Comparison
LightRAG vs khoj
Verdict
Pick LightRAG if lightRAG is a framework designed for efficient retrieval-augmented generation methods, focusing on enhancing the performance of large language models with additional knowledge; pick khoj if khoj is a self-hostable AI tool that functions as an assistant able to extract information from the web or user documents for deep research tasks. It supports various local and online language.
Markdown twin · LightRAG alternatives · khoj alternatives
GraphCanon updated 4d
Trust & integrity
| Signal | LightRAG | khoj |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of 4d · github_public_v1 | Active (14d since push) As of 4d · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 4d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 4d · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of 1mo · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) As of 1mo · 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
- LightRAG
- [EMNLP2025] Simple and Fast Retrieval-Augmented Generation
- khoj
- Your AI second brain. Self-hostable.
Stars
- LightRAG
- 39k
- khoj
- 37k
Forks
- LightRAG
- 5.5k
- khoj
- 2.4k
Open issues
- LightRAG
- 227
- khoj
- 133
Language
- LightRAG
- Python
- khoj
- Python
Adopt for
- LightRAG
- LightRAG is a framework designed for efficient retrieval-augmented generation methods, focusing on enhancing the performance of large language models with additional knowledge.
- khoj
- khoj is a self-hostable AI tool that functions as an assistant able to extract information from the web or user documents for deep research tasks. It supports various local and online language models (LLMs) like GPT, LLa
Persona
- LightRAG
- -
- khoj
- -
Runtime
- LightRAG
- -
- khoj
- -
License
- LightRAG
- MIT
- khoj
- khoj is distributed under the GNU Affero General Public License v3.0 (AGPL-3.0), which entails users must make source code available if they run modified versions of khoj on a network and allow others
Last pushed
- LightRAG
- Aug 16, 2026
- khoj
- Aug 2, 2026
Categories
- LightRAG
- Data & Retrieval, LLM Frameworks
- khoj
- AI Agents, Developer Tools, Model Training
Trust and health
Maintenance
- LightRAG
- Very active (96%)
- khoj
- Active (82%)
Days since push
- LightRAG
- 0d
- khoj
- 14d
Open issues (now)
- LightRAG
- 227
- khoj
- 133
Stars delta
- LightRAG
- +1.2k (30d)
- khoj
- +702 (30d)
Open issues delta
- LightRAG
- +4 (30d)
- khoj
- +14 (30d)
Full report
- LightRAG
- Trust report
- khoj
- Trust report
Typed relationship
Choose LightRAG if…
- License: LightRAG is MIT, khoj is AGPL-3.0.
- Pricing: LightRAG is available under the MIT license and is free to use. Potential paid services or premium features may exist outside of this repository..
- Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Python environment compatible with the version supported by LightRAG.; External datasets and relevant APIs may be required for full functionality..
- Khoj acts as an AI second brain, integrating with RAG-like functionalities for knowledge retrieval and generation, similar to LightRAG.
- Tags unique to LightRAG: genai, gpt, knowledge-graph, rag.
- Also covers Data & Retrieval, LLM Frameworks.
- - When you need quick integration of external data sources to enrich your model outputs.
When NOT to use LightRAG
- - If you require a more complex framework offering advanced customization options, LightRAG’s core focus on simplicity might not meet your needs.
- - When the nature of your application demands real-time responses without room for the additional latency that might come with retrieval processes, despite being advertised as quick.
Choose khoj if…
- License: khoj is AGPL-3.0, LightRAG is MIT.
- Pricing: khoj provides free access to its core functionalities, but certain high-tier features might be subject to premium licensing..
- Khoj acts as an AI second brain, integrating with RAG-like functionalities for knowledge retrieval and generation, similar to LightRAG.
- Tags unique to khoj: agent, ai, assistant, chat.
- Also covers AI Agents, Developer Tools, Model Training.
- You're looking to build custom agents for specific tasks, making it ideal if you require a tool with high customization options.
When NOT to use khoj
- When you need real-time responses where latency needs to be minimized, since self-hosting might introduce delays.
- If you prefer cloud-based solutions for maintenance and scaling purposes without managing your own servers, khoj may not be the best option.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (HKUDS/LightRAG) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- GitHub forks (HKUDS/LightRAG) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Last push (HKUDS/LightRAG) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (khoj-ai/khoj) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- GitHub forks (khoj-ai/khoj) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Last push (khoj-ai/khoj) · observed Aug 2, 2026
- License file (AGPL-3.0) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: LightRAG 39k · khoj 37k (synced Aug 16, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between LightRAG and khoj?
- LightRAG: [EMNLP2025] Simple and Fast Retrieval-Augmented Generation. khoj: Your AI second brain. Self-hostable.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose LightRAG over khoj?
- Choose LightRAG over khoj when License: LightRAG is MIT, khoj is AGPL-3.0; Pricing: LightRAG is available under the MIT license and is free to use. Potential paid services or premium features may exist outside of this repository.; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Python environment compatible with the version supported by LightRAG.; External datasets and relevant APIs may be required for full functionality.; Khoj acts as an AI second brain, integrating with RAG-like functionalities for knowledge retrieval and generation, similar to LightRAG; Tags unique to LightRAG: genai, gpt, knowledge-graph, rag; Also covers Data & Retrieval, LLM Frameworks; - When you need quick integration of external data sources to enrich your model outputs.
- When should I choose khoj over LightRAG?
- Choose khoj over LightRAG when License: khoj is AGPL-3.0, LightRAG is MIT; Pricing: khoj provides free access to its core functionalities, but certain high-tier features might be subject to premium licensing.; Khoj acts as an AI second brain, integrating with RAG-like functionalities for knowledge retrieval and generation, similar to LightRAG; Tags unique to khoj: agent, ai, assistant, chat; Also covers AI Agents, Developer Tools, Model Training; You're looking to build custom agents for specific tasks, making it ideal if you require a tool with high customization options.
- When should I avoid LightRAG?
- - If you require a more complex framework offering advanced customization options, LightRAG’s core focus on simplicity might not meet your needs. - When the nature of your application demands real-time responses without room for the additional latency that might come with retrieval processes, despite being advertised as quick.
- When should I avoid khoj?
- When you need real-time responses where latency needs to be minimized, since self-hosting might introduce delays. If you prefer cloud-based solutions for maintenance and scaling purposes without managing your own servers, khoj may not be the best option.
- Is LightRAG or khoj more popular on GitHub?
- LightRAG has more GitHub stars (38,895 vs 36,512). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are LightRAG and khoj open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (LightRAG: MIT, khoj: AGPL-3.0).
- Where can I find alternatives to LightRAG or khoj?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at LightRAG alternatives and khoj alternatives (LightRAG markdown twin, khoj 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, LightRAG or khoj?
- LightRAG: Very active. khoj: 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 LightRAG and khoj?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: LightRAG trust report; khoj trust report.