicly announced but is expected to follow industry-standard per-seat or usage-based models. The Apache Software Foundation governance model ensures the project's long-term continuity regardless of commercial offerings.

      Does Burr support concurrent execution of multiple agents?+

      Yes. Burr applications can run concurrently with isolated state, making it straightforward to orchestrate multiple agents or parallel workflows within a single service.

      🔒 Security & Compliance

      —
      SOC2
      Unknown
      —
      GDPR
      Unknown
      —
      HIPAA
      Unknown
      —
      SSO
      Unknown
      ✅
      Self-Hosted
      Yes
      —
      On-Prem
      Unknown
      —
      RBAC
      Unknown
      —
      Audit Log
      Unknown
      —
      API Key Auth
      Unknown
      ✅
      Open Source
      Yes
      —
      Encryption at Rest
      Unknown
      —
      Encryption in Transit
      Unknown
      Data Retention: user-controlled
      🦞

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      What's New in 2026

      Apache Burr's most significant 2025–2026 milestone is its acceptance into the Apache Software Foundation Incubator, establishing vendor-neutral governance. The project has added streaming support, async execution, improved multi-agent patterns, and Burr Cloud beta for hosted observability.

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      Quick Info

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      Coding Agents

      Website

      burr.dagworks.io/
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