---
title: "grafbase vs grepai"
type: "comparison"
canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/grafbase-grafbase-vs-yoanbernabeu-grepai"
tools: ["grafbase-grafbase", "yoanbernabeu-grepai"]
---

# grafbase vs grepai

*GraphCanon updated Aug 22, 2026*

## Verdict

Pick grafbase if grafbase, an enterprise-grade GraphQL Federation Gateway in Rust and WebAssembly for integrating AI models via API; pick grepai if grepai is designed for developing local semantic search and call graphs for AI agents with an emphasis on privacy.

[grafbase](https://the-guild.dev/graphql/hive/blog/acquired-grafbase) reports 1.2k GitHub stars, 71 forks, and 13 open issues, last pushed Jul 1, 2026. [grepai](https://yoanbernabeu.github.io/grepai/) has 1.8k stars, 152 forks, and 97 open issues, last pushed Jun 22, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [grafbase's repository](https://github.com/grafbase/grafbase) and [grepai's repository](https://github.com/yoanbernabeu/grepai).

| | [grafbase](/tools/grafbase-grafbase.md) | [grepai](/tools/yoanbernabeu-grepai.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Tagline | GraphQL Federation Gateway for AI APIs in Rust and WebAssembly | Semantic Search & Call Graphs for AI Agents (100% Local) |
| Stars | 1,230 | 1,825 |
| Forks | 71 | 152 |
| Open issues | 13 | 97 |
| Language | Rust | C |
| Adopt for | Grafbase, an enterprise-grade GraphQL Federation Gateway in Rust and WebAssembly for integrating AI models via API. | grepai is designed for developing local semantic search and call graphs for AI agents with an emphasis on privacy. |
| Persona | - | - |
| Runtime | - | - |
| License | MPL-2.0 | MIT license, allowing for wide usage in both open-source and proprietary applications without restrictions on redistribution. |
| Categories | Developer Tools | Developer Tools, Vector Databases |

## Trust and health

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

| | [grafbase](/tools/grafbase-grafbase.md) | [grepai](/tools/yoanbernabeu-grepai.md) |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Maintenance | Active (82%) | Steady (60%) |
| Days since push | 25d | 61d |
| Open issues (now) | 13 | 97 |
| Stars delta | Unknown | +36 (30d) |
| Open issues delta | Unknown | +1 (30d) |
| Owner type | Organization | User |
| Full report | [trust report](/tools/grafbase-grafbase/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/yoanbernabeu-grepai/trust.md) |

## Decision facts: grafbase

- **Hosting:** self hosted - Grafbase operates as a self-hosted solution, giving users full control over their GraphQL gateway and associated services.
- **Adopt for:** Grafbase, an enterprise-grade GraphQL Federation Gateway in Rust and WebAssembly for integrating AI models via API.

## Decision facts: grepai

- **Pricing:** freemium - Available at no cost due to its MIT licensing, with the scope of use limited only by any dependencies it requires.
- **Adopt for:** grepai is designed for developing local semantic search and call graphs for AI agents with an emphasis on privacy.
- **License detail:** MIT license, allowing for wide usage in both open-source and proprietary applications without restrictions on redistribution.

## Choose when

### Choose grafbase if…

- grafbase is primarily Rust; grepai is C.
- License: grafbase is MPL-2.0, grepai is MIT.
- Grafbase operates as a self-hosted solution, giving users full control over their GraphQL gateway and associated services.
- Tags unique to grafbase: api, graphql, rust, webassembly.
- You require an enterprise-level GraphQL gateway with support for Rust and WebAssembly to integrate advanced AI APIs.

### Choose grepai if…

- grepai is primarily C; grafbase is Rust.
- License: grepai is MIT, grafbase is MPL-2.0.
- Pricing: Available at no cost due to its MIT licensing, with the scope of use limited only by any dependencies it requires..
- Tags unique to grepai: claude-code, cli, code-search, cursor.
- Also covers Vector Databases.
- When you need to develop a system that prioritizes local processing without cloud dependencies, which is essential in highly regulated environments where data privacy and security are paramount.

## When NOT to use grafbase

- You do not require advanced federation capabilities or specific use of Rust and WebAssembly in your GraphQL implementation.
- If your project has limited scalability needs and can suffice with simpler, monolithic GraphQL service solutions.
- When seeking a platform with broader language support rather than focusing primarily on Rust and WebAssembly.

## When NOT to use grepai

- Not suitable if your application requires real-time updates from cloud-based services, as grepai operates entirely locally without any online components for updating its functionality.
- If the development team prefers not to deal with C language implementation details,grepai might be less attractive given that other tools may support more modern or higher-level languages like Python.

## Common questions

### What is the difference between grafbase and grepai?

grafbase: GraphQL Federation Gateway for AI APIs in Rust and WebAssembly. grepai: Semantic Search & Call Graphs for AI Agents (100% Local). See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.

### When should I choose grafbase over grepai?

Choose grafbase over grepai when grafbase is primarily Rust; grepai is C; License: grafbase is MPL-2.0, grepai is MIT; Grafbase operates as a self-hosted solution, giving users full control over their GraphQL gateway and associated services; Tags unique to grafbase: api, graphql, rust, webassembly; You require an enterprise-level GraphQL gateway with support for Rust and WebAssembly to integrate advanced AI APIs.

### When should I choose grepai over grafbase?

Choose grepai over grafbase when grepai is primarily C; grafbase is Rust; License: grepai is MIT, grafbase is MPL-2.0; Pricing: Available at no cost due to its MIT licensing, with the scope of use limited only by any dependencies it requires.; Tags unique to grepai: claude-code, cli, code-search, cursor; Also covers Vector Databases; When you need to develop a system that prioritizes local processing without cloud dependencies, which is essential in highly regulated environments where data privacy and security are paramount.

### When should I avoid grafbase?

You do not require advanced federation capabilities or specific use of Rust and WebAssembly in your GraphQL implementation. If your project has limited scalability needs and can suffice with simpler, monolithic GraphQL service solutions. When seeking a platform with broader language support rather than focusing primarily on Rust and WebAssembly.

### When should I avoid grepai?

Not suitable if your application requires real-time updates from cloud-based services, as grepai operates entirely locally without any online components for updating its functionality. If the development team prefers not to deal with C language implementation details,grepai might be less attractive given that other tools may support more modern or higher-level languages like Python.

### Is grafbase or grepai more popular on GitHub?

grepai has more GitHub stars (1,825 vs 1,230). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.

### Are grafbase and grepai open source?

Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (grafbase: MPL-2.0, grepai: MIT).

### Where can I find alternatives to grafbase or grepai?

GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [grafbase alternatives](/tools/grafbase-grafbase/alternatives) and [grepai alternatives](/tools/yoanbernabeu-grepai/alternatives) ([grafbase markdown twin](/tools/grafbase-grafbase/alternatives.md), [grepai markdown twin](/tools/yoanbernabeu-grepai/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/grafbase-grafbase-vs-yoanbernabeu-grepai.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers.

### Which is better maintained, grafbase or grepai?

grafbase: Active. grepai: 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 grafbase and grepai?

GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [grafbase trust report](/tools/grafbase-grafbase/trust); [grepai trust report](/tools/yoanbernabeu-grepai/trust).

---

**Machine-readable endpoints**

- JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=grafbase-grafbase`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=grafbase-grafbase)
- 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/_
