TokenSpeed: A high-speed LLM inference engine for agentic workloads
An LLM inference engine for faster agentic workloads, separating C++ scheduling from Python execution for performance and iteration speed.
GitHub lightseekorg/tokenspeed Updated 2026-10-16 Branch main Stars 2.5K Forks 336
Python/C++/CUDA LLM inference Scheduler and MLA NVIDIA and AMD GPUs

🧭 Decision Guide

Try it if you

  • You need to serve Qwen3.8-Flash-Next and have access to NVIDIA GB300 resources
    The README News section reports 685 tokens/s per user for this model on NVIDIA GB300
  • Your service handles agentic workloads and focuses on models such as Kimi K3 or Qwen3.8
    The README names agentic workloads as the design target and lists Kimi K3 and Qwen3.8 support in News
  • You need a common Kernel extension model across NVIDIA and AMD hardware
    The Differentiation section describes a portable public API, centralized registry, and plugin mechanism for heterogeneous accelerators
  • You want C++ resource-safety guarantees in scheduling while retaining Python iteration speed
    The Differentiation section explicitly describes the split between a C++ finite-state-machine control plane and Python execution plane

Skip it if you

  • You need the README to provide a direct installation or launch command for first execution
    The supplied README material contains links to Docs Index, Getting Started, and Launching a Server, but no copyable command
  • Your target hardware is not among the Blackwell, GB300, NVIDIA Vera Rubin, or AMD MI355X hardware named in the README
    The README performance and news material focuses on these hardware platforms and does not list other compatibility coverage
  • You require a mature release line and a large maintainer base for production selection
    Project metadata shows only 2 releases and 10 contributors, with 0.1.1 as the latest version

Requirements

  • The README defines the target as production agentic workloads.
  • The README lists an MLA implementation on NVIDIA Blackwell.
  • The README news lists NVIDIA GB300, NVIDIA Vera Rubin, and AMD Instinct MI355X.
  • The README provides links to Getting Started, Launching a Server, Model Recipes, and Parallelism documentation.

Watch out

  • Do not generalize 685 tokens/s to models or GPUs not named in the README
    The README explicitly associates 685 tokens/s with Qwen3.8-Flash-Next and NVIDIA GB300
  • Do not treat the Blackwell MLA result as a result for every accelerator
    The Kernels section specifically describes the MLA implementation as being on Blackwell
  • You cannot complete first execution by copying a command from the README
    The supplied README text and lists contain no installation, launch, or serving command

Alternatives

  • TensorRT-LLM:The material does not specify a concrete scenario in which TensorRT-LLM is better than TokenSpeed.
    README Differentiation section
  • vLLM:The material does not specify a concrete scenario in which vLLM is better than TokenSpeed.
    README正文

Not stated in the README

  • The README does not specify supported Python, CUDA, CMake, or compiler versions.
  • The README does not provide installation steps, dependency commands, or a server launch command.
  • The README does not provide a hardware compatibility matrix beyond NVIDIA GB300, Vera Rubin, and AMD MI355X.
  • The README does not specify input length, concurrency, batching configuration, or end-to-end latency for the 685 tokens/s result.
  • The README does not provide a complete support list for Qwen3.8-Flash-Next, Kimi K3, or other models.
  • The README does not describe production stability, failure recovery, or monitoring capabilities.

💡 Deep Analysis

6
Yes I want to experiment with execution strategies quickly in Python while keeping request lifecycles and KV-cache resource safety in C++. Is TokenSpeed suitable for this development model?
For: An LLM inference researcher who needs to iterate on execution logic in Python without directly modifying the C++ scheduling core

Yes, because the explicit separation between the control plane and execution plane is one of TokenSpeed’s primary architectural goals.

  • The Scheduler uses C++ for the control plane and Python for the execution plane; the README states that the Python layer enables fast iteration and lowers the cognitive load for researchers and engineers.
  • Request lifecycles, KV-cache ownership, and overlap timing are encoded as a finite-state machine, while compile-time type checks reinforce safe resource reuse instead of relying entirely on runtime checks.
  • Kernels are separated from the core engine through a public API, centralized registration and selection, allowing implementations to be replaced or extended without rewriting the scheduler.
  • This is not a pure-Python project: the project includes C++, CUDA, and CMake, so changes to core scheduling or kernels still require knowledge of concurrency, resource ownership, and the low-level build toolchain.
  • README: “The first to separate the control plane from the execution plane”
  • README: “The execution plane is implemented in Python, enabling fast iteration”
  • README: “request lifecycles and KV cache state ... at compile time rather than runtime”
  • Project data: Python, C++, CUDA, and CMake all appear in the language distribution
Not stated in the README:The README does not describe the extension interfaces, debugging tools, or hot-reload capabilities of the Python execution plane.;The README does not state which automated concurrency, resource-reclamation, or regression tests cover changes to the state machine or kernels.
It depends I need to evaluate Qwen, GLM, and DeepSeek and use the inference service for production agents. With only v0.1.1 and two releases, should I adopt it now?
For: A deployment lead preparing to use the early-version TokenSpeed for multi-model serving across Qwen, GLM, and DeepSeek

It depends. The model direction and production-agent goal fit the project, but public maturity and per-model compatibility remain adoption gates.

  • The README News section lists rapid adaptation examples for Qwen, GLM, Kimi, DeepSeek, and other models, showing a focus on Day 0 support for frontier models.
  • The documentation provides entry points for Model Recipes, Launching a Server, Server Parameters, Compatible Parameters, and Parallelism, giving a deployment path from model recipes to service configuration.
  • The project data shows only two releases, with v0.1.1 as the latest; that does not establish stable API, upgrade, or failure-recovery guarantees for production.
  • The README also makes clear that performance depends on the exact model, hardware, and configuration, so the three models should not be assumed to share the same parameters or kernel support.

If production requires mature upgrade and rollback contracts, the available information is insufficient to confirm adoption now.

  • README News: Day 0 and optimization entries for “Qwen,” “GLM,” and “DeepSeek”
  • README Documentation: “Model Recipes,” “Launching a Server,” “Server Parameters,” “Compatible Parameters,” and “Parallelism”
  • Project data: latest_release is v0.1.1 and release_count is 2
Not stated in the README:The README does not describe API stability, compatibility policy, upgrade path, or rollback mechanisms for v0.1.1.;The README does not list the fully supported model versions, quantization formats, parallelism configurations, or failure-recovery behavior for Qwen, GLM, and DeepSeek.;The README does not provide production SLA, error-rate, or long-running stability data.
Yes I need to serve Qwen3.8-Flash-Next on NVIDIA GB300 and optimize multi-turn conversations, long context, and per-user decode speed for a coding agent. Is TokenSpeed suitable?
For: An inference infrastructure engineer deploying Qwen3.8-Flash-Next on NVIDIA GB300 for a production coding agent

Yes, because this combination matches the workload and hardware path explicitly demonstrated by the README.

  • The project targets agentic workloads, especially multi-turn requests, long context, and decode-heavy traffic.
  • The News section reports 685 tokens/s per user for Qwen3.8-Flash-Next on NVIDIA GB300, although that number depends on the specific model, hardware, and benchmark conditions.
  • The scheduler uses a C++ control plane and Python execution plane, with a finite-state machine for request lifecycles and KV-cache ownership, which fits heavily interleaved agent requests.
  • The Blackwell MLA implementation and SMG-integrated AsyncLLM address attention performance and CPU-side request overhead respectively.

It is therefore a stronger match than a general engine optimized for ordinary short requests, but the published number is not a production guarantee.

  • README: “TokenSpeed is ... designed for agentic workloads”
  • README: “685 tokens/s per user: serving Qwen3.8-Flash-Next on NVIDIA GB300”
  • README: “Scheduler: C++ control plane and Python execution plane”
  • README: “one of the fastest MLA ... implementations on Blackwell”
Not stated in the README:The README does not specify first-token latency, end-to-end latency, or peak memory for your actual context length, concurrency distribution, and KV-cache capacity.;The README does not specify the exact model recipe, driver, or CUDA versions required for production Qwen3.8-Flash-Next deployment.
Yes I am evaluating Kimi K2.5 on NVIDIA B200 for multi-turn agent requests. If I cannot judge the system by tokens/s alone, is TokenSpeed worth including in the comparison?
For: A performance engineer operating a Kimi K2.5 agent service on B200 who must compare throughput, time to first token, and KV-cache usage

Yes, it is worth including, but it must be evaluated with an agentic workload and multiple metrics rather than by reproducing a single README performance number.

  • The README provides a TokenSpeed-versus-TensorRT-LLM Pareto curve for Kimi K2.5 on B200 under agentic workloads, showing that the project targets throughput/latency trade-offs.
  • The project is not focused only on tokens/s; it targets multi-turn conversations, long context, interleaved requests, and decode-heavy traffic.
  • The Scheduler explicitly manages KV-cache ownership and request lifecycles, making KV-cache usage, concurrency stability, and queueing relevant evaluation dimensions.
  • However, the README does not provide all raw data behind the Pareto chart or guarantee that your context length, concurrency pattern, or precision settings will reproduce the same curve.
  • README: “TokenSpeed vs. TensorRT-LLM Pareto curves on agentic workloads (Kimi K2.5, B200)”
  • README: “designed for agentic workloads”
  • README: “Request lifecycle, KV cache ownership, and overlap timing are encoded as a finite-state machine”
Not stated in the README:The README does not provide the complete raw data, concurrency points, or test parameters for the B200/Kimi K2.5 Pareto chart.;The README does not define a uniform measurement format for time to first token, end-to-end latency, or peak memory.
It depends I need to support TML Inkling FP4 inference across NVIDIA and AMD platforms and want kernels to evolve independently through a stable interface. Is TokenSpeed suitable?
For: A kernel engineer who needs to quickly adapt new models and FP4 formats across NVIDIA and AMD platforms

It depends. The architecture is a strong match, but the README does not establish complete FP4 operator coverage or equal maturity across platforms.

  • The News section explicitly mentions TML Inkling running with FP4 on both NVIDIA and AMD and links to TokenSpeed-related material, placing this model format within the project’s adaptation scope.
  • Kernels are defined as a pluggable, layered subsystem with a portable public API, centralized registry, and kernel-selection mechanism, which supports decoupling hardware-specific implementations from the core engine.
  • The Differentiation section describes a plugin mechanism for heterogeneous accelerators, allowing different implementation paths for NVIDIA and AMD.
  • However, the README does not list all FP4 operators, quantization layouts, build dependencies, or performance parity between the two GPU families. Those details must be confirmed for the target configuration.
  • README: “TML Inkling ... FP4 Inference on NVIDIA and AMD with TokenSpeed”
  • README: “pluggable, layered kernel system with a portable public API and a centralized registry”
  • README: “an extensible plugin mechanism for heterogeneous accelerators”
Not stated in the README:The README does not specify the exact kernel list, numerical error, or performance differences for Inkling FP4 on each platform.;The README does not specify ABI/API stability, testing requirements, or the build workflow for custom kernel plugins.
It depends I need to deploy Kimi K3 on AMD Instinct MI355X while avoiding a CUDA-bound inference engine. Does TokenSpeed fit this constraint?
For: A model-serving engineer deploying Kimi K3 on AMD Instinct MI355X while maintaining a heterogeneous hardware strategy

It depends. The project clearly targets AMD, but the README demonstrates an adaptation path and selected examples rather than complete production coverage for every Kimi K3 configuration.

  • The News section explicitly lists “Kimi K3 Optimization on AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs with TokenSpeed,” showing that this model and accelerator combination is in scope.
  • Kernels use a portable public API, centralized registry and selection, and an extension plugin mechanism, which is intended to support heterogeneous accelerators without rewriting the whole engine.
  • The Differentiation section mentions hardware and engineering support from both NVIDIA and AMD, so the project is not designed solely around CUDA.
  • However, the README does not provide the complete MI355X/Kimi K3 launch parameters, operator coverage, precision constraints, or performance numbers. Actual readiness depends on the matching recipe and software stack.
  • README: “Kimi K3 Optimization on AMD Instinct MI355X GPUs with TokenSpeed”
  • README: “portable public API, centralized registry and selection model, and an extensible plugin mechanism for heterogeneous accelerators”
  • README: “serious hardware and engineering support from vendors like NVIDIA and AMD”
Not stated in the README:The README does not state the required ROCm, driver, or compiler-toolchain versions for MI355X.;The README does not specify supported precision, parallelism strategy, context length, or failure-recovery behavior for Kimi K3 on MI355X.

✨ Highlights

  • The C++ Scheduler separates request lifecycles and KV cache from the Python execution plane
  • Pluggable Kernels provide a portable API, centralized registry, and heterogeneous accelerator plugins
  • Qwen3.8-Flash-Next reaches 685 tokens/s per user on NVIDIA GB300
  • The README lists model optimizations for NVIDIA Vera Rubin and AMD MI355X

🔧 Engineering

  • The Scheduler uses a C++ finite-state machine for request lifecycles and KV cache ownership
  • Kernels use a layered plugin architecture with an MLA implementation for Blackwell
  • The Entrypoint provides SMG-integrated AsyncLLM for lower CPU-side request handling overhead

⚠️ Risks

  • The project has only 2 releases and 10 contributors; the latest version is 0.1.1
  • The README provides no installation command, minimum hardware requirements, or runnable launch command
  • The 685 tokens/s figure is explicitly tied only to Qwen3.8-Flash-Next on NVIDIA GB300

👥 For who?

  • Teams serving agentic workloads with large models such as Qwen3.8 or Kimi K3
  • Inference engineers using NVIDIA Blackwell, GB300, or AMD MI355X hardware
  • Research and engineering teams seeking separate C++ control and Python execution planes