Comparison
LightRAG vs LEANN
Verdict
Pick LightRAG if lightRAG is a retrieval-augmented generation tool that emphasizes simplicity and speed, ideal for efficient knowledge graph augmentation in large language models; 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 Sep 20, 2026
13views this month
Trust & integrity
| Signal | LightRAG | LEANN |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Active (17d since push) As of Aug 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of Aug 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of Sep 18, 2026 · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) As of Jul 11, 2026 · 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
- Simple and Fast Retrieval-Augmented Generation
- LEANN
- RAG on Everything with LEANN
Stars
- LightRAG
- 40k
- LEANN
- 13k
Forks
- LightRAG
- 5.6k
- LEANN
- 1.1k
Open issues
- LightRAG
- 249
- LEANN
- 45
Language
- LightRAG
- Python
- LEANN
- Python
Adopt for
- LightRAG
- LightRAG is a retrieval-augmented generation tool that emphasizes simplicity and speed, ideal for efficient knowledge graph augmentation in large language models.
- 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
- Sep 18, 2026
- LEANN
- Jul 31, 2026
Categories
- LightRAG
- Data & Retrieval, Model Training
- 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
- 249
- LEANN
- 45
Stars delta
- LightRAG
- +848 (30d)
- LEANN
- +81 (30d)
Open issues delta
- LightRAG
- +22 (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…
- 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: docling, genai, gpt, graphrag.
- Also covers Model Training.
- LightRAG ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment.
- When you need a tool that prioritizes simplicity and speed in retrieval-augmented generation tasks.
When NOT to use LightRAG
- If your project does not require efficient knowledge graph augmentation or if speed and simplicity are not primary concerns.
- When you prefer not to use uv for package management and are satisfied with traditional methods like pip.
- In scenarios where the installation of additional libraries such as libcairo2 for handling SVGs in markdown/textpack documents is not feasible or desired.
- If your deployment environment strictly prohibits the use of external package managers like uv.
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.
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 Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (HKUDS/LightRAG) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (HKUDS/LightRAG) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- GitHub stars (StarTrail-org/LEANN) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (StarTrail-org/LEANN) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (StarTrail-org/LEANN) · observed Jul 31, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: LightRAG 40k · LEANN 13k (synced Sep 20, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between LightRAG and LEANN?
- LightRAG: 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 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: docling, genai, gpt, graphrag; Also covers Model Training; LightRAG ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; When you need a tool that prioritizes simplicity and speed in retrieval-augmented generation tasks.
- 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 your project does not require efficient knowledge graph augmentation or if speed and simplicity are not primary concerns. When you prefer not to use uv for package management and are satisfied with traditional methods like pip. In scenarios where the installation of additional libraries such as libcairo2 for handling SVGs in markdown/textpack documents is not feasible or desired. If your deployment environment strictly prohibits the use of external package managers like uv.
- 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 (39,743 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.