Comparison
12-factor-agents vs lagent
Verdict
Pick 12-factor-agents if a TypeScript-based framework focused on applying 12-factor principles to build production-ready software with large language models; pick lagent if lagent is a Python framework aimed at streamlining the creation of lightweight Large Language Model (LLM) agents.
Markdown twin · 12-factor-agents alternatives · lagent alternatives
GraphCanon updated 1d
vs
Trust & integrity
| Signal | 12-factor-agents | lagent |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Slowing (330d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Active (12d since push) As of 3d · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 3d · 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
- 12-factor-agents
- Principles for building production-ready LLM-powered software
- lagent
- A lightweight framework for building LLM-based agents
Stars
- 12-factor-agents
- 25k
- lagent
- 2.3k
Forks
- 12-factor-agents
- 1.9k
- lagent
- 238
Open issues
- 12-factor-agents
- 26
- lagent
- 24
Language
- 12-factor-agents
- TypeScript
- lagent
- Python
Adopt for
- 12-factor-agents
- A TypeScript-based framework focused on applying 12-factor principles to build production-ready software with large language models.
- lagent
- lagent is a Python framework aimed at streamlining the creation of lightweight Large Language Model (LLM) agents.
Persona
- 12-factor-agents
- -
- lagent
- -
Runtime
- 12-factor-agents
- -
- lagent
- -
License
- 12-factor-agents
- The content and images are licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, while the code is covered by the Apache 2.0 License.
- lagent
- lagent is open-source under the Apache-2.0 license, allowing for broad use and modification with attribution.
Last pushed
- 12-factor-agents
- Sep 21, 2025
- lagent
- Aug 3, 2026
Categories
- 12-factor-agents
- AI Agents, LLM Frameworks
- lagent
- AI Agents, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Maintenance
- 12-factor-agents
- Slowing (36%)
- lagent
- Active (82%)
Days since push
- 12-factor-agents
- 330d
- lagent
- 12d
Open issues (now)
- 12-factor-agents
- 26
- lagent
- 24
Stars delta
- 12-factor-agents
- +966 (30d)
- lagent
- +8 (30d)
Open issues delta
- 12-factor-agents
- 0 (30d)
- lagent
- +1 (30d)
Full report
- 12-factor-agents
- Trust report
- lagent
- Trust report
Choose 12-factor-agents if…
- 12-factor-agents is primarily TypeScript; lagent is Python.
- License: 12-factor-agents is Other, lagent is Apache-2.0.
- Pricing: Free to use with open-source licenses.
- Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires a solid understanding of TypeScript and familiarity with concepts like prompt engineering and context window management..
- Tags unique to 12-factor-agents: 12-factor, agents, ai, context-window.
- You are specifically developing AI agents or LLM-powered applications in TypeScript and need a structured guideline grounded in the 12-factor app principles.
When NOT to use 12-factor-agents
- If your project requires languages other than TypeScript or if your application already has a strong foundation not necessarily aligning with the 12-factor app principles.
- When you’re looking for comprehensive deployment automation tools rather than guidance on building LLM-powered agents and ensuring their reliability in production environments.
Choose lagent if…
- lagent is primarily Python; 12-factor-agents is TypeScript.
- License: lagent is Apache-2.0, 12-factor-agents is Other.
- Pricing: Available freely due to its open-source nature, but customization or enterprise support might involve additional costs..
- Tags unique to lagent: agent, gpt, llm, transformers.
- When you need a streamlined approach to develop LLM-based agents with minimal overhead, lagent can be particularly advantageous due to its lightweight design.
When NOT to use lagent
- Avoid using lagent if your project necessitates integration with a broader set of tools that are not natively supported by this framework, as it offers limited out-of-the-box extensibility.
- Steer clear if you need robust scalability features right from the start. While lightweight, lagent may require additional custom work to handle more demanding scaling requirements.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (humanlayer/12-factor-agents) · observed Aug 18, 2026
- GitHub forks (humanlayer/12-factor-agents) · observed Aug 18, 2026
- Last push (humanlayer/12-factor-agents) · observed Sep 21, 2025
- License file (Other) · observed Aug 18, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (InternLM/lagent) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- GitHub forks (InternLM/lagent) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Last push (InternLM/lagent) · observed Aug 3, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Aug 16, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 12, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: 12-factor-agents 25k · lagent 2.3k (synced Aug 18, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between 12-factor-agents and lagent?
- 12-factor-agents: Principles for building production-ready LLM-powered software. lagent: A lightweight framework for building LLM-based agents. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose 12-factor-agents over lagent?
- Choose 12-factor-agents over lagent when 12-factor-agents is primarily TypeScript; lagent is Python; License: 12-factor-agents is Other, lagent is Apache-2.0; Pricing: Free to use with open-source licenses; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires a solid understanding of TypeScript and familiarity with concepts like prompt engineering and context window management.; Tags unique to 12-factor-agents: 12-factor, agents, ai, context-window; You are specifically developing AI agents or LLM-powered applications in TypeScript and need a structured guideline grounded in the 12-factor app principles.
- When should I choose lagent over 12-factor-agents?
- Choose lagent over 12-factor-agents when lagent is primarily Python; 12-factor-agents is TypeScript; License: lagent is Apache-2.0, 12-factor-agents is Other; Pricing: Available freely due to its open-source nature, but customization or enterprise support might involve additional costs.; Tags unique to lagent: agent, gpt, llm, transformers; When you need a streamlined approach to develop LLM-based agents with minimal overhead, lagent can be particularly advantageous due to its lightweight design.
- When should I avoid 12-factor-agents?
- If your project requires languages other than TypeScript or if your application already has a strong foundation not necessarily aligning with the 12-factor app principles. When you’re looking for comprehensive deployment automation tools rather than guidance on building LLM-powered agents and ensuring their reliability in production environments.
- When should I avoid lagent?
- Avoid using lagent if your project necessitates integration with a broader set of tools that are not natively supported by this framework, as it offers limited out-of-the-box extensibility. Steer clear if you need robust scalability features right from the start. While lightweight, lagent may require additional custom work to handle more demanding scaling requirements.
- Is 12-factor-agents or lagent more popular on GitHub?
- 12-factor-agents has more GitHub stars (25,353 vs 2,276). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are 12-factor-agents and lagent open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (12-factor-agents: Other, lagent: Apache-2.0).
- Where can I find alternatives to 12-factor-agents or lagent?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at 12-factor-agents alternatives and lagent alternatives (12-factor-agents markdown twin, lagent 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, 12-factor-agents or lagent?
- 12-factor-agents: Slowing. lagent: 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 12-factor-agents and lagent?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: 12-factor-agents trust report; lagent trust report.