Comparison
lingua vs 12-factor-agents
Verdict
Pick lingua when lingua is primarily Python; 12-factor-agents is TypeScript; pick 12-factor-agents when 12-factor-agents is primarily TypeScript; lingua is Python.
Markdown twin · lingua alternatives · 12-factor-agents alternatives
GraphCanon updated today
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Trust & integrity
| Signal | lingua | 12-factor-agents |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Slowing (358d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Slowing (292d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1d · github_public_v1 |
| Security (OSV) | No criticals As of 1d · osv@v1 | No lockfile As of 1d · none |
Tagline
- lingua
- Meta Lingua: a lean, efficient, and easy-to-hack codebase to research LLMs.
- 12-factor-agents
- Principles for building production-ready LLM-powered software
Stars
- lingua
- 4.8k
- 12-factor-agents
- 24k
Forks
- lingua
- 272
- 12-factor-agents
- 1.8k
Open issues
- lingua
- 13
- 12-factor-agents
- 26
Language
- lingua
- Python
- 12-factor-agents
- TypeScript
Adopt for
- lingua
- -
- 12-factor-agents
- A TypeScript-based framework focused on applying 12-factor principles to build production-ready software with large language models.
Persona
- lingua
- -
- 12-factor-agents
- -
Runtime
- lingua
- -
- 12-factor-agents
- -
License
- lingua
- BSD-3-Clause
- 12-factor-agents
- The content and images are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, while the code is covered by the Apache 2.0 License.
Last pushed
- lingua
- Jul 18, 2025
- 12-factor-agents
- Sep 21, 2025
Categories
- lingua
- LLM Frameworks
- 12-factor-agents
- AI Agents, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Days since push
- lingua
- 358d
- 12-factor-agents
- 292d
Open issues (now)
- lingua
- 13
- 12-factor-agents
- 26
Security scan
- lingua
- No criticals
- 12-factor-agents
- No lockfile
Full report
- lingua
- Trust report
- 12-factor-agents
- Trust report
Choose lingua if…
- lingua is primarily Python; 12-factor-agents is TypeScript.
- License: lingua is BSD-3-Clause, 12-factor-agents is Other.
- Tags unique to lingua: python.
When NOT to use lingua
- Last GitHub push was 359 days ago (slowing maintenance, Jul 18, 2025). Validate activity before betting a new project on lingua.
- LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
Choose 12-factor-agents if…
- 12-factor-agents is primarily TypeScript; lingua is Python.
- License: 12-factor-agents is Other, lingua is BSD-3-Clause.
- Pricing: Free to use with open-source licenses.
- Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires a solid understanding of TypeScript and familiarity with concepts like prompt engineering and context window management..
- Tags unique to 12-factor-agents: 12-factor, agents, ai, context-window.
- Also covers AI Agents.
- You are specifically developing AI agents or LLM-powered applications in TypeScript and need a structured guideline grounded in the 12-factor app principles.
When NOT to use 12-factor-agents
- If your project requires languages other than TypeScript or if your application already has a strong foundation not necessarily aligning with the 12-factor app principles.
- When you’re looking for comprehensive deployment automation tools rather than guidance on building LLM-powered agents and ensuring their reliability in production environments.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (facebookresearch/lingua) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (facebookresearch/lingua) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (facebookresearch/lingua) · observed Jul 18, 2025
- License file (BSD-3-Clause) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (humanlayer/12-factor-agents) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (humanlayer/12-factor-agents) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (humanlayer/12-factor-agents) · observed Sep 21, 2025
- License file (Other) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: lingua 4.8k · 12-factor-agents 24k (synced Jul 11, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between lingua and 12-factor-agents?
- lingua: Meta Lingua: a lean, efficient, and easy-to-hack codebase to research LLMs.. 12-factor-agents: Principles for building production-ready LLM-powered software. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose lingua over 12-factor-agents?
- Choose lingua over 12-factor-agents when lingua is primarily Python; 12-factor-agents is TypeScript; License: lingua is BSD-3-Clause, 12-factor-agents is Other; Tags unique to lingua: python.
- When should I choose 12-factor-agents over lingua?
- Choose 12-factor-agents over lingua when 12-factor-agents is primarily TypeScript; lingua is Python; License: 12-factor-agents is Other, lingua is BSD-3-Clause; Pricing: Free to use with open-source licenses; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires a solid understanding of TypeScript and familiarity with concepts like prompt engineering and context window management.; Tags unique to 12-factor-agents: 12-factor, agents, ai, context-window; Also covers AI Agents; You are specifically developing AI agents or LLM-powered applications in TypeScript and need a structured guideline grounded in the 12-factor app principles.
- When should I avoid lingua?
- Last GitHub push was 359 days ago (slowing maintenance, Jul 18, 2025). Validate activity before betting a new project on lingua. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
- When should I avoid 12-factor-agents?
- If your project requires languages other than TypeScript or if your application already has a strong foundation not necessarily aligning with the 12-factor app principles. When you’re looking for comprehensive deployment automation tools rather than guidance on building LLM-powered agents and ensuring their reliability in production environments.
- Is lingua or 12-factor-agents more popular on GitHub?
- 12-factor-agents has more GitHub stars (24,036 vs 4,759). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are lingua and 12-factor-agents open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (lingua: BSD-3-Clause, 12-factor-agents: Other).
- Where can I find alternatives to lingua or 12-factor-agents?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at lingua alternatives and 12-factor-agents alternatives (lingua markdown twin, 12-factor-agents 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, lingua or 12-factor-agents?
- lingua: Slowing. 12-factor-agents: Slowing. 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 lingua and 12-factor-agents?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: lingua trust report; 12-factor-agents trust report.