--- title: "lmql vs lagent" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/eth-sri-lmql-vs-internlm-lagent" tools: ["eth-sri-lmql", "internlm-lagent"] --- # lmql vs lagent *GraphCanon updated Aug 16, 2026* ## Verdict Pick lmql if facilitates LLM programming with constraints for efficiency, Python-based; pick lagent if lagent is a Python framework aimed at streamlining the creation of lightweight Large Language Model (LLM) agents. [lmql](https://lmql.ai) reports 4.2k GitHub stars, 221 forks, and 120 open issues, last pushed May 22, 2025. [lagent](https://github.com/InternLM/lagent) has 2.3k stars, 238 forks, and 24 open issues, last pushed Aug 3, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [lmql's repository](https://github.com/eth-sri/lmql) and [lagent's repository](https://github.com/InternLM/lagent). | | [lmql](/tools/eth-sri-lmql.md) | [lagent](/tools/internlm-lagent.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | A language for constraint-guided and efficient LLM programming. | A lightweight framework for building LLM-based agents | | Stars | 4,203 | 2,276 | | Forks | 221 | 238 | | Open issues | 120 | 24 | | Language | Python | Python | | Adopt for | Facilitates LLM programming with constraints for efficiency, Python-based. | lagent is a Python framework aimed at streamlining the creation of lightweight Large Language Model (LLM) agents. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | lagent is open-source under the Apache-2.0 license, allowing for broad use and modification with attribution. | | Categories | LLM Frameworks | AI Agents, LLM Frameworks | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [lmql](/tools/eth-sri-lmql.md) | [lagent](/tools/internlm-lagent.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Dormant (18%) | Active (82%) | | Days since push | 450d | 12d | | Open issues (now) | 120 | 24 | | Stars delta | +1 (30d) | +8 (30d) | | Open issues delta | 0 (30d) | +1 (30d) | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/eth-sri-lmql/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/internlm-lagent/trust.md) | ## Shared compatibility - **Python**: [lmql](/tools/eth-sri-lmql.md) - Python runtime; [lagent](/tools/internlm-lagent.md) - Python runtime ## Decision facts: lmql - **Adopt for:** Facilitates LLM programming with constraints for efficiency, Python-based. ## Decision facts: lagent - **Pricing:** freemium - Available freely due to its open-source nature, but customization or enterprise support might involve additional costs. - **Adopt for:** lagent is a Python framework aimed at streamlining the creation of lightweight Large Language Model (LLM) agents. - **License detail:** lagent is open-source under the Apache-2.0 license, allowing for broad use and modification with attribution. ## Choose when ### Choose lmql if… - Tags unique to lmql: chatgpt, huggingface, language-model, programming-language. - When needing precise control over language model output through programmable constraints - More GitHub stars (4.2k vs 2.3k) - visibility, not fit. ### Choose lagent if… - Pricing: Available freely due to its open-source nature, but customization or enterprise support might involve additional costs.. - Tags unique to lagent: agent, gpt, llm, transformers. - Also covers AI Agents. - When you need a streamlined approach to develop LLM-based agents with minimal overhead, lagent can be particularly advantageous due to its lightweight design. ## When NOT to use lmql - For general-purpose coding without leveraging specific LLM functionalities - If the project does not benefit from constraint-guided interactions with language models ## When NOT to use lagent - Avoid using lagent if your project necessitates integration with a broader set of tools that are not natively supported by this framework, as it offers limited out-of-the-box extensibility. - Steer clear if you need robust scalability features right from the start. While lightweight, lagent may require additional custom work to handle more demanding scaling requirements. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between lmql and lagent? lmql: A language for constraint-guided and efficient LLM programming.. lagent: A lightweight framework for building LLM-based agents. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose lmql over lagent? Choose lmql over lagent when Tags unique to lmql: chatgpt, huggingface, language-model, programming-language; When needing precise control over language model output through programmable constraints; More GitHub stars (4.2k vs 2.3k) - visibility, not fit. ### When should I choose lagent over lmql? Choose lagent over lmql when Pricing: Available freely due to its open-source nature, but customization or enterprise support might involve additional costs.; Tags unique to lagent: agent, gpt, llm, transformers; Also covers AI Agents; When you need a streamlined approach to develop LLM-based agents with minimal overhead, lagent can be particularly advantageous due to its lightweight design. ### When should I avoid lmql? For general-purpose coding without leveraging specific LLM functionalities If the project does not benefit from constraint-guided interactions with language models ### When should I avoid lagent? Avoid using lagent if your project necessitates integration with a broader set of tools that are not natively supported by this framework, as it offers limited out-of-the-box extensibility. Steer clear if you need robust scalability features right from the start. While lightweight, lagent may require additional custom work to handle more demanding scaling requirements. ### Is lmql or lagent more popular on GitHub? lmql has more GitHub stars (4,203 vs 2,276). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are lmql and lagent open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (lmql: Apache-2.0, lagent: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to lmql or lagent? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [lmql alternatives](/tools/eth-sri-lmql/alternatives) and [lagent alternatives](/tools/internlm-lagent/alternatives) ([lmql markdown twin](/tools/eth-sri-lmql/alternatives.md), [lagent markdown twin](/tools/internlm-lagent/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/eth-sri-lmql-vs-internlm-lagent.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, lmql or lagent? lmql: Dormant. lagent: 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 lmql and lagent? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [lmql trust report](/tools/eth-sri-lmql/trust); [lagent trust report](/tools/internlm-lagent/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=eth-sri-lmql`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=eth-sri-lmql) - 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/_