Comparison
12-factor-agents vs semantic-kernel
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 semantic-kernel if semantic Kernel is a toolkit for integrating language model technologies into applications, supporting C#, .NET, Python, and Java.
Markdown twin · 12-factor-agents alternatives · semantic-kernel alternatives
GraphCanon updated 1d
vs
Trust & integrity
| Signal | 12-factor-agents | semantic-kernel |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Slowing (330d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Very active (1d since push) As of 1w · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1w · 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
- semantic-kernel
- Integrate cutting-edge LLM technology quickly and easily into your apps
Stars
- 12-factor-agents
- 25k
- semantic-kernel
- 28k
Forks
- 12-factor-agents
- 1.9k
- semantic-kernel
- 4.7k
Open issues
- 12-factor-agents
- 26
- semantic-kernel
- 256
Language
- 12-factor-agents
- TypeScript
- semantic-kernel
- C#
Adopt for
- 12-factor-agents
- A TypeScript-based framework focused on applying 12-factor principles to build production-ready software with large language models.
- semantic-kernel
- Semantic Kernel is a toolkit for integrating language model technologies into applications, supporting C#, .NET, Python, and Java.
Persona
- 12-factor-agents
- -
- semantic-kernel
- -
Runtime
- 12-factor-agents
- -
- semantic-kernel
- -
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.
- semantic-kernel
- MIT
Last pushed
- 12-factor-agents
- Sep 21, 2025
- semantic-kernel
- Aug 6, 2026
Categories
- 12-factor-agents
- AI Agents, LLM Frameworks
- semantic-kernel
- AI Agents, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Maintenance
- 12-factor-agents
- Slowing (36%)
- semantic-kernel
- Very active (96%)
Days since push
- 12-factor-agents
- 330d
- semantic-kernel
- 1d
Open issues (now)
- 12-factor-agents
- 26
- semantic-kernel
- 256
Stars delta
- 12-factor-agents
- +966 (30d)
- semantic-kernel
- +142 (30d)
Open issues delta
- 12-factor-agents
- 0 (30d)
- semantic-kernel
- -2 (30d)
Full report
- 12-factor-agents
- Trust report
- semantic-kernel
- Trust report
Choose 12-factor-agents if…
- 12-factor-agents is primarily TypeScript; semantic-kernel is C#.
- License: 12-factor-agents is Other, semantic-kernel is MIT.
- 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, context-window, framework.
- 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 semantic-kernel if…
- semantic-kernel is primarily C#; 12-factor-agents is TypeScript.
- License: semantic-kernel is MIT, 12-factor-agents is Other.
- Tags unique to semantic-kernel: artificial-intelligence, llm, openai, sdk.
- - When you are looking to integrate cutting-edge language models (LLMs) directly from major providers like Azure OpenAI or OpenAI into your application.
When NOT to use semantic-kernel
- - If you require support exclusively in programming languages not currently offered by Semantic Kernel (for example, Ruby, Go).
- - When your project strictly avoids frameworks associated with Microsoft technologies and prefers more independent or community-driven alternatives.
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 (microsoft/semantic-kernel) · observed Aug 7, 2026
- GitHub forks (microsoft/semantic-kernel) · observed Aug 7, 2026
- Last push (microsoft/semantic-kernel) · observed Aug 6, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Aug 7, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: 12-factor-agents 25k · semantic-kernel 28k (synced Aug 18, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between 12-factor-agents and semantic-kernel?
- 12-factor-agents: Principles for building production-ready LLM-powered software. semantic-kernel: Integrate cutting-edge LLM technology quickly and easily into your apps. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose 12-factor-agents over semantic-kernel?
- Choose 12-factor-agents over semantic-kernel when 12-factor-agents is primarily TypeScript; semantic-kernel is C#; License: 12-factor-agents is Other, semantic-kernel is MIT; 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, context-window, framework; 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 semantic-kernel over 12-factor-agents?
- Choose semantic-kernel over 12-factor-agents when semantic-kernel is primarily C#; 12-factor-agents is TypeScript; License: semantic-kernel is MIT, 12-factor-agents is Other; Tags unique to semantic-kernel: artificial-intelligence, llm, openai, sdk; - When you are looking to integrate cutting-edge language models (LLMs) directly from major providers like Azure OpenAI or OpenAI into your application.
- 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 semantic-kernel?
- - If you require support exclusively in programming languages not currently offered by Semantic Kernel (for example, Ruby, Go). - When your project strictly avoids frameworks associated with Microsoft technologies and prefers more independent or community-driven alternatives.
- Is 12-factor-agents or semantic-kernel more popular on GitHub?
- semantic-kernel has more GitHub stars (28,427 vs 25,353). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are 12-factor-agents and semantic-kernel open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (12-factor-agents: Other, semantic-kernel: MIT).
- Where can I find alternatives to 12-factor-agents or semantic-kernel?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at 12-factor-agents alternatives and semantic-kernel alternatives (12-factor-agents markdown twin, semantic-kernel 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 semantic-kernel?
- 12-factor-agents: Slowing. semantic-kernel: Very 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 semantic-kernel?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: 12-factor-agents trust report; semantic-kernel trust report.