--- title: "TrueMemory vs openyak" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/buildingjoshbetter-truememory-vs-openyak-openyak" tools: ["buildingjoshbetter-truememory", "openyak-openyak"] --- # TrueMemory vs openyak *GraphCanon updated Aug 23, 2026* ## Verdict Pick TrueMemory if trueMemory is an automatic capture and recall memory system for AI agents using SQLite; pick openyak if openyak is an open-source AI agent designed for desktop work that emphasizes local deployment and privacy, integrating with various large language models. [TrueMemory](https://truememory.net) reports 373 GitHub stars, 47 forks, and 18 open issues, last pushed Jul 29, 2026. [openyak](https://open-yak.com/) has 704 stars, 58 forks, and 30 open issues, last pushed Aug 9, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [TrueMemory's repository](https://github.com/buildingjoshbetter/TrueMemory) and [openyak's repository](https://github.com/openyak/openyak). | | [TrueMemory](/tools/buildingjoshbetter-truememory.md) | [openyak](/tools/openyak-openyak.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Automatic capture and recall memory system for AI agents | Open-source local-first AI agent for desktop work | | Stars | 373 | 704 | | Forks | 47 | 58 | | Open issues | 18 | 30 | | Language | Python | Python | | Adopt for | TrueMemory is an automatic capture and recall memory system for AI agents using SQLite. | Openyak is an open-source AI agent designed for desktop work that emphasizes local deployment and privacy, integrating with various large language models. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 | | Categories | AI Agents, Developer Tools | AI Agents, Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [TrueMemory](/tools/buildingjoshbetter-truememory.md) | [openyak](/tools/openyak-openyak.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Active (82%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 25d | 3d | | Open issues (now) | 18 | 30 | | Stars delta | +4 (30d) | Unknown | | Open issues delta | +5 (30d) | Unknown | | Owner type | User | Organization | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/buildingjoshbetter-truememory/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/openyak-openyak/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: TrueMemory - **Adopt for:** TrueMemory is an automatic capture and recall memory system for AI agents using SQLite. ## Decision facts: openyak - **Adopt for:** Openyak is an open-source AI agent designed for desktop work that emphasizes local deployment and privacy, integrating with various large language models. ## Choose when ### Choose TrueMemory if… - License: TrueMemory is AGPL-3.0, openyak is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to TrueMemory: agent-memory, ai-agent, embeddings, generative-ai. - When you want to ensure your memory storage remains entirely local without depending on cloud services. ### Choose openyak if… - License: openyak is Apache-2.0, TrueMemory is AGPL-3.0. - Tags unique to openyak: code-assistant, desktop-agent, local-llm, open-source. - When you need coding assistance from an AI on your desktop without relying on cloud services ## When NOT to use TrueMemory - If you need extensive scalability features offered by cloud-based memory solutions. - When your project mandates integration exclusively with non-SQLite databases, because TrueMemory is centered around SQLite for its backend. ## When NOT to use openyak - Avoid if you have high computational demands that cannot be met by local resources such as limited GPU power ## Common questions ### What is the difference between TrueMemory and openyak? TrueMemory: Automatic capture and recall memory system for AI agents. openyak: Open-source local-first AI agent for desktop work. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose TrueMemory over openyak? Choose TrueMemory over openyak when License: TrueMemory is AGPL-3.0, openyak is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to TrueMemory: agent-memory, ai-agent, embeddings, generative-ai; When you want to ensure your memory storage remains entirely local without depending on cloud services. ### When should I choose openyak over TrueMemory? Choose openyak over TrueMemory when License: openyak is Apache-2.0, TrueMemory is AGPL-3.0; Tags unique to openyak: code-assistant, desktop-agent, local-llm, open-source; When you need coding assistance from an AI on your desktop without relying on cloud services. ### When should I avoid TrueMemory? If you need extensive scalability features offered by cloud-based memory solutions. When your project mandates integration exclusively with non-SQLite databases, because TrueMemory is centered around SQLite for its backend. ### When should I avoid openyak? Avoid if you have high computational demands that cannot be met by local resources such as limited GPU power ### Is TrueMemory or openyak more popular on GitHub? openyak has more GitHub stars (704 vs 373). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are TrueMemory and openyak open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (TrueMemory: AGPL-3.0, openyak: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to TrueMemory or openyak? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [TrueMemory alternatives](/tools/buildingjoshbetter-truememory/alternatives) and [openyak alternatives](/tools/openyak-openyak/alternatives) ([TrueMemory markdown twin](/tools/buildingjoshbetter-truememory/alternatives.md), [openyak markdown twin](/tools/openyak-openyak/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/buildingjoshbetter-truememory-vs-openyak-openyak.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, TrueMemory or openyak? TrueMemory: Active. openyak: 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 TrueMemory and openyak? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [TrueMemory trust report](/tools/buildingjoshbetter-truememory/trust); [openyak trust report](/tools/openyak-openyak/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=buildingjoshbetter-truememory`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=buildingjoshbetter-truememory) - 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/_