--- title: "AstrBot vs dspy" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/astrbotdevs-astrbot-vs-stanfordnlp-dspy" tools: ["astrbotdevs-astrbot", "stanfordnlp-dspy"] --- # AstrBot vs dspy *GraphCanon updated Jul 11, 2026* ## Verdict Pick AstrBot if astrBot is an AI agent assistant and development framework that integrates multiple instant messaging platforms with various language models and plugins under the AGPL-3.0 license; pick dspy if evaluate DSPy based on its unique approach of programming language models via Python, making it an option that steps away from traditional prompting methods. [AstrBot](https://astrbot.app) reports 36k GitHub stars, 2.5k forks, and 1.3k open issues, last pushed Jul 9, 2026. [dspy](https://dspy.ai) has 36k stars, 3.1k forks, and 571 open issues, last pushed Jul 10, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [AstrBot's repository](https://github.com/AstrBotDevs/AstrBot) and [dspy's repository](https://github.com/stanfordnlp/dspy). | | [AstrBot](/tools/astrbotdevs-astrbot.md) | [dspy](/tools/stanfordnlp-dspy.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | AI Agent Assistant & development framework that integrates lots of IM platforms, LLMs, plugins and AI feature | A framework for programming language models | | Stars | 36,186 | 36,036 | | Forks | 2,513 | 3,082 | | Open issues | 1,315 | 571 | | Language | Python | Python | | Adopt for | AstrBot is an AI agent assistant and development framework that integrates multiple instant messaging platforms with various language models and plugins under the AGPL-3.0 license. | Evaluate DSPy based on its unique approach of programming language models via Python, making it an option that steps away from traditional prompting methods. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | AGPL-3.0 | MIT | | Categories | LLM Frameworks, AI Agents | LLM Frameworks | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [AstrBot](/tools/astrbotdevs-astrbot.md) | [dspy](/tools/stanfordnlp-dspy.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Days since push | 2d | 0d | | Open issues (now) | 1.3k | 571 | | Security scan | No MCP manifest | No lockfile | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/astrbotdevs-astrbot/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/stanfordnlp-dspy/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: AstrBot - **Adopt for:** AstrBot is an AI agent assistant and development framework that integrates multiple instant messaging platforms with various language models and plugins under the AGPL-3.0 license. ## Decision facts: dspy - **Adopt for:** Evaluate DSPy based on its unique approach of programming language models via Python, making it an option that steps away from traditional prompting methods. ## Choose when ### Choose AstrBot if… - License: AstrBot is AGPL-3.0, dspy is MIT. - Tags unique to AstrBot: ai, gemini, docker, discord. - Also covers AI Agents. - AstrBot ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. - When you require a highly integrative environment where your AI agents can communicate across different instant messaging platforms like Discord, Telegram, QQ, and others. ### Choose dspy if… - License: dspy is MIT, AstrBot is AGPL-3.0. - Tags unique to dspy: programming framework, language-models, ai development. - When you aim to leverage a comprehensive framework designed specifically for programming and developing with language models rather than just prompting them. ## When NOT to use AstrBot - If you are looking for proprietary solutions or do not want to comply with the AGPL-3.0 open-source license requirements, as AstrBot might not suit businesses preferring closed development. - In scenarios where a very streamlined or simple AI agent without extensive plugin and platform customizability is required due to time constraints or a specific project scope that does not need broad, - +adaptability. ## When NOT to use dspy - When your project strictly requires real-time interaction and feedback through traditional prompting methods, as DSPy's framework is focused on a programming approach which may not be suitable for all - In scenarios where the flexibility of prompt-based interactions with language models is preferred over strict programming methodologies. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between AstrBot and dspy? AstrBot: AI Agent Assistant & development framework that integrates lots of IM platforms, LLMs, plugins and AI feature. dspy: A framework for programming language models. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose AstrBot over dspy? Choose AstrBot over dspy when License: AstrBot is AGPL-3.0, dspy is MIT; Tags unique to AstrBot: ai, gemini, docker, discord; Also covers AI Agents; AstrBot ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; When you require a highly integrative environment where your AI agents can communicate across different instant messaging platforms like Discord, Telegram, QQ, and others. ### When should I choose dspy over AstrBot? Choose dspy over AstrBot when License: dspy is MIT, AstrBot is AGPL-3.0; Tags unique to dspy: programming framework, language-models, ai development; When you aim to leverage a comprehensive framework designed specifically for programming and developing with language models rather than just prompting them. ### When should I avoid AstrBot? If you are looking for proprietary solutions or do not want to comply with the AGPL-3.0 open-source license requirements, as AstrBot might not suit businesses preferring closed development. In scenarios where a very streamlined or simple AI agent without extensive plugin and platform customizability is required due to time constraints or a specific project scope that does not need broad, +adaptability. ### When should I avoid dspy? When your project strictly requires real-time interaction and feedback through traditional prompting methods, as DSPy's framework is focused on a programming approach which may not be suitable for all In scenarios where the flexibility of prompt-based interactions with language models is preferred over strict programming methodologies. ### Is AstrBot or dspy more popular on GitHub? AstrBot has more GitHub stars (36,186 vs 36,036). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are AstrBot and dspy open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (AstrBot: AGPL-3.0, dspy: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to AstrBot or dspy? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [AstrBot alternatives](/tools/astrbotdevs-astrbot/alternatives) and [dspy alternatives](/tools/stanfordnlp-dspy/alternatives) ([AstrBot markdown twin](/tools/astrbotdevs-astrbot/alternatives.md), [dspy markdown twin](/tools/stanfordnlp-dspy/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/astrbotdevs-astrbot-vs-stanfordnlp-dspy.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, AstrBot or dspy? AstrBot: Very active. dspy: 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 AstrBot and dspy? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [AstrBot trust report](/tools/astrbotdevs-astrbot/trust); [dspy trust report](/tools/stanfordnlp-dspy/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=astrbotdevs-astrbot`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=astrbotdevs-astrbot) - 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/_