--- title: "bigcode-evaluation-harness vs FastChat" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness-vs-lm-sys-fastchat" tools: ["bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness", "lm-sys-fastchat"] --- # bigcode-evaluation-harness vs FastChat *GraphCanon updated Jul 11, 2026* ## Verdict Pick bigcode-evaluation-harness when tags unique to bigcode-evaluation-harness: python; pick FastChat when tags unique to FastChat: evaluation system, large-language-models, chatbots, distributed serving. [bigcode-evaluation-harness](https://github.com/bigcode-project/bigcode-evaluation-harness) reports 1.1k GitHub stars, 263 forks, and 97 open issues, last pushed Jul 22, 2025. [FastChat](https://github.com/lm-sys/FastChat) has 39k stars, 4.8k forks, and 1.0k open issues, last pushed May 1, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [bigcode-evaluation-harness's repository](https://github.com/bigcode-project/bigcode-evaluation-harness) and [FastChat's repository](https://github.com/lm-sys/FastChat). | | [bigcode-evaluation-harness](/tools/bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness.md) | [FastChat](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | A framework for the evaluation of autoregressive code generation language models. | An open platform for training, serving, and evaluating large language models | | Stars | 1,053 | 39,490 | | Forks | 263 | 4,788 | | Open issues | 97 | 1,027 | | Language | Python | Python | | Adopt for | - | FastChat is a comprehensive open platform for managing large language models (LLMs) that includes capabilities for training, serving, evaluating, and comparing chatbot models via web UIs and RESTful APIs. It powers ChatB | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 | | Categories | LLM Frameworks, Computer Vision, Evaluation & Observability | LLM Frameworks, Model Training, Evaluation & Observability, Inference & Serving | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [bigcode-evaluation-harness](/tools/bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness.md) | [FastChat](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Slowing (36%) | Steady (60%) | | Days since push | 354d | 71d | | Open issues (now) | 97 | 1.0k | | Security scan | 46 low (46 low) | No lockfile | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: FastChat - **Adopt for:** FastChat is a comprehensive open platform for managing large language models (LLMs) that includes capabilities for training, serving, evaluating, and comparing chatbot models via web UIs and RESTful APIs. It powers ChatB ## Choose when ### Choose bigcode-evaluation-harness if… - Tags unique to bigcode-evaluation-harness: python. - Also covers Computer Vision. - bigcode-evaluation-harness ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. ### Choose FastChat if… - Tags unique to FastChat: evaluation system, large-language-models, chatbots, distributed serving. - Also covers Model Training, Inference & Serving. - - You are looking to train and evaluate state-of-the-art models such as Vicuna or MT-Bench. ## When NOT to use bigcode-evaluation-harness - Last GitHub push was 354 days ago (slowing maintenance, Jul 22, 2025). Validate activity before betting a new project on bigcode-evaluation-harness. - LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. - Evaluation & Observability: Defer heavyweight eval infra only until you have real traffic - never skip it once users depend on answers. ## When NOT to use FastChat - - You require a proprietary or closed-source framework; FastChat is open-source under Apache-2.0 license and its use might be unsuitable for environments requiring proprietary solutions. - - Your chatbot evaluation needs do not align with the types of data used in FastChat's datasets (e.g., human votes, MT-Bench evaluations). - - You prefer a more user-friendly setup without the need to clone a repository and manually install dependencies; FastChat requires installation from source with additional steps for Rust and CMake on - + Mac. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between bigcode-evaluation-harness and FastChat? bigcode-evaluation-harness: A framework for the evaluation of autoregressive code generation language models.. FastChat: An open platform for training, serving, and evaluating large language models. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose bigcode-evaluation-harness over FastChat? Choose bigcode-evaluation-harness over FastChat when Tags unique to bigcode-evaluation-harness: python; Also covers Computer Vision; bigcode-evaluation-harness ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. ### When should I choose FastChat over bigcode-evaluation-harness? Choose FastChat over bigcode-evaluation-harness when Tags unique to FastChat: evaluation system, large-language-models, chatbots, distributed serving; Also covers Model Training, Inference & Serving; - You are looking to train and evaluate state-of-the-art models such as Vicuna or MT-Bench. ### When should I avoid bigcode-evaluation-harness? Last GitHub push was 354 days ago (slowing maintenance, Jul 22, 2025). Validate activity before betting a new project on bigcode-evaluation-harness. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. Evaluation & Observability: Defer heavyweight eval infra only until you have real traffic - never skip it once users depend on answers. ### When should I avoid FastChat? - You require a proprietary or closed-source framework; FastChat is open-source under Apache-2.0 license and its use might be unsuitable for environments requiring proprietary solutions. - Your chatbot evaluation needs do not align with the types of data used in FastChat's datasets (e.g., human votes, MT-Bench evaluations). - You prefer a more user-friendly setup without the need to clone a repository and manually install dependencies; FastChat requires installation from source with additional steps for Rust and CMake on + Mac. ### Is bigcode-evaluation-harness or FastChat more popular on GitHub? FastChat has more GitHub stars (39,490 vs 1,053). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are bigcode-evaluation-harness and FastChat open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (bigcode-evaluation-harness: Apache-2.0, FastChat: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to bigcode-evaluation-harness or FastChat? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [bigcode-evaluation-harness alternatives](/tools/bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness/alternatives) and [FastChat alternatives](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat/alternatives) ([bigcode-evaluation-harness markdown twin](/tools/bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness/alternatives.md), [FastChat markdown twin](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat/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/bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness-vs-lm-sys-fastchat.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, bigcode-evaluation-harness or FastChat? bigcode-evaluation-harness: Slowing. FastChat: Steady. 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 bigcode-evaluation-harness and FastChat? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [bigcode-evaluation-harness trust report](/tools/bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness/trust); [FastChat trust report](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=bigcode-project-bigcode-evaluation-harness) - 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/_