AI Era Architecture Principles

Extracted: 2026-02-09 Context: When deciding whether to use large frameworks (LangChain, LiteLLM, etc.) vs custom implementation in the Claude Code era

Problem

Traditional software development wisdom says "Don't Reinvent the Wheel" — use existing libraries and frameworks to save development time. But in the AI-driven development era with Claude Code, is this still the best approach?

Key Questions:

• Should I use LangChain for LLM applications?
• Should I use a large framework with 50+ dependencies?
• When is custom implementation better than a comprehensive library?

Solution: The Three Principles

1. Micro-Dependencies Principle

Avoid large frameworks when Claude Code can implement needed features in hours.