An inference router decides which model answers each incoming request, weighing cost, latency and how hard the request actually is. Well-built inference routers cut total token spend by 30 to 70 percent with no quality loss the user can perceive. Four patterns cover most cases: length, task type, an auxiliary classifier, and learned routing.
The LiteLLM proxy sits between your applications and your model providers, exposing a single endpoint in the OpenAI format that routes each call to OpenAI, Anthropic, Cohere, or a self-hosted model. It earns its place at the second provider, where clean code breaks down: every SDK brings its own client, message format, streaming semantics, errors, and function calling.
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