Comparison
airweave vs ragflow
Verdict
Pick airweave if airweave is an open-source library for AI agents to retrieve and integrate context, offering a search API; pick ragflow if rAGFlow is a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) engine that integrates AI agents for enhanced context management in LLM applications, built using Go language and released under the Apache-2.0 license.
Markdown twin · airweave alternatives · ragflow alternatives
GraphCanon updated 3d
vs
Trust & integrity
| Signal | airweave | ragflow |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Steady (74d since push) As of 3d · github_public_v1 | Very active (0d since push) As of 2w · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 3d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 2w · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of 1mo · osv@v1 | Published findings As of 1mo · osv@v1 |
| deps.dev advisories | Not queried deps.dev@v1 | Not queried deps.dev@v1 |
| OpenSSF Scorecard | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 |
Tagline
- airweave
- Open-source context retrieval layer for AI agents
- ragflow
- Retrieval-Augmented Generation engine with agent capabilities
Stars
- airweave
- 6.6k
- ragflow
- 87k
Forks
- airweave
- 819
- ragflow
- 10k
Open issues
- airweave
- 119
- ragflow
- 2.0k
Language
- airweave
- Python
- ragflow
- Go
Adopt for
- airweave
- Airweave is an open-source library for AI agents to retrieve and integrate context, offering a search API.
- ragflow
- RAGFlow is a Retrieval-Augmented Generation (RAG) engine that integrates AI agents for enhanced context management in LLM applications, built using Go language and released under the Apache-2.0 license.
Persona
- airweave
- -
- ragflow
- -
Runtime
- airweave
- -
- ragflow
- -
License
- airweave
- Airweave is available under the permissive MIT License, allowing for free redistribution and modification as long as original copyright and license information are retained.
- ragflow
- Apache-2.0 License
Last pushed
- airweave
- Jun 5, 2026
- ragflow
- Jul 31, 2026
Categories
- airweave
- AI Agents, Data & Retrieval
- ragflow
- AI Agents, Data & Retrieval
Trust and health
Maintenance
- airweave
- Steady (60%)
- ragflow
- Very active (96%)
Days since push
- airweave
- 74d
- ragflow
- 0d
Open issues (now)
- airweave
- 119
- ragflow
- 2.0k
Stars delta
- airweave
- +70 (30d)
- ragflow
- Unknown
Open issues delta
- airweave
- -12 (30d)
- ragflow
- Unknown
OSV dependency advisories
- airweave
- No lockfile (source not queried)
- ragflow
- Published findings
Full report
- airweave
- Trust report
- ragflow
- Trust report
Typed relationship
airweave alternative ragflowBoth Airweave and RAGFlow focus on retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for context management in AI agents, but they offer different solutions and implementations.
Choose airweave if…
- airweave is primarily Python; ragflow is Go.
- License: airweave is MIT, ragflow is Apache-2.0.
- Pricing: Open-source (MIT License); community support; enterprise support packages potentially available..
- Requirements: - Requires Python for development and deployment.; - Necessitates setup for various data connectors depending on the use case..
- Both Airweave and RAGFlow focus on retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for context management in AI agents, but they offer different solutions and implementations.
- Tags unique to airweave: agent-infrastructure, ai-agents, context-retrieval, data-connectors.
- - When you need a versatile retrieval layer that supports multiple data connectors.
When NOT to use airweave
- - For projects requiring proprietary or closed-source solutions, as Airweave operates under an MIT license.
- - If your project demands a tightly integrated solution without reliance on external libraries or connectors.
- - When you prefer less customizable options and are seeking out-of-the-box functionality without the need to handle multiple connectors.
Choose ragflow if…
- ragflow is primarily Go; airweave is Python.
- License: ragflow is Apache-2.0, airweave is MIT.
- Requirements: Requires Docker; Docker image size is approximately 2 GB; build process requires access to external LLM and embedding services..
- Both Airweave and RAGFlow focus on retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for context management in AI agents, but they offer different solutions and implementations.
- Tags unique to ragflow: agentic-ai, context management, retrieval-augmented-generation.
- ragflow ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
- - You need an integrated RAG system with AI agent capabilities for better context management in your applications.
When NOT to use ragflow
- - If you specifically require a non-Golang developed RAG engine, as RAGFlow is built entirely in Go.
- - Your setup does not support or need Docker (RAGFlow requires building a Docker image that is approximately 2 GB).
- - You cannot use external LLM services and embedding services, as RAGFlow relies on them to function.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (airweave-ai/airweave) · observed Aug 18, 2026
- GitHub forks (airweave-ai/airweave) · observed Aug 18, 2026
- Last push (airweave-ai/airweave) · observed Jun 5, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Aug 18, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 12, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (infiniflow/ragflow) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- GitHub forks (infiniflow/ragflow) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- Last push (infiniflow/ragflow) · observed Jul 31, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: airweave 6.6k · ragflow 87k (synced Aug 18, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between airweave and ragflow?
- airweave: Open-source context retrieval layer for AI agents. ragflow: Retrieval-Augmented Generation engine with agent capabilities. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose airweave over ragflow?
- Choose airweave over ragflow when airweave is primarily Python; ragflow is Go; License: airweave is MIT, ragflow is Apache-2.0; Pricing: Open-source (MIT License); community support; enterprise support packages potentially available.; Requirements: - Requires Python for development and deployment.; - Necessitates setup for various data connectors depending on the use case.; Both Airweave and RAGFlow focus on retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for context management in AI agents, but they offer different solutions and implementations; Tags unique to airweave: agent-infrastructure, ai-agents, context-retrieval, data-connectors; - When you need a versatile retrieval layer that supports multiple data connectors.
- When should I choose ragflow over airweave?
- Choose ragflow over airweave when ragflow is primarily Go; airweave is Python; License: ragflow is Apache-2.0, airweave is MIT; Requirements: Requires Docker; Docker image size is approximately 2 GB; build process requires access to external LLM and embedding services.; Both Airweave and RAGFlow focus on retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) for context management in AI agents, but they offer different solutions and implementations; Tags unique to ragflow: agentic-ai, context management, retrieval-augmented-generation; ragflow ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; - You need an integrated RAG system with AI agent capabilities for better context management in your applications.
- When should I avoid airweave?
- - For projects requiring proprietary or closed-source solutions, as Airweave operates under an MIT license. - If your project demands a tightly integrated solution without reliance on external libraries or connectors. - When you prefer less customizable options and are seeking out-of-the-box functionality without the need to handle multiple connectors.
- When should I avoid ragflow?
- - If you specifically require a non-Golang developed RAG engine, as RAGFlow is built entirely in Go. - Your setup does not support or need Docker (RAGFlow requires building a Docker image that is approximately 2 GB). - You cannot use external LLM services and embedding services, as RAGFlow relies on them to function.
- Is airweave or ragflow more popular on GitHub?
- ragflow has more GitHub stars (86,541 vs 6,558). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are airweave and ragflow open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (airweave: MIT, ragflow: Apache-2.0).
- Where can I find alternatives to airweave or ragflow?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at airweave alternatives and ragflow alternatives (airweave markdown twin, ragflow markdown twin), ranked by typed relationship edges rather than popularity votes.
- Is there a machine-readable version of this comparison?
- Yes. The markdown twin at this comparison mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
- Which is better maintained, airweave or ragflow?
- airweave: Steady. ragflow: Very active. Compare maintenance labels, days since push, and release cadence in the trust section below - stars alone do not measure maintenance.
- Where are the full trust reports for airweave and ragflow?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: airweave trust report; ragflow trust report.