Comparison
forge vs lagent
Verdict
Pick forge if developers working on self-hosted LLM tooling who need flexibility in backend setup and seamless integration of function calling in multi-step workflows might benefit from Forge; pick lagent if lagent is a Python framework aimed at streamlining the creation of lightweight Large Language Model (LLM) agents.
Markdown twin · forge alternatives · lagent alternatives
GraphCanon updated 6d
Trust & integrity
| Signal | forge | lagent |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of 1w · github_public_v1 | Active (12d since push) As of 6d · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Personal account As of 1w · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 6d · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of 1mo · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) 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
- forge
- A Python framework for self-hosted LLM tool-calling and multi-step agentic workflows
- lagent
- A lightweight framework for building LLM-based agents
Stars
- forge
- 2.2k
- lagent
- 2.3k
Forks
- forge
- 173
- lagent
- 238
Open issues
- forge
- 4
- lagent
- 24
Language
- forge
- Python
- lagent
- Python
Adopt for
- forge
- Developers working on self-hosted LLM tooling who need flexibility in backend setup and seamless integration of function calling in multi-step workflows might benefit from Forge.
- lagent
- lagent is a Python framework aimed at streamlining the creation of lightweight Large Language Model (LLM) agents.
Persona
- forge
- -
- lagent
- -
Runtime
- forge
- -
- lagent
- -
License
- forge
- MIT
- lagent
- lagent is open-source under the Apache-2.0 license, allowing for broad use and modification with attribution.
Last pushed
- forge
- Aug 13, 2026
- lagent
- Aug 3, 2026
Categories
- forge
- AI Agents, LLM Frameworks
- lagent
- AI Agents, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Maintenance
- forge
- Very active (96%)
- lagent
- Active (82%)
Days since push
- forge
- 0d
- lagent
- 12d
Open issues (now)
- forge
- 4
- lagent
- 24
Stars delta
- forge
- Unknown
- lagent
- +8 (30d)
Open issues delta
- forge
- Unknown
- lagent
- +1 (30d)
Owner type
- forge
- User
- lagent
- Organization
Full report
- forge
- Trust report
- lagent
- Trust report
Shared compatibility
- Python · forge: Python runtime · lagent: Python runtime
Choose forge if…
- License: forge is MIT, lagent is Apache-2.0.
- Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires Python 3.12+ and a running LLM backend.; Can be set up with local backends (e.g., llama.cpp) or Anthropic via its API, requiring an API key for the latter case..
- Tags unique to forge: agentic-ai, function-calling, multi-step-workflows, python-framework.
- forge ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
- - You require an agnostic backend setup, such as local LLM backends like llama.cpp or cloud-based services with Anthropic.
When NOT to use forge
- - If your application does not require flexibility in backend selection, and you prefer a single cloud provider like Anthropic without local setup.
- - For scenarios where simplicity of setup outweighs the need for customization in function calling and workflow management.
- - When working within environments strictly regulated against self-hosted infrastructure or requiring fully managed services.
Choose lagent if…
- License: lagent is Apache-2.0, forge is MIT.
- Pricing: Available freely due to its open-source nature, but customization or enterprise support might involve additional costs..
- Tags unique to lagent: agent, gpt, llm, transformers.
- When you need a streamlined approach to develop LLM-based agents with minimal overhead, lagent can be particularly advantageous due to its lightweight design.
When NOT to use lagent
- Avoid using lagent if your project necessitates integration with a broader set of tools that are not natively supported by this framework, as it offers limited out-of-the-box extensibility.
- Steer clear if you need robust scalability features right from the start. While lightweight, lagent may require additional custom work to handle more demanding scaling requirements.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (antoinezambelli/forge) · observed Aug 14, 2026
- GitHub forks (antoinezambelli/forge) · observed Aug 14, 2026
- Last push (antoinezambelli/forge) · observed Aug 13, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Aug 14, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 17, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 15, 2026
- GitHub stars (InternLM/lagent) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- GitHub forks (InternLM/lagent) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Last push (InternLM/lagent) · observed Aug 3, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 12, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: forge 2.2k · lagent 2.3k (synced Aug 14, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between forge and lagent?
- forge: A Python framework for self-hosted LLM tool-calling and multi-step agentic workflows. lagent: A lightweight framework for building LLM-based agents. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose forge over lagent?
- Choose forge over lagent when License: forge is MIT, lagent is Apache-2.0; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires Python 3.12+ and a running LLM backend.; Can be set up with local backends (e.g., llama.cpp) or Anthropic via its API, requiring an API key for the latter case.; Tags unique to forge: agentic-ai, function-calling, multi-step-workflows, python-framework; forge ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; - You require an agnostic backend setup, such as local LLM backends like llama.cpp or cloud-based services with Anthropic.
- When should I choose lagent over forge?
- Choose lagent over forge when License: lagent is Apache-2.0, forge is MIT; Pricing: Available freely due to its open-source nature, but customization or enterprise support might involve additional costs.; Tags unique to lagent: agent, gpt, llm, transformers; When you need a streamlined approach to develop LLM-based agents with minimal overhead, lagent can be particularly advantageous due to its lightweight design.
- When should I avoid forge?
- - If your application does not require flexibility in backend selection, and you prefer a single cloud provider like Anthropic without local setup. - For scenarios where simplicity of setup outweighs the need for customization in function calling and workflow management. - When working within environments strictly regulated against self-hosted infrastructure or requiring fully managed services.
- When should I avoid lagent?
- Avoid using lagent if your project necessitates integration with a broader set of tools that are not natively supported by this framework, as it offers limited out-of-the-box extensibility. Steer clear if you need robust scalability features right from the start. While lightweight, lagent may require additional custom work to handle more demanding scaling requirements.
- Is forge or lagent more popular on GitHub?
- lagent has more GitHub stars (2,276 vs 2,217). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are forge and lagent open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (forge: MIT, lagent: Apache-2.0).
- Where can I find alternatives to forge or lagent?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at forge alternatives and lagent alternatives (forge markdown twin, lagent 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, forge or lagent?
- forge: Very active. lagent: 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 forge and lagent?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: forge trust report; lagent trust report.