# Claude Agent SDK vs Kaizen Framework - Visual Decision Tree

```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Do you need autonomous AI agents?                          │
└────────────┬────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
             │
             ├─ NO  → Use Core SDK (workflows without agents)
             │
             └─ YES → Continue
                      │
┌─────────────────────┴─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│  Are you building CODE-CENTRIC agents?                        │
│  (Code generation, refactoring, debugging, IDE automation)    │
└────────────┬──────────────────────────────────────────────────┘
             │
             ├─ YES → ┌──────────────────────────────────────┐
             │        │ Need MULTI-PROVIDER support?        │
             │        └─────┬────────────────────────────────┘
             │              │
             │              ├─ YES → Kaizen Framework
             │              │        (multi-provider + code nodes)
             │              │
             │              └─ NO → ┌─────────────────────────┐
             │                      │ Need ENTERPRISE features?│
             │                      │ (Monitoring, cost, etc.) │
             │                      └───┬─────────────────────┘
             │                          │
             │                          ├─ YES → Scenario A or C
             │                          │        (Kaizen wraps/
             │                          │         orchestrates
             │                          │         Claude SDK)
             │                          │
             │                          └─ NO → Claude Agent SDK
             │                                   (optimized for
             │                                    Claude-only)
             │
             └─ NO → ┌────────────────────────────────────────┐
                     │ Need MULTI-AGENT COORDINATION?        │
                     │ (Supervisor-worker, debate, consensus) │
                     └─────┬──────────────────────────────────┘
                           │
                           ├─ YES → ┌──────────────────────────┐
                           │        │ Agents need SPECIALIZED  │
                           │        │ tools? (e.g., Code expert│
                           │        │ + Data expert)           │
                           │        └───┬──────────────────────┘
                           │            │
                           │            ├─ YES → Scenario C
                           │            │        (Hybrid: Kaizen
                           │            │         orchestrates
                           │            │         mixed workers)
                           │            │
                           │            └─ NO → Kaizen Framework
                           │                    (A2A coordination)
                           │
                           └─ NO → ┌────────────────────────────┐
                                   │ Need DATABASE-HEAVY       │
                                   │ workflows? (CRM, ERP)     │
                                   └───┬────────────────────────┘
                                       │
                                       ├─ YES → Kaizen Framework
                                       │        (DataFlow
                                       │         integration)
                                       │
                                       └─ NO → ┌──────────────────┐
                                               │ Need LONG-TERM   │
                                               │ MEMORY?          │
                                               │ (Knowledge graphs│
                                               │  vector storage) │
                                               └───┬──────────────┘
                                                   │
                                                   ├─ YES → Kaizen
                                                   │        (5-tier
                                                   │         memory)
                                                   │
                                                   └─ NO → ┌─────────┐
                                                           │ LATENCY │
                                                           │ critical?│
                                                           │ (<10ms) │
                                                           └──┬──────┘
                                                              │
                                                              ├─ YES → Claude SDK
                                                              │        (lightweight)
                                                              │
                                                              └─ NO → Either
                                                                      (team
                                                                       expertise)
```

## Quick Reference Matrix

| Your Primary Need | Choose | Reason |
|-------------------|--------|--------|
| **Code generation, refactoring, debugging** | Claude Agent SDK | File tools, Claude optimization, low latency |
| **Enterprise CRM/ERP with AI** | Kaizen | DataFlow auto-CRUD, compliance, multi-channel |
| **Multi-agent research team** | Kaizen | A2A coordination, semantic routing |
| **Code + Data hybrid workflows** | Scenario C (Hybrid) | Claude SDK for code, Kaizen for data |
| **Customer support with memory** | Kaizen | 5-tier memory, vector storage |
| **Rapid prototype (Claude-only)** | Claude Agent SDK | Fast setup, minimal overhead |
| **Multi-provider cost optimization** | Kaizen | Unified interface, dynamic selection |
| **Interactive approval workflows** | Claude Agent SDK | canUseTool, permission system |
| **Session resumption** | Claude Agent SDK | Native resume/fork_session |
| **Compliance (SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA)** | Kaizen | Built-in compliance framework |

## Integration Scenarios Summary

### Scenario A: Kaizen Wraps Claude SDK (Facade)
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│         Kaizen Framework Layer          │
│  (Monitoring, Cost, Multi-Provider)     │
├─────────────────────────────────────────┤
│       Claude Agent SDK Layer            │
│  (Session Mgmt, Context Compaction)     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
**Best For**: Existing Claude SDK apps wanting enterprise features

### Scenario B: Kaizen Reimplements (Native)
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│         Kaizen Framework                │
│  (All Features Natively Implemented)    │
│  - Session Management (DataFlow-backed) │
│  - Context Compaction (Memory Tiers)    │
│  - Multi-Provider, Enterprise, etc.     │
└─────────────────────────────────────────┘
```
**Best For**: Greenfield projects, Kaizen-first teams

### Scenario C: Hybrid Orchestration
```
┌─────────────────────────────────────────┐
│    Kaizen Supervisor (Orchestrator)     │
├─────────────┬───────────────┬───────────┤
│  Claude SDK │  Kaizen       │  Kaizen   │
│  Worker     │  Worker       │  Worker   │
│  (Code Gen) │  (Data Anal.) │  (Writer) │
└─────────────┴───────────────┴───────────┘
```
**Best For**: Best-of-breed strategy, specialized workers

## Cost-Benefit Quick Reference

| Framework | 3-Year TCO | Key Cost Drivers |
|-----------|------------|------------------|
| Claude Agent SDK | $342,000 | Custom enterprise features ($80K Y1), monitoring ($55K), multi-agent ($70K) |
| Kaizen Framework | $117,000 | Learning curve ($20K), minimal custom dev ($35K) |
| **Savings** | **$225,000 (66%)** | Built-in enterprise features, multi-provider optimization |

## When You Absolutely MUST Use...

### Claude Agent SDK
1. Building Claude Code plugins (plugin system is native)
2. File-heavy developer tools (file I/O, bash optimized)
3. Interactive approval critical (canUseTool callback)
4. Latency < 10ms required (minimal overhead)
5. Claude-only, no multi-provider needed

### Kaizen Framework
1. Enterprise compliance required (SOC2, GDPR, HIPAA)
2. Database-heavy workflows (CRM, ERP)
3. Multi-agent coordination (>2 agents with patterns)
4. Multi-provider support (cost optimization)
5. Multi-channel deployment (API + CLI + MCP)
6. Long-term memory (knowledge graphs, vectors)

### Hybrid (Scenario C)
1. Code generation (Claude SDK) + Data analysis (Kaizen)
2. Specialized workers with different strengths
3. Gradual migration from Claude SDK to Kaizen
4. Performance-critical paths alongside enterprise features

---

**Last Updated**: 2025-10-18
**Related**: [Full Parity Analysis](CLAUDE_AGENT_SDK_VS_KAIZEN_PARITY_ANALYSIS.md)
