---
title: "RAG-Driven-Generative-AI vs LLMs-from-scratch"
type: "comparison"
canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai-vs-rasbt-llms-from-scratch"
tools: ["denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai", "rasbt-llms-from-scratch"]
---

# RAG-Driven-Generative-AI vs LLMs-from-scratch

*GraphCanon updated Jul 11, 2026*

## Verdict

Pick RAG-Driven-Generative-AI when license: RAG-Driven-Generative-AI is MIT, LLMs-from-scratch is Other; pick LLMs-from-scratch when license: LLMs-from-scratch is Other, RAG-Driven-Generative-AI is MIT.

[RAG-Driven-Generative-AI](https://github.com/Denis2054/RAG-Driven-Generative-AI) reports 614 GitHub stars, 214 forks, and 0 open issues, last pushed Sep 23, 2025. [LLMs-from-scratch](https://amzn.to/4fqvn0D) has 99k stars, 15k forks, and 4 open issues, last pushed Jun 2, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [RAG-Driven-Generative-AI's repository](https://github.com/Denis2054/RAG-Driven-Generative-AI) and [LLMs-from-scratch's repository](https://github.com/rasbt/LLMs-from-scratch).

| | [RAG-Driven-Generative-AI](/tools/denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai.md) | [LLMs-from-scratch](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tagline | This repository provides programs to build Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) code for Generative AI with LlamaIndex, Deep Lake, and Pinecone leveraging the power of OpenAI and Hugging Face models f | Implement a ChatGPT-like LLM in PyTorch from scratch, step by step |
| Stars | 614 | 98,899 |
| Forks | 214 | 15,183 |
| Open issues | 0 | 4 |
| Language | Jupyter Notebook | Jupyter Notebook |
| Adopt for | - | LLMs-from-scratch is a project-oriented repository aimed at building PyTorch-based language models from the ground up, with detailed step-by-step instructions. |
| Persona | - | - |
| Runtime | - | - |
| License | MIT | Other |
| Categories | LLM Frameworks, Model Training, Vector Databases | LLM Frameworks, Model Training |

## Trust and health

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

| | [RAG-Driven-Generative-AI](/tools/denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai.md) | [LLMs-from-scratch](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Maintenance | Slowing (36%) | Steady (60%) |
| Days since push | 290d | 38d |
| Open issues (now) | 0 | 4 |
| Full report | [trust report](/tools/denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/trust.md) |

## Decision facts: LLMs-from-scratch

- **Adopt for:** LLMs-from-scratch is a project-oriented repository aimed at building PyTorch-based language models from the ground up, with detailed step-by-step instructions.

## Choose when

### Choose RAG-Driven-Generative-AI if…

- License: RAG-Driven-Generative-AI is MIT, LLMs-from-scratch is Other.
- Tags unique to RAG-Driven-Generative-AI: advanced-rag, chroma, chromadb, embedding-models.
- Also covers Vector Databases.

### Choose LLMs-from-scratch if…

- License: LLMs-from-scratch is Other, RAG-Driven-Generative-AI is MIT.
- Tags unique to LLMs-from-scratch: ai, artificial-intelligence, attention mechanism, deep-learning.
- - You are an advanced practitioner aiming to fully understand the underpinnings of LLMs using PyTorch as your primary framework.

## When NOT to use RAG-Driven-Generative-AI

- Last GitHub push was 291 days ago (slowing maintenance, Sep 23, 2025). Validate activity before betting a new project on RAG-Driven-Generative-AI.
- LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
- 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.

## When NOT to use LLMs-from-scratch

- - If you are looking for a rapid deployment of an LLM without understanding its intricate structure - this tool requires extensive manual and conceptual work.
- - You prefer frameworks with automatic model generation or other high-level abstractions that simplify the process. This repository emphasizes manual creation, which is more time-consuming but offers丰
- a deeper learning experience.

## Common questions

### What is the difference between RAG-Driven-Generative-AI and LLMs-from-scratch?

RAG-Driven-Generative-AI: This repository provides programs to build Retrieval Augmented Generation (RAG) code for Generative AI with LlamaIndex, Deep Lake, and Pinecone leveraging the power of OpenAI and Hugging Face models f. LLMs-from-scratch: Implement a ChatGPT-like LLM in PyTorch from scratch, step by step. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.

### When should I choose RAG-Driven-Generative-AI over LLMs-from-scratch?

Choose RAG-Driven-Generative-AI over LLMs-from-scratch when License: RAG-Driven-Generative-AI is MIT, LLMs-from-scratch is Other; Tags unique to RAG-Driven-Generative-AI: advanced-rag, chroma, chromadb, embedding-models; Also covers Vector Databases.

### When should I choose LLMs-from-scratch over RAG-Driven-Generative-AI?

Choose LLMs-from-scratch over RAG-Driven-Generative-AI when License: LLMs-from-scratch is Other, RAG-Driven-Generative-AI is MIT; Tags unique to LLMs-from-scratch: ai, artificial-intelligence, attention mechanism, deep-learning; - You are an advanced practitioner aiming to fully understand the underpinnings of LLMs using PyTorch as your primary framework.

### When should I avoid RAG-Driven-Generative-AI?

Last GitHub push was 291 days ago (slowing maintenance, Sep 23, 2025). Validate activity before betting a new project on RAG-Driven-Generative-AI. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. 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.

### When should I avoid LLMs-from-scratch?

- If you are looking for a rapid deployment of an LLM without understanding its intricate structure - this tool requires extensive manual and conceptual work. - You prefer frameworks with automatic model generation or other high-level abstractions that simplify the process. This repository emphasizes manual creation, which is more time-consuming but offers丰 a deeper learning experience.

### Is RAG-Driven-Generative-AI or LLMs-from-scratch more popular on GitHub?

LLMs-from-scratch has more GitHub stars (98,899 vs 614). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.

### Are RAG-Driven-Generative-AI and LLMs-from-scratch open source?

Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (RAG-Driven-Generative-AI: MIT, LLMs-from-scratch: Other).

### Where can I find alternatives to RAG-Driven-Generative-AI or LLMs-from-scratch?

GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [RAG-Driven-Generative-AI alternatives](/tools/denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai/alternatives) and [LLMs-from-scratch alternatives](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/alternatives) ([RAG-Driven-Generative-AI markdown twin](/tools/denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai/alternatives.md), [LLMs-from-scratch markdown twin](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/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/denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai-vs-rasbt-llms-from-scratch.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.

### Which is better maintained, RAG-Driven-Generative-AI or LLMs-from-scratch?

RAG-Driven-Generative-AI: Slowing. LLMs-from-scratch: Steady. 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 RAG-Driven-Generative-AI and LLMs-from-scratch?

GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [RAG-Driven-Generative-AI trust report](/tools/denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai/trust); [LLMs-from-scratch trust report](/tools/rasbt-llms-from-scratch/trust).

---

**Machine-readable endpoints**

- JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=denis2054-rag-driven-generative-ai)
- 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/_