--- title: "hamilton vs omnigraph" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/apache-hamilton-vs-modernrelay-omnigraph" tools: ["apache-hamilton", "modernrelay-omnigraph"] --- # hamilton vs omnigraph *GraphCanon updated Aug 3, 2026* ## Verdict Pick hamilton if apache Hamilton aids Python data environments by enabling modular, self-documenting dataflows with lineage/tracing and metadata support; pick omnigraph if omnigraph is a Rust-based Lakehouse-native graph engine that integrates Git-style workflows for managing knowledge graphs leveraging modern data technologies such as Apache Arrow and DataFusion. [hamilton](https://hamilton.apache.org/) reports 2.6k GitHub stars, 203 forks, and 148 open issues, last pushed Aug 1, 2026. [omnigraph](https://omnigraph.dev) has 1.0k stars, 190 forks, and 17 open issues, last pushed Aug 2, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [hamilton's repository](https://github.com/apache/hamilton) and [omnigraph's repository](https://github.com/ModernRelay/omnigraph). | | [hamilton](/tools/apache-hamilton.md) | [omnigraph](/tools/modernrelay-omnigraph.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Modular dataflow definition for Python environments | Lakehouse native graph engine with git-style workflows | | Stars | 2,557 | 1,040 | | Forks | 203 | 190 | | Open issues | 148 | 17 | | Language | Jupyter Notebook | Rust | | Adopt for | Apache Hamilton aids Python data environments by enabling modular, self-documenting dataflows with lineage/tracing and metadata support. | Omnigraph is a Rust-based Lakehouse-native graph engine that integrates Git-style workflows for managing knowledge graphs leveraging modern data technologies such as Apache Arrow and DataFusion. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | MIT | | Categories | Data & Retrieval, Developer Tools | Data & Retrieval | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [hamilton](/tools/apache-hamilton.md) | [omnigraph](/tools/modernrelay-omnigraph.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Days since push | 1d | 0d | | Open issues (now) | 148 | 17 | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/apache-hamilton/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/modernrelay-omnigraph/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: hamilton - **Adopt for:** Apache Hamilton aids Python data environments by enabling modular, self-documenting dataflows with lineage/tracing and metadata support. ## Decision facts: omnigraph - **Adopt for:** Omnigraph is a Rust-based Lakehouse-native graph engine that integrates Git-style workflows for managing knowledge graphs leveraging modern data technologies such as Apache Arrow and DataFusion. ## Choose when ### Choose hamilton if… - hamilton is primarily Jupyter Notebook; omnigraph is Rust. - License: hamilton is Apache-2.0, omnigraph is MIT. - Tags unique to hamilton: dag, data-analysis, data-engineering, data-science. - Also covers Developer Tools. - Requires detailed lineage and tracing in Python-based ETL processes ### Choose omnigraph if… - omnigraph is primarily Rust; hamilton is Jupyter Notebook. - License: omnigraph is MIT, hamilton is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to omnigraph: apache-arrow, context-graph, datafusion, graph-database. - omnigraph ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. - Use Omnigraph if your project involves complex knowledge graph management within a lakehouse architecture, as it offers native integration to facilitate efficient handling of large datasets. ## When NOT to use hamilton - Working exclusively within a non-Python environment where broader platform support is needed - Projects that do not require extensive metadata capture or lineage tracking capabilities ## When NOT to use omnigraph - Avoid Omnigraph if you prefer or need a Java-based solution, as it might not align with the runtime requirements of your existing technology stack. - Omnigraph may not be suitable for simple or small-scale graph projects that do not require advanced versioning and collaboration features akin to Git workflows. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between hamilton and omnigraph? hamilton: Modular dataflow definition for Python environments. omnigraph: Lakehouse native graph engine with git-style workflows. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose hamilton over omnigraph? Choose hamilton over omnigraph when hamilton is primarily Jupyter Notebook; omnigraph is Rust; License: hamilton is Apache-2.0, omnigraph is MIT; Tags unique to hamilton: dag, data-analysis, data-engineering, data-science; Also covers Developer Tools; Requires detailed lineage and tracing in Python-based ETL processes. ### When should I choose omnigraph over hamilton? Choose omnigraph over hamilton when omnigraph is primarily Rust; hamilton is Jupyter Notebook; License: omnigraph is MIT, hamilton is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to omnigraph: apache-arrow, context-graph, datafusion, graph-database; omnigraph ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; Use Omnigraph if your project involves complex knowledge graph management within a lakehouse architecture, as it offers native integration to facilitate efficient handling of large datasets. ### When should I avoid hamilton? Working exclusively within a non-Python environment where broader platform support is needed Projects that do not require extensive metadata capture or lineage tracking capabilities ### When should I avoid omnigraph? Avoid Omnigraph if you prefer or need a Java-based solution, as it might not align with the runtime requirements of your existing technology stack. Omnigraph may not be suitable for simple or small-scale graph projects that do not require advanced versioning and collaboration features akin to Git workflows. ### Is hamilton or omnigraph more popular on GitHub? hamilton has more GitHub stars (2,557 vs 1,040). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are hamilton and omnigraph open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (hamilton: Apache-2.0, omnigraph: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to hamilton or omnigraph? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [hamilton alternatives](/tools/apache-hamilton/alternatives) and [omnigraph alternatives](/tools/modernrelay-omnigraph/alternatives) ([hamilton markdown twin](/tools/apache-hamilton/alternatives.md), [omnigraph markdown twin](/tools/modernrelay-omnigraph/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-hamilton-vs-modernrelay-omnigraph.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, hamilton or omnigraph? hamilton: Very active. omnigraph: 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 hamilton and omnigraph? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [hamilton trust report](/tools/apache-hamilton/trust); [omnigraph trust report](/tools/modernrelay-omnigraph/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=apache-hamilton`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=apache-hamilton) - 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/_