Comparison
firecrawl vs docetl
Verdict
Pick firecrawl when firecrawl is primarily TypeScript; docetl is Python; pick docetl when docetl is primarily Python; firecrawl is TypeScript.
Markdown twin · firecrawl alternatives · docetl alternatives
GraphCanon updated today
vs
Trust & integrity
| Signal | firecrawl | docetl |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of 4d · github_public_v1 | Active (18d since push) As of today · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 4d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of today · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of 4d · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) As of today · 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
- firecrawl
- The API to search, scrape, and interact with the web at scale. 🔥
- docetl
- A system for agentic LLM-powered data processing and ETL
Stars
- firecrawl
- 149k
- docetl
- 3.9k
Forks
- firecrawl
- 8.5k
- docetl
- 414
Open issues
- firecrawl
- 395
- docetl
- 41
Language
- firecrawl
- TypeScript
- docetl
- Python
Adopt for
- firecrawl
- FireCrawl is an API-driven toolkit built for conducting scalable searches, scraping tasks, and interactive operations with the web using AI agents.
- docetl
- -
Persona
- firecrawl
- -
- docetl
- -
Runtime
- firecrawl
- -
- docetl
- -
License
- firecrawl
- AGPL-3.0 license requires that any changes to FireCrawl's source code also be made available as free software when the adapted version is used.
- docetl
- MIT
Last pushed
- firecrawl
- Jul 11, 2026
- docetl
- Jun 26, 2026
Categories
- firecrawl
- AI Agents, Data & Retrieval
- docetl
- AI Agents, Data & Retrieval, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Maintenance
- firecrawl
- Very active (96%)
- docetl
- Active (82%)
Days since push
- firecrawl
- 0d
- docetl
- 18d
Open issues (now)
- firecrawl
- 395
- docetl
- 41
Full report
- firecrawl
- Trust report
- docetl
- Trust report
Choose firecrawl if…
- firecrawl is primarily TypeScript; docetl is Python.
- License: firecrawl is AGPL-3.0, docetl is MIT.
- FireCrawl can be deployed on your infrastructure, giving you complete control over where and how the API interacts with web data.
- Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker.
- Tags unique to firecrawl: ai-agents, crawler, scraping, search.
- When you need to automate complex web interactions that require understanding context or content from multiple sources, leveraging its AI agent capabilities.
When NOT to use firecrawl
- For lightweight scraping tasks where minimal data extraction is sufficient and speed is of utmost importance without the need for advanced AI analysis.
- If you require open-source components under a license other than AGPL-3.0, as this license may impose certain restrictions on derivative works.
Choose docetl if…
- docetl is primarily Python; firecrawl is TypeScript.
- License: docetl is MIT, firecrawl is AGPL-3.0.
- Tags unique to docetl: agents, data, data-pipelines, document-analysis.
- Also covers LLM Frameworks.
- docetl ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
When NOT to use docetl
- AI Agents: Don't use an agent loop when a deterministic workflow would do; agents add latency, cost, and non-determinism.
- Data & Retrieval: Skip a heavy ingestion framework when your corpus is small and static; a script plus the embedding API is enough.
- LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (firecrawl/firecrawl) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (firecrawl/firecrawl) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (firecrawl/firecrawl) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- License file (AGPL-3.0) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (ucbepic/docetl) · observed Jul 15, 2026
- GitHub forks (ucbepic/docetl) · observed Jul 15, 2026
- Last push (ucbepic/docetl) · observed Jun 26, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Jul 15, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 15, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: firecrawl 149k · docetl 3.9k (synced Jul 11, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between firecrawl and docetl?
- firecrawl: The API to search, scrape, and interact with the web at scale. 🔥. docetl: A system for agentic LLM-powered data processing and ETL. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose firecrawl over docetl?
- Choose firecrawl over docetl when firecrawl is primarily TypeScript; docetl is Python; License: firecrawl is AGPL-3.0, docetl is MIT; FireCrawl can be deployed on your infrastructure, giving you complete control over where and how the API interacts with web data; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Tags unique to firecrawl: ai-agents, crawler, scraping, search; When you need to automate complex web interactions that require understanding context or content from multiple sources, leveraging its AI agent capabilities.
- When should I choose docetl over firecrawl?
- Choose docetl over firecrawl when docetl is primarily Python; firecrawl is TypeScript; License: docetl is MIT, firecrawl is AGPL-3.0; Tags unique to docetl: agents, data, data-pipelines, document-analysis; Also covers LLM Frameworks; docetl ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
- When should I avoid firecrawl?
- For lightweight scraping tasks where minimal data extraction is sufficient and speed is of utmost importance without the need for advanced AI analysis. If you require open-source components under a license other than AGPL-3.0, as this license may impose certain restrictions on derivative works.
- When should I avoid docetl?
- AI Agents: Don't use an agent loop when a deterministic workflow would do; agents add latency, cost, and non-determinism. Data & Retrieval: Skip a heavy ingestion framework when your corpus is small and static; a script plus the embedding API is enough. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
- Is firecrawl or docetl more popular on GitHub?
- firecrawl has more GitHub stars (149,109 vs 3,888). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are firecrawl and docetl open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (firecrawl: AGPL-3.0, docetl: MIT).
- Where can I find alternatives to firecrawl or docetl?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at firecrawl alternatives and docetl alternatives (firecrawl markdown twin, docetl 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, firecrawl or docetl?
- firecrawl: Very active. docetl: 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 firecrawl and docetl?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: firecrawl trust report; docetl trust report.