--- title: "OpenMemory vs memory-os" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/caviraoss-openmemory-vs-claudiodrews-memory-os" tools: ["caviraoss-openmemory", "claudiodrews-memory-os"] --- # OpenMemory vs memory-os Neutral, constraint-first comparison with live GitHub stats. | | [OpenMemory](/tools/caviraoss-openmemory.md) | [memory-os](/tools/claudiodrews-memory-os.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Local persistent memory store for LLM applications | A 7-layer memory operating system for Hermes Agent | | Stars | 4,315 | 1,233 | | Forks | 489 | 117 | | Open issues | 13 | 7 | | Language | TypeScript | Python | | Adopt for | Decision-critical facts for OpenMemory: Local persistent memory store for LLM applications. | Provides a comprehensive, local-first memory operating system for Hermes Agent with seven layers of memory infrastructure including Qdrant and structured facts. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | OpenMemory is distributed under the Apache-2.0 license. | MIT | | Categories | AI Agents, Evaluation & Observability, Data & Retrieval, Model Training | AI Agents, Vector Databases | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [OpenMemory](/tools/caviraoss-openmemory.md) | [memory-os](/tools/claudiodrews-memory-os.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Days since push | 11d | 27d | | Open issues (now) | 13 | 7 | | Owner type | Organization | User | | Security scan | No lockfile | 56 low (56 low) | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/caviraoss-openmemory/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/claudiodrews-memory-os/trust.md) | **Typed relationship:** OpenMemory _(alternative)_ memory-os Both OpenMemory and Memory OS provide local persistent memory storage solutions specifically tailored for LLM applications, but each has distinct design choices. ## Shared compatibility - **Python**: [OpenMemory](/tools/caviraoss-openmemory.md) - Python runtime; [memory-os](/tools/claudiodrews-memory-os.md) - Python runtime ## Decision facts: OpenMemory - **Requirements:** Requires Python or Node.js for SDK usage; Local SQLite support by default with optional configuration for external DB like Postgres; Dependencies include TypeScript environment for setup and use - **Adopt for:** Decision-critical facts for OpenMemory: Local persistent memory store for LLM applications. - **License detail:** OpenMemory is distributed under the Apache-2.0 license. ## Decision facts: memory-os - **Requirements:** Min 8 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Hermes Agent + Docker (Qdrant + Redis + ARQ Worker) are required.; Python 3.11+ is needed. - **Adopt for:** Provides a comprehensive, local-first memory operating system for Hermes Agent with seven layers of memory infrastructure including Qdrant and structured facts. ## Choose when ### Choose OpenMemory if… - OpenMemory is primarily TypeScript; memory-os is Python. - License: OpenMemory is Apache-2.0, memory-os is MIT. - Requirements: Requires Python or Node.js for SDK usage; Local SQLite support by default with optional configuration for external DB like Postgres; Dependencies include TypeScript environment for setup and use. - Both OpenMemory and Memory OS provide local persistent memory storage solutions specifically tailored for LLM applications, but each has distinct design choices. - Tags unique to OpenMemory: self-hosted, vector-database, llm, ai-infrastructure. - Also covers Evaluation & Observability, Data & Retrieval, Model Training. - OpenMemory ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. - - You require real long-term memory capabilities that go beyond simple embeddings in a table ### Choose memory-os if… - memory-os is primarily Python; OpenMemory is TypeScript. - License: memory-os is MIT, OpenMemory is Apache-2.0. - Requirements: Min 8 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Hermes Agent + Docker (Qdrant + Redis + ARQ Worker) are required.; Python 3.11+ is needed.. - Both OpenMemory and Memory OS provide local persistent memory storage solutions specifically tailored for LLM applications, but each has distinct design choices. - Tags unique to memory-os: context-injection, persistent-memory, ground-truth, docker. - Also covers Vector Databases. - When you need persistent and structured memory that doesn't rely on cloud services. ## When NOT to use OpenMemory - - When a fully managed cloud service with no local setup and self-hosted capabilities is preferred - - If the project specifically requires integration only with vector databases or RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) systems - - Projects that are not compatible with TypeScript for backend or JavaScript for application use, as OpenMemory's SDKs are built for these environments - - Situations where the project cannot benefit from local-first data storage and prefers cloud-based solutions ## When NOT to use memory-os - When you prefer a tool that is fully cloud-based or requires minimal local setup. - If your environment does not support local memory infrastructure such as Docker, Qdrant, Redis, and ARQ Worker. - For scenarios requiring lightweight memory solutions without the complexity of multiple layers and self-hosted services. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between OpenMemory and memory-os? OpenMemory: Local persistent memory store for LLM applications. memory-os: A 7-layer memory operating system for Hermes Agent. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose OpenMemory over memory-os? Choose OpenMemory over memory-os when OpenMemory is primarily TypeScript; memory-os is Python; License: OpenMemory is Apache-2.0, memory-os is MIT; Requirements: Requires Python or Node.js for SDK usage; Local SQLite support by default with optional configuration for external DB like Postgres; Dependencies include TypeScript environment for setup and use; Both OpenMemory and Memory OS provide local persistent memory storage solutions specifically tailored for LLM applications, but each has distinct design choices; Tags unique to OpenMemory: self-hosted, vector-database, llm, ai-infrastructure; Also covers Evaluation & Observability, Data & Retrieval, Model Training; OpenMemory ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; - You require real long-term memory capabilities that go beyond simple embeddings in a table. ### When should I choose memory-os over OpenMemory? Choose memory-os over OpenMemory when memory-os is primarily Python; OpenMemory is TypeScript; License: memory-os is MIT, OpenMemory is Apache-2.0; Requirements: Min 8 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Hermes Agent + Docker (Qdrant + Redis + ARQ Worker) are required.; Python 3.11+ is needed.; Both OpenMemory and Memory OS provide local persistent memory storage solutions specifically tailored for LLM applications, but each has distinct design choices; Tags unique to memory-os: context-injection, persistent-memory, ground-truth, docker; Also covers Vector Databases; When you need persistent and structured memory that doesn't rely on cloud services. ### When should I avoid OpenMemory? - When a fully managed cloud service with no local setup and self-hosted capabilities is preferred - If the project specifically requires integration only with vector databases or RAG (Retrieval-Augmented Generation) systems - Projects that are not compatible with TypeScript for backend or JavaScript for application use, as OpenMemory's SDKs are built for these environments - Situations where the project cannot benefit from local-first data storage and prefers cloud-based solutions ### When should I avoid memory-os? When you prefer a tool that is fully cloud-based or requires minimal local setup. If your environment does not support local memory infrastructure such as Docker, Qdrant, Redis, and ARQ Worker. For scenarios requiring lightweight memory solutions without the complexity of multiple layers and self-hosted services. ### Is OpenMemory or memory-os more popular on GitHub? OpenMemory has more GitHub stars (4,315 vs 1,233). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are OpenMemory and memory-os open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (OpenMemory: Apache-2.0, memory-os: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to OpenMemory or memory-os? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at /tools/caviraoss-openmemory/alternatives and /tools/claudiodrews-memory-os/alternatives (/tools/caviraoss-openmemory/alternatives.md, /tools/claudiodrews-memory-os/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 /compare/caviraoss-openmemory-vs-claudiodrews-memory-os.md mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, OpenMemory or memory-os? OpenMemory: Active. memory-os: 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 OpenMemory and memory-os? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: OpenMemory: /tools/caviraoss-openmemory/trust; memory-os: /tools/claudiodrews-memory-os/trust. --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=caviraoss-openmemory`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=caviraoss-openmemory) - 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/_