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How do you decide between an open-source (self-hosted) LLM and a closed-source API model?

This is an architecture and business decision, not a religious one. The signal is weighing capability, cost, privacy, control, and operational burden, then making a call instead of declaring 'open is always better.'

Updated Aug 2026 · Grounded in real Applied AI Engineer interview loops and written to a senior-engineer editorial bar.

This is an architecture and business decision, not a religious one. The signal is weighing capability, cost, privacy, control, and operational burden, then making a call instead of declaring 'open is always better.'

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