Introduction to Router

Route AI requests through visual decision graphs

Overview

Bud AI Foundry Router lets teams build reusable routing graphs for AI traffic. A router combines signals, projections, decision rules, algorithms, and plugins so a single OpenAI-compatible request can be evaluated and sent to the best endpoint or policy path.

Routers are created as project resources, configured in a visual editor, saved as active router definitions, and exposed through the chat completions API by using the router name as the model value.

Key Features

Visual Router Editor Build router graphs with drag-and-drop actions, category-aware lanes, and guarded connection rules.

Project-Scoped Creation Create routers globally and assign them to a project, or create routers directly from project context.

Dynamic Action Catalog Router actions load from the /routers/actions API and include parameter metadata, output definitions, validation rules, and categories.

OpenAI-Compatible Usage Use a router through v1/chat/completions with your API key and the router name in the model field.

Operational Controls Search, paginate, edit, delete, save, and inspect router cards with status, step count, run count, and last execution metadata.

Router Building Blocks

Category	Purpose	Connection Behavior
Trigger	Entry point for a router request	Connects to Signal, Decision, or Projection actions
Signal	Extract or evaluate request inputs	Connects from Trigger and is referenced by Decision rules
Projection	Derive normalized routing context	Connects from Trigger and is referenced by Decision rules
Decision	Evaluate rules and choose downstream behavior	Connects to Algorithm or Plugin actions
Algorithm	Select, order, weight, or fallback across endpoints	Leaf node connected from a Decision
Plugin	Add policy, cache, guardrail, or integration behavior	Leaf node connected from a Decision

Router action categories are resolved from API metadata and action type prefixes. The editor blocks invalid edges and shows contextual guidance when users try to connect unsupported node pairs.

How It Works

1. Create - Define the router name, description, icon, and project.
2. Design - Open the router detail page and add actions from the router action catalog.
3. Connect - Wire Trigger → Signal / Decision / Projection and Decision → Algorithm / Plugin.
4. Configure - Fill action parameters using clusters, models, projects, providers, credentials, and endpoints.
5. Save - Persist the router DAG as dag_config and activate the router.
6. Use - Call v1/chat/completions with model set to the router name.

Use Cases

Endpoint Selection

Route traffic to the best deployment based on request metadata, availability, or configured rules.

Fallback Routing

Attach algorithms that recover from endpoint failures or route to alternate deployments.

Policy-Aware Routing

Combine decision rules and plugins to apply guardrails, cache policies, or governance controls.

Project-Level AI Gateway

Give each project a managed router that frontends and applications call through one API surface.

Getting Started

Quick Start

Create and use your first router in minutes

Router Concepts

Understand router DAGs, categories, and connection rules

Detailed Tutorial

Build a production-ready routing graph step by step