--- title: "caveman vs kereva-scanner" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/juliusbrussee-caveman-vs-kereva-dev-kereva-scanner" tools: ["juliusbrussee-caveman", "kereva-dev-kereva-scanner"] --- # caveman vs kereva-scanner *GraphCanon updated Jul 15, 2026* ## Verdict Pick caveman when caveman is primarily JavaScript; kereva-scanner is Python; pick kereva-scanner when kereva-scanner is primarily Python; caveman is JavaScript. [caveman](https://caveman.so/) reports 88k GitHub stars, 5.1k forks, and 392 open issues, last pushed Jul 3, 2026. [kereva-scanner](https://kereva.io) has 78 stars, 8 forks, and 3 open issues, last pushed Apr 6, 2025. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [caveman's repository](https://github.com/JuliusBrussee/caveman) and [kereva-scanner's repository](https://github.com/kereva-dev/kereva-scanner). | | [caveman](/tools/juliusbrussee-caveman.md) | [kereva-scanner](/tools/kereva-dev-kereva-scanner.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Reduce token usage with concise 'caveman'-style prompts. | Code scanner to check for issues in prompts and LLM calls | | Stars | 87,950 | 78 | | Forks | 5,052 | 8 | | Open issues | 392 | 3 | | Language | JavaScript | Python | | Adopt for | The **caveman** tool is designed for developers and AI users who aim to optimize their token usage through the generation of more concise prompts, thereby potentially reducing costs and improving efficiency. However, it犺 | - | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | MIT | Apache-2.0 | | Categories | Developer Tools, LLM Frameworks | Developer Tools, LLM Frameworks, Vector Databases | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [caveman](/tools/juliusbrussee-caveman.md) | [kereva-scanner](/tools/kereva-dev-kereva-scanner.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Active (82%) | Dormant (18%) | | Days since push | 7d | 464d | | Open issues (now) | 392 | 3 | | Owner type | User | Organization | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/juliusbrussee-caveman/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/kereva-dev-kereva-scanner/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: caveman - **Adopt for:** The **caveman** tool is designed for developers and AI users who aim to optimize their token usage through the generation of more concise prompts, thereby potentially reducing costs and improving efficiency. However, it犺 ## Choose when ### Choose caveman if… - caveman is primarily JavaScript; kereva-scanner is Python. - License: caveman is MIT, kereva-scanner is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to caveman: anthropic, caveman, claude code, prompt-engineering. - When you need to significantly cut down on token usage in AI interactions, up to 65%, without losing essential information content. ### Choose kereva-scanner if… - kereva-scanner is primarily Python; caveman is JavaScript. - License: kereva-scanner is Apache-2.0, caveman is MIT. - Tags unique to kereva-scanner: ai-code-review, ai-evaluation, ai-performance, ai-red-teaming. - Also covers Vector Databases. ## When NOT to use caveman - When requiring complex and detailed prompts that necessitate more nuanced expression beyond simple, 'caveman'-style sentences. - For situations where adherence to formal or specific linguistic structures is mandatory for the task's success. ## When NOT to use kereva-scanner - Last GitHub push was 465 days ago (dormant maintenance, Apr 6, 2025). Validate activity before betting a new project on kereva-scanner. - Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. - LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. - Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between caveman and kereva-scanner? caveman: Reduce token usage with concise 'caveman'-style prompts.. kereva-scanner: Code scanner to check for issues in prompts and LLM calls. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose caveman over kereva-scanner? Choose caveman over kereva-scanner when caveman is primarily JavaScript; kereva-scanner is Python; License: caveman is MIT, kereva-scanner is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to caveman: anthropic, caveman, claude code, prompt-engineering; When you need to significantly cut down on token usage in AI interactions, up to 65%, without losing essential information content. ### When should I choose kereva-scanner over caveman? Choose kereva-scanner over caveman when kereva-scanner is primarily Python; caveman is JavaScript; License: kereva-scanner is Apache-2.0, caveman is MIT; Tags unique to kereva-scanner: ai-code-review, ai-evaluation, ai-performance, ai-red-teaming; Also covers Vector Databases. ### When should I avoid caveman? When requiring complex and detailed prompts that necessitate more nuanced expression beyond simple, 'caveman'-style sentences. For situations where adherence to formal or specific linguistic structures is mandatory for the task's success. ### When should I avoid kereva-scanner? Last GitHub push was 465 days ago (dormant maintenance, Apr 6, 2025). Validate activity before betting a new project on kereva-scanner. Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate. ### Is caveman or kereva-scanner more popular on GitHub? caveman has more GitHub stars (87,950 vs 78). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are caveman and kereva-scanner open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (caveman: MIT, kereva-scanner: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to caveman or kereva-scanner? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [caveman alternatives](/tools/juliusbrussee-caveman/alternatives) and [kereva-scanner alternatives](/tools/kereva-dev-kereva-scanner/alternatives) ([caveman markdown twin](/tools/juliusbrussee-caveman/alternatives.md), [kereva-scanner markdown twin](/tools/kereva-dev-kereva-scanner/alternatives.md)), 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](/compare/juliusbrussee-caveman-vs-kereva-dev-kereva-scanner.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, caveman or kereva-scanner? caveman: Active. kereva-scanner: 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 caveman and kereva-scanner? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [caveman trust report](/tools/juliusbrussee-caveman/trust); [kereva-scanner trust report](/tools/kereva-dev-kereva-scanner/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=juliusbrussee-caveman`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=juliusbrussee-caveman) - LLM index: [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) - Full corpus: [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) _GraphCanon - The knowledge graph for AI development. https://www.graphcanon.com/_