Comparison
jan vs mlx-swift-chat
Verdict
Pick jan when jan is primarily TypeScript; mlx-swift-chat is Swift; pick mlx-swift-chat when mlx-swift-chat is primarily Swift; jan is TypeScript.
Markdown twin · jan alternatives · mlx-swift-chat alternatives
GraphCanon updated today
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Trust & integrity
| Signal | jan | mlx-swift-chat |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (1d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Dormant (622d since push) As of 1d · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1d · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of 1d · github_public_v1 |
| Security (OSV) | No lockfile As of 1d · none | No lockfile As of 1d · none |
Tagline
- jan
- open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs offline locally
- mlx-swift-chat
- A multi-platform SwiftUI frontend for running local LLMs with Apple's MLX framework.
Stars
- jan
- 43k
- mlx-swift-chat
- 435
Forks
- jan
- 2.9k
- mlx-swift-chat
- 27
Open issues
- jan
- 387
- mlx-swift-chat
- 9
Language
- jan
- TypeScript
- mlx-swift-chat
- Swift
Adopt for
- jan
- Jan is a TypeScript-based, self-hosted chatbot application that acts as an offline alternative to services like ChatGPT.
- mlx-swift-chat
- -
Persona
- jan
- -
- mlx-swift-chat
- -
Runtime
- jan
- -
- mlx-swift-chat
- -
License
- jan
- Other
- mlx-swift-chat
- MIT
Last pushed
- jan
- Jul 10, 2026
- mlx-swift-chat
- Oct 27, 2024
Categories
- jan
- Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks
- mlx-swift-chat
- Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks
Trust and health
Maintenance
- jan
- Very active (96%)
- mlx-swift-chat
- Dormant (18%)
Days since push
- jan
- 1d
- mlx-swift-chat
- 622d
Open issues (now)
- jan
- 387
- mlx-swift-chat
- 9
Full report
- jan
- Trust report
- mlx-swift-chat
- Trust report
Choose jan if…
- jan is primarily TypeScript; mlx-swift-chat is Swift.
- License: jan is Other, mlx-swift-chat is MIT.
- 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 mlx-swift-chat if…
- mlx-swift-chat is primarily Swift; jan is TypeScript.
- License: mlx-swift-chat is MIT, jan is Other.
- Tags unique to mlx-swift-chat: ios, llm-inference, macos, mlx.
When NOT to use mlx-swift-chat
- Last GitHub push was 623 days ago (dormant maintenance, Oct 27, 2024). Validate activity before betting a new project on mlx-swift-chat.
- 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 (preternatural-explore/mlx-swift-chat) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (preternatural-explore/mlx-swift-chat) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (preternatural-explore/mlx-swift-chat) · observed Oct 27, 2024
- License file (MIT) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: jan 43k · mlx-swift-chat 435 (synced Jul 11, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between jan and mlx-swift-chat?
- jan: open source alternative to ChatGPT that runs offline locally. mlx-swift-chat: A multi-platform SwiftUI frontend for running local LLMs with Apple's MLX framework.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose jan over mlx-swift-chat?
- Choose jan over mlx-swift-chat when jan is primarily TypeScript; mlx-swift-chat is Swift; License: jan is Other, mlx-swift-chat is MIT; 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 mlx-swift-chat over jan?
- Choose mlx-swift-chat over jan when mlx-swift-chat is primarily Swift; jan is TypeScript; License: mlx-swift-chat is MIT, jan is Other; Tags unique to mlx-swift-chat: ios, llm-inference, macos, mlx.
- 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 mlx-swift-chat?
- Last GitHub push was 623 days ago (dormant maintenance, Oct 27, 2024). Validate activity before betting a new project on mlx-swift-chat. 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 mlx-swift-chat more popular on GitHub?
- jan has more GitHub stars (43,499 vs 435). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are jan and mlx-swift-chat open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (jan: Other, mlx-swift-chat: MIT).
- Where can I find alternatives to jan or mlx-swift-chat?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at jan alternatives and mlx-swift-chat alternatives (jan markdown twin, mlx-swift-chat 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 mlx-swift-chat?
- jan: Very active. mlx-swift-chat: Dormant. 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 mlx-swift-chat?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: jan trust report; mlx-swift-chat trust report.