--- title: "compose vs autogen" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/docker-compose-vs-microsoft-autogen" tools: ["docker-compose", "microsoft-autogen"] --- # compose vs autogen *GraphCanon updated Jul 15, 2026* ## Verdict Pick compose when compose is primarily Go; autogen is Python; pick autogen when autogen is primarily Python; compose is Go. [compose](https://docs.docker.com/compose/) reports 38k GitHub stars, 5.9k forks, and 118 open issues, last pushed Jul 15, 2026. [autogen](https://microsoft.github.io/autogen/) has 60k stars, 9.0k forks, and 945 open issues, last pushed Apr 15, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [compose's repository](https://github.com/docker/compose) and [autogen's repository](https://github.com/microsoft/autogen). | | [compose](/tools/docker-compose.md) | [autogen](/tools/microsoft-autogen.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Define and run multi-container applications with Docker | A programming framework for agentic AI | | Stars | 37,836 | 59,658 | | Forks | 5,886 | 8,983 | | Open issues | 118 | 945 | | Language | Go | Python | | Adopt for | - | AutoGen is a Python-based framework for developing and managing agentic AI systems. It includes the AutoGen Studio for no-code GUI setup, integrating with various models. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | CC-BY-4.0 | | Categories | AI Agents | AI Agents, LLM Frameworks | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [compose](/tools/docker-compose.md) | [autogen](/tools/microsoft-autogen.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Very active (96%) | Steady (60%) | | Days since push | 0d | 87d | | Open issues (now) | 118 | 945 | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/docker-compose/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/microsoft-autogen/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: autogen - **Requirements:** Min 4 GB RAM; AutoGen requires Python 3.10 or later.; Ensure security when connecting to MCP servers due to the potential for local command execution and sensitive information exposure. - **Adopt for:** AutoGen is a Python-based framework for developing and managing agentic AI systems. It includes the AutoGen Studio for no-code GUI setup, integrating with various models. ## Choose when ### Choose compose if… - compose is primarily Go; autogen is Python. - License: compose is Apache-2.0, autogen is CC-BY-4.0. - Tags unique to compose: docker, docker-compose, go, golang. - compose ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. ### Choose autogen if… - autogen is primarily Python; compose is Go. - License: autogen is CC-BY-4.0, compose is Apache-2.0. - Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; AutoGen requires Python 3.10 or later.; Ensure security when connecting to MCP servers due to the potential for local command execution and sensitive information exposure.. - Tags unique to autogen: agentic-agi, agents, ai, autogen. - Also covers LLM Frameworks. - You need a framework that supports integration with multiple AI models via OpenAI's chat completion client. ## When NOT to use compose - AI Agents: Don't use an agent loop when a deterministic workflow would do; agents add latency, cost, and non-determinism. ## When NOT to use autogen - If you require tools supporting multiple programming languages beyond Python, as AutoGen is strictly a Python-based framework. - When deploying in environments where connecting to external servers (like those used by MCP) could pose security risks or is prohibited. - You need solutions which do not involve additional installations for server components such as `playwright/mcp`, as AutoGen requires this setup for certain functionalities. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between compose and autogen? compose: Define and run multi-container applications with Docker. autogen: A programming framework for agentic AI. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose compose over autogen? Choose compose over autogen when compose is primarily Go; autogen is Python; License: compose is Apache-2.0, autogen is CC-BY-4.0; Tags unique to compose: docker, docker-compose, go, golang; compose ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. ### When should I choose autogen over compose? Choose autogen over compose when autogen is primarily Python; compose is Go; License: autogen is CC-BY-4.0, compose is Apache-2.0; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; AutoGen requires Python 3.10 or later.; Ensure security when connecting to MCP servers due to the potential for local command execution and sensitive information exposure.; Tags unique to autogen: agentic-agi, agents, ai, autogen; Also covers LLM Frameworks; You need a framework that supports integration with multiple AI models via OpenAI's chat completion client. ### When should I avoid compose? AI Agents: Don't use an agent loop when a deterministic workflow would do; agents add latency, cost, and non-determinism. ### When should I avoid autogen? If you require tools supporting multiple programming languages beyond Python, as AutoGen is strictly a Python-based framework. When deploying in environments where connecting to external servers (like those used by MCP) could pose security risks or is prohibited. You need solutions which do not involve additional installations for server components such as `playwright/mcp`, as AutoGen requires this setup for certain functionalities. ### Is compose or autogen more popular on GitHub? autogen has more GitHub stars (59,658 vs 37,836). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are compose and autogen open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (compose: Apache-2.0, autogen: CC-BY-4.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to compose or autogen? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [compose alternatives](/tools/docker-compose/alternatives) and [autogen alternatives](/tools/microsoft-autogen/alternatives) ([compose markdown twin](/tools/docker-compose/alternatives.md), [autogen markdown twin](/tools/microsoft-autogen/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/docker-compose-vs-microsoft-autogen.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, compose or autogen? compose: Very active. autogen: 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 compose and autogen? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [compose trust report](/tools/docker-compose/trust); [autogen trust report](/tools/microsoft-autogen/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=docker-compose`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=docker-compose) - 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/_