--- title: "automa vs agent-framework" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/automaapp-automa-vs-microsoft-agent-framework" tools: ["automaapp-automa", "microsoft-agent-framework"] --- # automa vs agent-framework *GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026* ## Verdict Pick automa if automa is known for its ease of implementation and browser agnostic design enabling users to streamline tasks on multiple platforms; pick agent-framework if the agent-framework provides tools for developers to build and deploy AI agents and multi-agent workflows in Python and .NET environments. [automa](https://www.goautoma.com/extension) reports 22k GitHub stars, 2.3k forks, and 377 open issues, last pushed Mar 2, 2026. [agent-framework](https://aka.ms/agent-framework) has 14k stars, 2.3k forks, and 605 open issues, last pushed Sep 18, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [automa's repository](https://github.com/AutomaApp/automa) and [agent-framework's repository](https://github.com/microsoft/agent-framework). | | [automa](/tools/automaapp-automa.md) | [agent-framework](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | A browser extension for automating your browser by connecting blocks | Framework for building and deploying AI agents and multi-agent workflows | | Stars | 21,619 | 13,573 | | Forks | 2,341 | 2,335 | | Open issues | 377 | 605 | | Language | Vue | Python | | Adopt for | Automa is known for its ease of implementation and browser agnostic design enabling users to streamline tasks on multiple platforms. | The agent-framework provides tools for developers to build and deploy AI agents and multi-agent workflows in Python and .NET environments. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Other | MIT | | Categories | Developer Tools | AI Agents, Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [automa](/tools/automaapp-automa.md) | [agent-framework](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Slowing (36%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 195d | 0d | | Open issues (now) | 377 | 605 | | Stars delta | +73 (30d) | +855 (30d) | | Open issues delta | +5 (30d) | -80 (30d) | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/automaapp-automa/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: automa - **Adopt for:** Automa is known for its ease of implementation and browser agnostic design enabling users to streamline tasks on multiple platforms. ## Decision facts: agent-framework - **Requirements:** Python version 3.6 or newer is required for Python installations.; The .NET Core SDK must be installed for utilizing the .NET packages. - **Adopt for:** The agent-framework provides tools for developers to build and deploy AI agents and multi-agent workflows in Python and .NET environments. ## Choose when ### Choose automa if… - automa is primarily Vue; agent-framework is Python. - License: automa is Other, agent-framework is MIT. - Tags unique to automa: automation, browser-automation, chrome-extension, firefox-extension. - If you are working with Chrome or Firefox browsers and require the capability to interconnect blocks to automate repetitive, browser-based actions. ### Choose agent-framework if… - agent-framework is primarily Python; automa is Vue. - License: agent-framework is MIT, automa is Other. - Requirements: Python version 3.6 or newer is required for Python installations.; The .NET Core SDK must be installed for utilizing the .NET packages.. - Tags unique to agent-framework: agent-framework, agentic-ai, agents, multi-agent. - Also covers AI Agents. - Choose agent-framework if your project requires support for both Python and .NET, allowing you to develop across different ecosystems. ## When NOT to use automa - When specific automation tasks demand customization via coding rather than block connectivity since Automa is more suited for visual scripting. - If your project involves non-browser-based workflows, as Automa's functionality is limited to browser extensions like Chrome and Firefox. ## When NOT to use agent-framework - Avoid using the agent-framework if your team does not have proficiency in either Python or.NET, as this may cause difficulties in leveraging its features effectively. - Do not opt for agent-framework if you only need lightweight support for AI agents without a comprehensive orchestration and deployment framework. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between automa and agent-framework? automa: A browser extension for automating your browser by connecting blocks. agent-framework: Framework for building and deploying AI agents and multi-agent workflows. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose automa over agent-framework? Choose automa over agent-framework when automa is primarily Vue; agent-framework is Python; License: automa is Other, agent-framework is MIT; Tags unique to automa: automation, browser-automation, chrome-extension, firefox-extension; If you are working with Chrome or Firefox browsers and require the capability to interconnect blocks to automate repetitive, browser-based actions. ### When should I choose agent-framework over automa? Choose agent-framework over automa when agent-framework is primarily Python; automa is Vue; License: agent-framework is MIT, automa is Other; Requirements: Python version 3.6 or newer is required for Python installations.; The .NET Core SDK must be installed for utilizing the .NET packages.; Tags unique to agent-framework: agent-framework, agentic-ai, agents, multi-agent; Also covers AI Agents; Choose agent-framework if your project requires support for both Python and .NET, allowing you to develop across different ecosystems. ### When should I avoid automa? When specific automation tasks demand customization via coding rather than block connectivity since Automa is more suited for visual scripting. If your project involves non-browser-based workflows, as Automa's functionality is limited to browser extensions like Chrome and Firefox. ### When should I avoid agent-framework? Avoid using the agent-framework if your team does not have proficiency in either Python or.NET, as this may cause difficulties in leveraging its features effectively. Do not opt for agent-framework if you only need lightweight support for AI agents without a comprehensive orchestration and deployment framework. ### Is automa or agent-framework more popular on GitHub? automa has more GitHub stars (21,619 vs 13,573). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are automa and agent-framework open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (automa: Other, agent-framework: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to automa or agent-framework? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [automa alternatives](/tools/automaapp-automa/alternatives) and [agent-framework alternatives](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework/alternatives) ([automa markdown twin](/tools/automaapp-automa/alternatives.md), [agent-framework markdown twin](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework/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/automaapp-automa-vs-microsoft-agent-framework.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, automa or agent-framework? automa: Slowing. agent-framework: 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 automa and agent-framework? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [automa trust report](/tools/automaapp-automa/trust); [agent-framework trust report](/tools/microsoft-agent-framework/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=automaapp-automa`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=automaapp-automa) - 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/_