Comparison
dolly vs jan
Verdict
Pick dolly if dolly is a large language model that can be used for response generation and training, available through Hugging Face and the Databricks Machine Learning Platform; pick jan if jan is a TypeScript-based, self-hosted chatbot application that acts as an offline alternative to services like ChatGPT.
Markdown twin · dolly alternatives · jan alternatives
GraphCanon updated 1w
Trust & integrity
| Signal | dolly | jan |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Dormant (1127d since push) As of 3w · github_public_v1 | Very active (1d since push) As of 1w · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 3w · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1w · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | Published findings As of 1mo · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) As of 1mo · osv@v1 |
| deps.dev advisories | Not queried deps.dev@v1 | Not queried deps.dev@v1 |
| OpenSSF Scorecard | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 | Not queried openssf-scorecard@v1 |
Tagline
- dolly
- Large language model for response generation and training
- jan
- open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs offline locally
Stars
- dolly
- 11k
- jan
- 44k
Forks
- dolly
- 1.1k
- jan
- 3.0k
Open issues
- dolly
- 6
- jan
- 453
Language
- dolly
- Python
- jan
- TypeScript
Adopt for
- dolly
- Dolly is a large language model that can be used for response generation and training, available through Hugging Face and the Databricks Machine Learning Platform.
- jan
- Jan is a TypeScript-based, self-hosted chatbot application that acts as an offline alternative to services like ChatGPT.
Persona
- dolly
- -
- jan
- -
Runtime
- dolly
- -
- jan
- -
License
- dolly
- Apache-2.0
- jan
- Other
Last pushed
- dolly
- Jun 30, 2023
- jan
- Aug 14, 2026
Categories
- dolly
- Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks
- jan
- Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Maintenance
- dolly
- Dormant (18%)
- jan
- Very active (96%)
Days since push
- dolly
- 1127d
- jan
- 1d
Open issues (now)
- dolly
- 6
- jan
- 453
Stars delta
- dolly
- Unknown
- jan
- +426 (30d)
Open issues delta
- dolly
- Unknown
- jan
- +69 (30d)
OSV dependency advisories
- dolly
- Published findings
- jan
- No lockfile (source not queried)
Full report
- dolly
- Trust report
- jan
- Trust report
Choose dolly if…
- dolly is primarily Python; jan is TypeScript.
- License: dolly is Apache-2.0, jan is Other.
- Tags unique to dolly: chatbot, databricks, dolly.
- If your project requires a robust pre-trained model available via Hugging Face to quickly generate responses without extensive setup or training processes.
When NOT to use dolly
- If your project requires a local deployment model that does not involve cloud-based tools, as Dolly's optimal use case involves integration with the Databricks platform.
- In instances where immediate access to GPUs is constrained or expensive in your region, since Dolly training and inference are optimized for GPU processing environments.
Choose jan if…
- jan is primarily TypeScript; dolly is Python.
- License: jan is Other, dolly is Apache-2.0.
- Tags unique to jan: chatgpt, gpt, llamacpp, llm.
- - If you require an offline-capable AI assistant for environments without internet access.
When NOT to use jan
- - If you require real-time updates to the AI model, since Jan uses static local models which may not get frequent updates.
- - When a vast knowledge base or continuous learning capabilities are essential, as Jan's offline nature constrains its ability to stay current with new information.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (databrickslabs/dolly) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- GitHub forks (databrickslabs/dolly) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- Last push (databrickslabs/dolly) · observed Jun 30, 2023
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Aug 1, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 14, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (janhq/jan) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- GitHub forks (janhq/jan) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Last push (janhq/jan) · observed Aug 14, 2026
- License file (Other) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: dolly 11k · jan 44k (synced Aug 1, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between dolly and jan?
- dolly: Large language model for response generation and training. jan: open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs offline locally. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose dolly over jan?
- Choose dolly over jan when dolly is primarily Python; jan is TypeScript; License: dolly is Apache-2.0, jan is Other; Tags unique to dolly: chatbot, databricks, dolly; If your project requires a robust pre-trained model available via Hugging Face to quickly generate responses without extensive setup or training processes.
- When should I choose jan over dolly?
- Choose jan over dolly when jan is primarily TypeScript; dolly is Python; License: jan is Other, dolly is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to jan: chatgpt, gpt, llamacpp, llm; - If you require an offline-capable AI assistant for environments without internet access.
- When should I avoid dolly?
- If your project requires a local deployment model that does not involve cloud-based tools, as Dolly's optimal use case involves integration with the Databricks platform. In instances where immediate access to GPUs is constrained or expensive in your region, since Dolly training and inference are optimized for GPU processing environments.
- When should I avoid jan?
- - If you require real-time updates to the AI model, since Jan uses static local models which may not get frequent updates. - When a vast knowledge base or continuous learning capabilities are essential, as Jan's offline nature constrains its ability to stay current with new information.
- Is dolly or jan more popular on GitHub?
- jan has more GitHub stars (44,020 vs 10,805). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are dolly and jan open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (dolly: Apache-2.0, jan: Other).
- Where can I find alternatives to dolly or jan?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at dolly alternatives and jan alternatives (dolly markdown twin, jan 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, dolly or jan?
- dolly: Dormant. jan: 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 dolly and jan?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: dolly trust report; jan trust report.