Comparison
chroma vs Spearmint
Verdict
Pick chroma when chroma is primarily Rust; Spearmint is Python; pick Spearmint when spearmint is primarily Python; chroma is Rust.
Markdown twin · chroma alternatives · Spearmint alternatives
GraphCanon updated today
Trust & integrity
| Signal | chroma | Spearmint |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of today · github_public_v1 | Dormant (2388d since push) As of today · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of today · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of today · github_public_v1 |
| Security (OSV) | 8 low (8 low) As of today · osv@v1 | No lockfile As of today · none |
Tagline
- chroma
- Search infrastructure for AI
- Spearmint
- Spearmint Bayesian optimization codebase
Stars
- chroma
- 29k
- Spearmint
- 1.6k
Forks
- chroma
- 2.4k
- Spearmint
- 328
Open issues
- chroma
- 728
- Spearmint
- 77
Language
- chroma
- Rust
- Spearmint
- Python
Adopt for
- chroma
- Chroma is an open-source data infrastructure for AI designed to support vector, hybrid, and full-text search capabilities with high performance.
- Spearmint
- -
Persona
- chroma
- -
- Spearmint
- -
Runtime
- chroma
- -
- Spearmint
- -
License
- chroma
- Chroma is released under the Apache 2.0 license.
- Spearmint
- Other
Last pushed
- chroma
- Jul 10, 2026
- Spearmint
- Dec 27, 2019
Categories
- chroma
- Data & Retrieval, Vector Databases
- Spearmint
- Model Training, Vector Databases
Trust and health
Maintenance
- chroma
- Very active (96%)
- Spearmint
- Dormant (18%)
Days since push
- chroma
- 0d
- Spearmint
- 2388d
Open issues (now)
- chroma
- 728
- Spearmint
- 77
Security scan
- chroma
- 8 low (8 low)
- Spearmint
- No lockfile
Full report
- chroma
- Trust report
- Spearmint
- Trust report
Choose chroma if…
- chroma is primarily Rust; Spearmint is Python.
- License: chroma is Apache-2.0, Spearmint is Other.
- Pricing: The open-source version is free to use and modify; the hosted service (Chroma Cloud) has a freemium model offering $5 of initial credits..
- Requirements: Min 1 GB RAM.
- Tags unique to chroma: agents, ai-agents, database, full-text-search.
- Also covers Data & Retrieval.
- - When you require a high-performance data infrastructure that can handle complex query needs for AI applications. - If your project necessitates fast, cost-effective, and scalable serverless services
When NOT to use chroma
- - In scenarios where a more mature or enterprise-grade solution is required, as Chroma might be rapidly evolving and not yet fully stabilized.
- - If your project requires extensive customization at the lower levels that the relatively new tool might not support comprehensively yet
- - When the specific need for an AI application does not benefit from vector, hybrid, or full-text search capabilities that Chroma excels in.
Choose Spearmint if…
- Spearmint is primarily Python; chroma is Rust.
- License: Spearmint is Other, chroma is Apache-2.0.
- Tags unique to Spearmint: python.
- Also covers Model Training.
When NOT to use Spearmint
- Last GitHub push was 2388 days ago (dormant maintenance, Dec 27, 2019). Validate activity before betting a new project on Spearmint.
- Model Training: Try prompting and RAG first; fine-tuning is the answer to style/format, not missing knowledge.
- Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (chroma-core/chroma) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (chroma-core/chroma) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (chroma-core/chroma) · observed Jul 10, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (HIPS/Spearmint) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (HIPS/Spearmint) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (HIPS/Spearmint) · observed Dec 27, 2019
- License file (Other) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: chroma 29k · Spearmint 1.6k (synced Jul 11, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between chroma and Spearmint?
- chroma: Search infrastructure for AI. Spearmint: Spearmint Bayesian optimization codebase. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose chroma over Spearmint?
- Choose chroma over Spearmint when chroma is primarily Rust; Spearmint is Python; License: chroma is Apache-2.0, Spearmint is Other; Pricing: The open-source version is free to use and modify; the hosted service (Chroma Cloud) has a freemium model offering $5 of initial credits.; Requirements: Min 1 GB RAM; Tags unique to chroma: agents, ai-agents, database, full-text-search; Also covers Data & Retrieval; - When you require a high-performance data infrastructure that can handle complex query needs for AI applications. - If your project necessitates fast, cost-effective, and scalable serverless services.
- When should I choose Spearmint over chroma?
- Choose Spearmint over chroma when Spearmint is primarily Python; chroma is Rust; License: Spearmint is Other, chroma is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to Spearmint: python; Also covers Model Training.
- When should I avoid chroma?
- - In scenarios where a more mature or enterprise-grade solution is required, as Chroma might be rapidly evolving and not yet fully stabilized. - If your project requires extensive customization at the lower levels that the relatively new tool might not support comprehensively yet - When the specific need for an AI application does not benefit from vector, hybrid, or full-text search capabilities that Chroma excels in.
- When should I avoid Spearmint?
- Last GitHub push was 2388 days ago (dormant maintenance, Dec 27, 2019). Validate activity before betting a new project on Spearmint. Model Training: Try prompting and RAG first; fine-tuning is the answer to style/format, not missing knowledge. Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate.
- Is chroma or Spearmint more popular on GitHub?
- chroma has more GitHub stars (28,763 vs 1,570). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are chroma and Spearmint open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (chroma: Apache-2.0, Spearmint: Other).
- Where can I find alternatives to chroma or Spearmint?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at chroma alternatives and Spearmint alternatives (chroma markdown twin, Spearmint markdown twin), 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 mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.
- Which is better maintained, chroma or Spearmint?
- chroma: Very active. Spearmint: 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 chroma and Spearmint?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: chroma trust report; Spearmint trust report.