--- title: "burr vs autogen" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/apache-burr-vs-microsoft-autogen" tools: ["apache-burr", "microsoft-autogen"] --- # burr vs autogen *GraphCanon updated Aug 20, 2026* ## Verdict Pick burr if burr by Apache offers a comprehensive framework for decision-making applications, including chatbots, with built-in monitoring and state management; pick autogen if autoGen is a Python-based framework for developing and managing agentic AI systems. It includes the AutoGen Studio for no-code GUI setup, integrating with various models. [burr](https://burr.apache.org/) reports 2.5k GitHub stars, 186 forks, and 105 open issues, last pushed Aug 17, 2026. [autogen](https://microsoft.github.io/autogen/) has 60k stars, 9.1k forks, and 970 open issues, last pushed Apr 15, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [burr's repository](https://github.com/apache/burr) and [autogen's repository](https://github.com/microsoft/autogen). | | [burr](/tools/apache-burr.md) | [autogen](/tools/microsoft-autogen.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Build applications that make decisions like chatbots, agents; monitor and manage state. | A programming framework for agentic AI | | Stars | 2,521 | 60,139 | | Forks | 186 | 9,059 | | Open issues | 105 | 970 | | Language | Python | Python | | Adopt for | Burr by Apache offers a comprehensive framework for decision-making applications, including chatbots, with built-in monitoring and state management. | AutoGen is a Python-based framework for developing and managing agentic AI systems. It includes the AutoGen Studio for no-code GUI setup, integrating with various models. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 License, allowing free use but retaining notice requirements and disclaimers as per the license terms. | CC-BY-4.0 | | Categories | AI Agents, Evaluation & Observability | AI Agents, LLM Frameworks | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [burr](/tools/apache-burr.md) | [autogen](/tools/microsoft-autogen.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Very active (96%) | Slowing (36%) | | Days since push | 2d | 107d | | Open issues (now) | 105 | 970 | | Stars delta | +35 (30d) | Unknown | | Open issues delta | -2 (30d) | Unknown | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/apache-burr/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/microsoft-autogen/trust.md) | ## Shared compatibility - **Python**: [burr](/tools/apache-burr.md) - Python runtime; [autogen](/tools/microsoft-autogen.md) - Python runtime ## Decision facts: burr - **Adopt for:** Burr by Apache offers a comprehensive framework for decision-making applications, including chatbots, with built-in monitoring and state management. - **License detail:** Apache-2.0 License, allowing free use but retaining notice requirements and disclaimers as per the license terms. ## Decision facts: autogen - **Requirements:** Min 4 GB RAM; AutoGen requires Python 3.10 or later.; Ensure security when connecting to MCP servers due to the potential for local command execution and sensitive information exposure. - **Adopt for:** AutoGen is a Python-based framework for developing and managing agentic AI systems. It includes the AutoGen Studio for no-code GUI setup, integrating with various models. ## Choose when ### Choose burr if… - License: burr is Apache-2.0, autogen is CC-BY-4.0. - Tags unique to burr: burr, chatbot-framework, dags, generative-ai. - Also covers Evaluation & Observability. - You prefer Python for developing AI-driven applications that require state persistence across interactions. ### Choose autogen if… - License: autogen is CC-BY-4.0, burr is Apache-2.0. - Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; AutoGen requires Python 3.10 or later.; Ensure security when connecting to MCP servers due to the potential for local command execution and sensitive information exposure.. - Tags unique to autogen: agentic-agi, agents, autogen, autogen-ecosystem. - Also covers LLM Frameworks. - You need a framework that supports integration with multiple AI models via OpenAI's chat completion client. ## When NOT to use burr - If you need a lightweight solution without the overhead of server setup and maintenance for monitoring. - When your application does not interact heavily with user states or require extensive tracing capabilities. ## When NOT to use autogen - If you require tools supporting multiple programming languages beyond Python, as AutoGen is strictly a Python-based framework. - When deploying in environments where connecting to external servers (like those used by MCP) could pose security risks or is prohibited. - You need solutions which do not involve additional installations for server components such as `playwright/mcp`, as AutoGen requires this setup for certain functionalities. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between burr and autogen? burr: Build applications that make decisions like chatbots, agents; monitor and manage state.. autogen: A programming framework for agentic AI. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose burr over autogen? Choose burr over autogen when License: burr is Apache-2.0, autogen is CC-BY-4.0; Tags unique to burr: burr, chatbot-framework, dags, generative-ai; Also covers Evaluation & Observability; You prefer Python for developing AI-driven applications that require state persistence across interactions. ### When should I choose autogen over burr? Choose autogen over burr when License: autogen is CC-BY-4.0, burr is Apache-2.0; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; AutoGen requires Python 3.10 or later.; Ensure security when connecting to MCP servers due to the potential for local command execution and sensitive information exposure.; Tags unique to autogen: agentic-agi, agents, autogen, autogen-ecosystem; Also covers LLM Frameworks; You need a framework that supports integration with multiple AI models via OpenAI's chat completion client. ### When should I avoid burr? If you need a lightweight solution without the overhead of server setup and maintenance for monitoring. When your application does not interact heavily with user states or require extensive tracing capabilities. ### When should I avoid autogen? If you require tools supporting multiple programming languages beyond Python, as AutoGen is strictly a Python-based framework. When deploying in environments where connecting to external servers (like those used by MCP) could pose security risks or is prohibited. You need solutions which do not involve additional installations for server components such as `playwright/mcp`, as AutoGen requires this setup for certain functionalities. ### Is burr or autogen more popular on GitHub? autogen has more GitHub stars (60,139 vs 2,521). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are burr and autogen open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (burr: Apache-2.0, autogen: CC-BY-4.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to burr or autogen? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [burr alternatives](/tools/apache-burr/alternatives) and [autogen alternatives](/tools/microsoft-autogen/alternatives) ([burr markdown twin](/tools/apache-burr/alternatives.md), [autogen markdown twin](/tools/microsoft-autogen/alternatives.md)), 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](/compare/apache-burr-vs-microsoft-autogen.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, burr or autogen? burr: Very active. autogen: Slowing. 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 burr and autogen? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [burr trust report](/tools/apache-burr/trust); [autogen trust report](/tools/microsoft-autogen/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=apache-burr`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=apache-burr) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_