This research maps the priorities and challenges faced by practitioners when implementing LLM systems in production environments.

Key Insights:

• Engineering concerns dominate the landscape, particularly around designing effective RAG systems and architectural considerations
• Security and ethical challenges are recognized as critical in deployment scenarios
• Support infrastructure is essential for maintaining robust LLM applications

For engineering teams, this research provides a comprehensive framework to understand where to focus resources when developing LLM applications for production use. It bridges the gap between academic research and practical implementation challenges.

Themes of Building LLM-based Applications for Production: A Practitioner's View