--- title: "graph vs grafbase" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/cosmosgl-graph-vs-grafbase-grafbase" tools: ["cosmosgl-graph", "grafbase-grafbase"] --- # graph vs grafbase *GraphCanon updated Aug 22, 2026* ## Verdict Pick graph if cosmosGL/graph provides GPU-accelerated techniques for creating and rendering force-directed layouts. This makes it particularly apt for users who need to visualize complex networks efficiently; pick grafbase if grafbase, an enterprise-grade GraphQL Federation Gateway in Rust and WebAssembly for integrating AI models via API. [graph](https://cosmos.gl) reports 1.3k GitHub stars, 83 forks, and 9 open issues, last pushed Aug 20, 2026. [grafbase](https://the-guild.dev/graphql/hive/blog/acquired-grafbase) has 1.2k stars, 71 forks, and 13 open issues, last pushed Jul 1, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [graph's repository](https://github.com/cosmosgl/graph) and [grafbase's repository](https://github.com/grafbase/grafbase). | | [graph](/tools/cosmosgl-graph.md) | [grafbase](/tools/grafbase-grafbase.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | GPU-accelerated force graph layout and rendering | GraphQL Federation Gateway for AI APIs in Rust and WebAssembly | | Stars | 1,256 | 1,230 | | Forks | 83 | 71 | | Open issues | 9 | 13 | | Language | TypeScript | Rust | | Adopt for | CosmosGL/graph provides GPU-accelerated techniques for creating and rendering force-directed layouts. This makes it particularly apt for users who need to visualize complex networks efficiently. | Grafbase, an enterprise-grade GraphQL Federation Gateway in Rust and WebAssembly for integrating AI models via API. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | MIT License | MPL-2.0 | | Categories | Data & Retrieval, Vector Databases | Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [graph](/tools/cosmosgl-graph.md) | [grafbase](/tools/grafbase-grafbase.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Very active (96%) | Active (82%) | | Days since push | 2d | 25d | | Open issues (now) | 9 | 13 | | Stars delta | +37 (30d) | Unknown | | Open issues delta | -3 (30d) | Unknown | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/cosmosgl-graph/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/grafbase-grafbase/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: graph - **Pricing:** freemium - Free and open-source under the MIT license. - **Requirements:** Requires a WebGL-supported environment - **Adopt for:** CosmosGL/graph provides GPU-accelerated techniques for creating and rendering force-directed layouts. This makes it particularly apt for users who need to visualize complex networks efficiently. - **License detail:** MIT License ## Decision facts: grafbase - **Hosting:** self hosted - Grafbase operates as a self-hosted solution, giving users full control over their GraphQL gateway and associated services. - **Adopt for:** Grafbase, an enterprise-grade GraphQL Federation Gateway in Rust and WebAssembly for integrating AI models via API. ## Choose when ### Choose graph if… - graph is primarily TypeScript; grafbase is Rust. - License: graph is MIT, grafbase is MPL-2.0. - Pricing: Free and open-source under the MIT license.. - Requirements: Requires a WebGL-supported environment. - Tags unique to graph: embeddings, force, graph, network. - Also covers Data & Retrieval, Vector Databases. - - When you require rapid visualization of large, complex network structures due to its GPU acceleration ### Choose grafbase if… - grafbase is primarily Rust; graph is TypeScript. - License: grafbase is MPL-2.0, graph is MIT. - Grafbase operates as a self-hosted solution, giving users full control over their GraphQL gateway and associated services. - Tags unique to grafbase: ai, api, graphql, rust. - Also covers Developer Tools. - You require an enterprise-level GraphQL gateway with support for Rust and WebAssembly to integrate advanced AI APIs. ## When NOT to use graph - - If your project does not involve visualizing complex networks as this tool's forte lies in force-directed graphical representations - - When working with systems or frameworks that do not support WebGL, since CosmosGL/graph relies on it for rendering ## When NOT to use grafbase - You do not require advanced federation capabilities or specific use of Rust and WebAssembly in your GraphQL implementation. - If your project has limited scalability needs and can suffice with simpler, monolithic GraphQL service solutions. - When seeking a platform with broader language support rather than focusing primarily on Rust and WebAssembly. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between graph and grafbase? graph: GPU-accelerated force graph layout and rendering. grafbase: GraphQL Federation Gateway for AI APIs in Rust and WebAssembly. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose graph over grafbase? Choose graph over grafbase when graph is primarily TypeScript; grafbase is Rust; License: graph is MIT, grafbase is MPL-2.0; Pricing: Free and open-source under the MIT license.; Requirements: Requires a WebGL-supported environment; Tags unique to graph: embeddings, force, graph, network; Also covers Data & Retrieval, Vector Databases; - When you require rapid visualization of large, complex network structures due to its GPU acceleration. ### When should I choose grafbase over graph? Choose grafbase over graph when grafbase is primarily Rust; graph is TypeScript; License: grafbase is MPL-2.0, graph is MIT; Grafbase operates as a self-hosted solution, giving users full control over their GraphQL gateway and associated services; Tags unique to grafbase: ai, api, graphql, rust; Also covers Developer Tools; You require an enterprise-level GraphQL gateway with support for Rust and WebAssembly to integrate advanced AI APIs. ### When should I avoid graph? - If your project does not involve visualizing complex networks as this tool's forte lies in force-directed graphical representations - When working with systems or frameworks that do not support WebGL, since CosmosGL/graph relies on it for rendering ### When should I avoid grafbase? You do not require advanced federation capabilities or specific use of Rust and WebAssembly in your GraphQL implementation. If your project has limited scalability needs and can suffice with simpler, monolithic GraphQL service solutions. When seeking a platform with broader language support rather than focusing primarily on Rust and WebAssembly. ### Is graph or grafbase more popular on GitHub? graph has more GitHub stars (1,256 vs 1,230). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are graph and grafbase open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (graph: MIT, grafbase: MPL-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to graph or grafbase? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [graph alternatives](/tools/cosmosgl-graph/alternatives) and [grafbase alternatives](/tools/grafbase-grafbase/alternatives) ([graph markdown twin](/tools/cosmosgl-graph/alternatives.md), [grafbase markdown twin](/tools/grafbase-grafbase/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/cosmosgl-graph-vs-grafbase-grafbase.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, graph or grafbase? graph: Very active. grafbase: 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 graph and grafbase? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [graph trust report](/tools/cosmosgl-graph/trust); [grafbase trust report](/tools/grafbase-grafbase/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=cosmosgl-graph`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=cosmosgl-graph) - 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/_