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Comparison

LightRAG vs LEANN

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 LEANN if lEANN is a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) application that provides substantial storage savings and ensures privacy. It supports various models such as ColQwen2 and ColPali, making it easy to integrate into Python,.

Markdown twin · LightRAG alternatives · LEANN alternatives

GraphCanon updated 4d

LightRAG logo

LightRAG

HKUDS/LightRAG

★ 39kpushed Aug 16, 2026
vs
LEANN logo

LEANN

StarTrail-org/LEANN

★ 13kpushed Jul 31, 2026

Trust & integrity

SignalLightRAGLEANN
Maintenance
Very active (0d since push)
As of 6d · github_public_v1
Active (17d since push)
As of 4d · github_public_v1
Provenance
Not a fork · Organization account
As of 6d · 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
LightRAG trust reportLEANN trust reportTrust methodology

Tagline

LightRAG
[EMNLP2025] Simple and Fast Retrieval-Augmented Generation
LEANN
RAG on Everything with LEANN

Stars

LightRAG
39k
LEANN
13k

Forks

LightRAG
5.5k
LEANN
1.1k

Open issues

LightRAG
227
LEANN
45

Language

LightRAG
Python
LEANN
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.
LEANN
LEANN is a retrieval-augmented generation (RAG) application that provides substantial storage savings and ensures privacy. It supports various models such as ColQwen2 and ColPali, making it easy to integrate into Python,

Persona

LightRAG
-
LEANN
-

Runtime

LightRAG
-
LEANN
-

License

LightRAG
MIT
LEANN
MIT

Last pushed

LightRAG
Aug 16, 2026
LEANN
Jul 31, 2026

Categories

LightRAG
Data & Retrieval, LLM Frameworks
LEANN
Data & Retrieval, Developer Tools

Trust and health

Maintenance

LightRAG
Very active (96%)
LEANN
Active (82%)

Days since push

LightRAG
0d
LEANN
17d

Open issues (now)

LightRAG
227
LEANN
45

Stars delta

LightRAG
+1.2k (30d)
LEANN
+81 (30d)

Open issues delta

LightRAG
+4 (30d)
LEANN
0 (30d)

Full report

LightRAG
Trust report
LEANN
Trust report

Typed relationship

LightRAG alternative LEANNLEANN and LightRAG both provide solutions for RAG with a focus on performance and simplicity, though LEANN further emphasizes high privacy standards and reduced storage requirements.

Shared compatibility

  • Python · LightRAG: Python runtime · LEANN: Python runtime

Choose LightRAG if…

  • 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..
  • LEANN and LightRAG both provide solutions for RAG with a focus on performance and simplicity, though LEANN further emphasizes high privacy standards and reduced storage requirements.
  • Tags unique to LightRAG: genai, gpt, knowledge-graph, rag.
  • Also covers LLM Frameworks.
  • LightRAG ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
  • - 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.
GitHubDetails

Choose LEANN if…

  • LEANN and LightRAG both provide solutions for RAG with a focus on performance and simplicity, though LEANN further emphasizes high privacy standards and reduced storage requirements.
  • Tags unique to LEANN: ai, faiss, gpt-oss, langchain.
  • Also covers Developer Tools.
  • When you need significant storage savings, LEANN offers up to 97% reduction compared to other solutions.

When NOT to use LEANN

  • Avoid using LEANN if you have strict hardware limitations since it requires the installation of both Python and C++ dependencies.
  • LEANN may not be suitable for users who prefer tools that do not demand manual setup of vector databases or models like Ollama and ColQwen2.
GitHubDetails

Explore

LightRAG trust report →LEANN trust report →Data & Retrieval category →LLM Frameworks category →Developer Tools category →All comparisonsStack workflowsTrending tools

Sources

Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.

GitHub stars on cards: LightRAG 39k · LEANN 13k (synced Aug 16, 2026).

Common questions

What is the difference between LightRAG and LEANN?
LightRAG: [EMNLP2025] Simple and Fast Retrieval-Augmented Generation. LEANN: RAG on Everything with LEANN. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
When should I choose LightRAG over LEANN?
Choose LightRAG over LEANN when 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.; LEANN and LightRAG both provide solutions for RAG with a focus on performance and simplicity, though LEANN further emphasizes high privacy standards and reduced storage requirements; Tags unique to LightRAG: genai, gpt, knowledge-graph, rag; Also covers LLM Frameworks; LightRAG ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; - When you need quick integration of external data sources to enrich your model outputs.
When should I choose LEANN over LightRAG?
Choose LEANN over LightRAG when LEANN and LightRAG both provide solutions for RAG with a focus on performance and simplicity, though LEANN further emphasizes high privacy standards and reduced storage requirements; Tags unique to LEANN: ai, faiss, gpt-oss, langchain; Also covers Developer Tools; When you need significant storage savings, LEANN offers up to 97% reduction compared to other solutions.
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 LEANN?
Avoid using LEANN if you have strict hardware limitations since it requires the installation of both Python and C++ dependencies. LEANN may not be suitable for users who prefer tools that do not demand manual setup of vector databases or models like Ollama and ColQwen2.
Is LightRAG or LEANN more popular on GitHub?
LightRAG has more GitHub stars (38,895 vs 12,785). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
Are LightRAG and LEANN open source?
Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (LightRAG: MIT, LEANN: MIT).
Where can I find alternatives to LightRAG or LEANN?
GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at LightRAG alternatives and LEANN alternatives (LightRAG markdown twin, LEANN 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 LEANN?
LightRAG: Very active. LEANN: 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 LEANN?
GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: LightRAG trust report; LEANN trust report.

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