Serve Programs, Not Prompts
On the map: Efficient LLM inference and serving → Serving systems and request scheduling
Abstract (arXiv)
Current large language model (LLM) serving systems, primarily designed for text completion, are neither efficient nor adaptable for increasingly complex LLM applications due to their inflexible design. We propose a new LLM serving system architecture that serves programs instead of prompts to address this problem. These programs, called LLM Inference Programs (LIPs), allow users to customize token prediction and KV cache management at runtime and to offload parts of their application logic, such as tool execution, to the server. We describe an example of this architecture through a system named Symphony, which functions as an operating system for LIPs. Symphony exposes LLM model computations via system calls and virtualizes KV cache with a dedicated file system, while ensuring GPU efficiency with a two-level process scheduling scheme. Symphony has the potential to open the door to a more efficient and extensible ecosystem for LLM applications.
Key facts. No citing papers in the map yet (data through 7 Oct 2026). Placed in Serving systems and request scheduling, one of 12 directions in Efficient LLM inference and serving. Builds on 36 of its 50 references that are in the map. First posted on arXiv 29 Oct 2025.
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36 of 50 references.
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Other references · 35
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23 more
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- 2013Programming Protocol-Independent Packet Processorscited by 21
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