---
title: "holodeck vs ailab"
type: "comparison"
canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/byu-pccl-holodeck-vs-microsoft-ailab"
tools: ["byu-pccl-holodeck", "microsoft-ailab"]
---

# holodeck vs ailab

*GraphCanon updated Jul 11, 2026*

## Verdict

Pick holodeck when holodeck is primarily Python; ailab is C#; pick ailab when ailab is primarily C#; holodeck is Python.

[holodeck](https://holodeck.cs.byu.edu) reports 596 GitHub stars, 42 forks, and 52 open issues, last pushed Feb 19, 2022. [ailab](https://www.ailab.microsoft.com/experiments/) has 7.8k stars, 1.4k forks, and 84 open issues, last pushed Jun 26, 2024. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [holodeck's repository](https://github.com/BYU-PCCL/holodeck) and [ailab's repository](https://github.com/microsoft/ailab).

| | [holodeck](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck.md) | [ailab](/tools/microsoft-ailab.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tagline | High Fidelity Simulator for Reinforcement Learning and Robotics Research. | Experience, Learn and Code the latest breakthrough innovations with Microsoft AI |
| Stars | 596 | 7,846 |
| Forks | 42 | 1,388 |
| Open issues | 52 | 84 |
| Language | Python | C# |
| Adopt for | - | - |
| Persona | - | - |
| Runtime | - | - |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Categories | Computer Vision | Computer Vision |

## Trust and health

_Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._

| | [holodeck](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck.md) | [ailab](/tools/microsoft-ailab.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Days since push | 1603d | 744d |
| Open issues (now) | 52 | 84 |
| Full report | [trust report](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/microsoft-ailab/trust.md) |

## Choose when

### Choose holodeck if…

- holodeck is primarily Python; ailab is C#.
- Tags unique to holodeck: reinforcement-learning-environments, research, reinforcement-learning, drones.
- Leaner open-issue backlog (52).

### Choose ailab if…

- ailab is primarily C#; holodeck is Python.
- Tags unique to ailab: algorithms, csharp, bot, azure-functions.
- More GitHub stars (7.8k vs 596) - visibility, not fit.

## When NOT to use holodeck

- Last GitHub push was 1604 days ago (dormant maintenance, Feb 19, 2022). Validate activity before betting a new project on holodeck.

## When NOT to use ailab

- Last GitHub push was 745 days ago (dormant maintenance, Jun 26, 2024). Validate activity before betting a new project on ailab.

## Common questions

### What is the difference between holodeck and ailab?

holodeck: High Fidelity Simulator for Reinforcement Learning and Robotics Research.. ailab: Experience, Learn and Code the latest breakthrough innovations with Microsoft AI. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.

### When should I choose holodeck over ailab?

Choose holodeck over ailab when holodeck is primarily Python; ailab is C#; Tags unique to holodeck: reinforcement-learning-environments, research, reinforcement-learning, drones; Leaner open-issue backlog (52).

### When should I choose ailab over holodeck?

Choose ailab over holodeck when ailab is primarily C#; holodeck is Python; Tags unique to ailab: algorithms, csharp, bot, azure-functions; More GitHub stars (7.8k vs 596) - visibility, not fit.

### When should I avoid holodeck?

Last GitHub push was 1604 days ago (dormant maintenance, Feb 19, 2022). Validate activity before betting a new project on holodeck.

### When should I avoid ailab?

Last GitHub push was 745 days ago (dormant maintenance, Jun 26, 2024). Validate activity before betting a new project on ailab.

### Is holodeck or ailab more popular on GitHub?

ailab has more GitHub stars (7,846 vs 596). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.

### Are holodeck and ailab open source?

Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (holodeck: MIT, ailab: MIT).

### Where can I find alternatives to holodeck or ailab?

GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [holodeck alternatives](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck/alternatives) and [ailab alternatives](/tools/microsoft-ailab/alternatives) ([holodeck markdown twin](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck/alternatives.md), [ailab markdown twin](/tools/microsoft-ailab/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/byu-pccl-holodeck-vs-microsoft-ailab.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.

### Which is better maintained, holodeck or ailab?

holodeck: Dormant. ailab: Dormant. 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 holodeck and ailab?

GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [holodeck trust report](/tools/byu-pccl-holodeck/trust); [ailab trust report](/tools/microsoft-ailab/trust).

---

**Machine-readable endpoints**

- JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=byu-pccl-holodeck`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=byu-pccl-holodeck)
- 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/_