Inference servingOpen sourceUpdated 2026
vLLM
Advanced · Inference server
High-throughput open-source LLM serving engine for production and research workloads.
Best for
Serving open models at higher throughput with batching and OpenAI-compatible APIs.
Why use it
Commonly used when local experiments need to become serious model serving infrastructure.
Tradeoffs
Requires GPU/server setup and model compatibility checks.
Key features
- High-throughput serving
- OpenAI-compatible API
- GPU batching
Alternatives
SGLang, TGI, LocalAI
Where it fits
vLLM belongs in the inference serving layer of an open AI stack. Evaluate it against your model runtime, privacy needs, deployment target, and the amount of operational complexity your team can support.
CategoryInference servingLicenseApache 2.0DeploymentInference serverModeSelf-hosted server
vLLM GitHub →Recommendation
Use vLLM when throughput and serving efficiency matter.