Comparison
jan vs lws
Verdict
Pick jan when jan is primarily TypeScript; lws is Go; pick lws when lws is primarily Go; jan is TypeScript.
Markdown twin · jan alternatives · lws alternatives
GraphCanon updated today
Trust & integrity
| Signal | jan | lws |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (1d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Very active (1d since push) As of today · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of today · github_public_v1 |
| Security (OSV) | No lockfile As of 1d · none | No lockfile As of today · none |
Tagline
- jan
- open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs offline locally
- lws
- LeaderWorkerSet: An API for deploying a group of pods as a unit of replication
Stars
- jan
- 43k
- lws
- 754
Forks
- jan
- 2.9k
- lws
- 160
Open issues
- jan
- 387
- lws
- 48
Language
- jan
- TypeScript
- lws
- Go
Adopt for
- jan
- Jan is a TypeScript-based, self-hosted chatbot application that acts as an offline alternative to services like ChatGPT.
- lws
- -
Persona
- jan
- -
- lws
- -
Runtime
- jan
- -
- lws
- -
License
- jan
- Other
- lws
- Apache-2.0
Last pushed
- jan
- Jul 10, 2026
- lws
- Jul 9, 2026
Categories
- jan
- Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks
- lws
- Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Open issues (now)
- jan
- 387
- lws
- 48
Full report
- jan
- Trust report
- lws
- Trust report
Choose jan if…
- jan is primarily TypeScript; lws is Go.
- License: jan is Other, lws is Apache-2.0.
- Tags unique to jan: chatgpt, gpt, llamacpp, llm.
- - If you require an offline-capable AI assistant for environments without internet access.
When NOT to use jan
- - If you require real-time updates to the AI model, since Jan uses static local models which may not get frequent updates.
- - When a vast knowledge base or continuous learning capabilities are essential, as Jan's offline nature constrains its ability to stay current with new information.
Choose lws if…
- lws is primarily Go; jan is TypeScript.
- License: lws is Apache-2.0, jan is Other.
- Tags unique to lws: go, llm-inference, sig-apps.
When NOT to use lws
- Inference & Serving: Self-hosting rarely beats a hosted API on cost until you have steady, high-volume traffic.
- LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (janhq/jan) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (janhq/jan) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (janhq/jan) · observed Jul 10, 2026
- License file (Other) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (kubernetes-sigs/lws) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (kubernetes-sigs/lws) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (kubernetes-sigs/lws) · observed Jul 9, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: jan 43k · lws 754 (synced Jul 11, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between jan and lws?
- jan: open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs offline locally. lws: LeaderWorkerSet: An API for deploying a group of pods as a unit of replication. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose jan over lws?
- Choose jan over lws when jan is primarily TypeScript; lws is Go; License: jan is Other, lws is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to jan: chatgpt, gpt, llamacpp, llm; - If you require an offline-capable AI assistant for environments without internet access.
- When should I choose lws over jan?
- Choose lws over jan when lws is primarily Go; jan is TypeScript; License: lws is Apache-2.0, jan is Other; Tags unique to lws: go, llm-inference, sig-apps.
- When should I avoid jan?
- - If you require real-time updates to the AI model, since Jan uses static local models which may not get frequent updates. - When a vast knowledge base or continuous learning capabilities are essential, as Jan's offline nature constrains its ability to stay current with new information.
- When should I avoid lws?
- Inference & Serving: Self-hosting rarely beats a hosted API on cost until you have steady, high-volume traffic. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
- Is jan or lws more popular on GitHub?
- jan has more GitHub stars (43,499 vs 754). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are jan and lws open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (jan: Other, lws: Apache-2.0).
- Where can I find alternatives to jan or lws?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at jan alternatives and lws alternatives (jan markdown twin, lws 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, jan or lws?
- jan: Very active. lws: 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 jan and lws?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: jan trust report; lws trust report.