Comparison
caveman vs aideml
Verdict
Pick caveman if caveman reduces token usage by 65% through minimalistic language for coding agents, supporting two sizes and primarily written in Go; pick aideml if aIDE is an LLM agent for machine learning engineering, designed for automated machine learning, autonomous agents, and self-improving AI, referenced in OpenAI MLE-bench.
Markdown twin · caveman alternatives · aideml alternatives
GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026
Trust & integrity
| Signal | caveman | aideml |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Very active (0d since push) As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Active (14d since push) As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Personal account As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of Sep 18, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No published findings from this source as of 2026-09-18 As of Sep 18, 2026 · osv@v1 | Published findings As of Sep 18, 2026 · 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
- caveman
- Reduces token usage by 65% through minimalistic language for coding agents
- aideml
- AIDE: an LLM agent for machine learning engineering
Stars
- caveman
- 106k
- aideml
- 1.5k
Forks
- caveman
- 6.2k
- aideml
- 227
Open issues
- caveman
- 127
- aideml
- 3
Language
- caveman
- Go
- aideml
- Python
Adopt for
- caveman
- Caveman reduces token usage by 65% through minimalistic language for coding agents, supporting two sizes and primarily written in Go.
- aideml
- AIDE is an LLM agent for machine learning engineering, designed for automated machine learning, autonomous agents, and self-improving AI, referenced in OpenAI MLE-bench.
Persona
- caveman
- -
- aideml
- -
Runtime
- caveman
- -
- aideml
- -
License
- caveman
- Caveman operates under a split license: MIT for the skill, Agent SDK, and initializer, and BSL-1.1 for the engine-linked runtime, which converts to Apache-2.0 by 2030 or four years after shipping.
- aideml
- MIT
Last pushed
- caveman
- Sep 18, 2026
- aideml
- Sep 3, 2026
Categories
- caveman
- AI Agents, Model Training
- aideml
- AI Agents, Developer Tools, Model Training
Trust and health
Maintenance
- caveman
- Very active (96%)
- aideml
- Active (82%)
Days since push
- caveman
- 0d
- aideml
- 14d
Open issues (now)
- caveman
- 127
- aideml
- 3
Stars delta
- caveman
- +8.0k (30d)
- aideml
- +70 (30d)
Open issues delta
- caveman
- -358 (30d)
- aideml
- +1 (30d)
Owner type
- caveman
- User
- aideml
- Organization
OSV dependency advisories
- caveman
- No published findings from this source as of 2026-09-18
- aideml
- Published findings
Full report
- caveman
- Trust report
- aideml
- Trust report
Choose caveman if…
- caveman is primarily Go; aideml is Python.
- License: caveman is Other, aideml is MIT.
- Pricing: The skill, Agent SDK, and initializer are free under MIT license. Hosting Caveman for third parties requires a commercial license..
- Requirements: Min 1 GB RAM; Caveman is primarily written in Go and supports two sizes, allowing for flexible deployment..
- Tags unique to caveman: anthropic, caveman, claude, claude-code.
- When you need to significantly reduce token usage in coding agents, as Caveman can cut usage by 65% through its simplified language style.
When NOT to use caveman
- If your project requires a fully OSI-approved open-source license, as Caveman's engine-linked runtime is BSL-1.1, which is not OSI-approved until a future date.
- When you need a tool that does not involve a trademarked name and logo, as Caveman is trademarked and has specific guidelines for its use.
Choose aideml if…
- aideml is primarily Python; caveman is Go.
- License: aideml is MIT, caveman is Other.
- Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires Docker for deployment.; Needs an OpenAI API key for full functionality..
- Tags unique to aideml: ai-agents, automated-machine-learning, autonomous-agents, autoresearch.
- Also covers Developer Tools.
- When you need an LLM agent that focuses on automated machine learning and autonomous agents, as AIDE is specifically designed for these purposes.
When NOT to use aideml
- If your project does not require integration with OpenAI services, as AIDE's functionality is partly tied to OpenAI APIs.
- When you are looking for a tool that does not focus on autonomous agents or self-improving AI, as AIDE is specialized in these areas and may not be as versatile in other aspects of machine learning.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (JuliusBrussee/caveman) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (JuliusBrussee/caveman) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (JuliusBrussee/caveman) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- License file (Other) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- GitHub stars (WecoAI/aideml) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (WecoAI/aideml) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (WecoAI/aideml) · observed Sep 3, 2026
- License file (MIT) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Sep 18, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: caveman 106k · aideml 1.5k (synced Sep 20, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between caveman and aideml?
- caveman: Reduces token usage by 65% through minimalistic language for coding agents. aideml: AIDE: an LLM agent for machine learning engineering. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose caveman over aideml?
- Choose caveman over aideml when caveman is primarily Go; aideml is Python; License: caveman is Other, aideml is MIT; Pricing: The skill, Agent SDK, and initializer are free under MIT license. Hosting Caveman for third parties requires a commercial license.; Requirements: Min 1 GB RAM; Caveman is primarily written in Go and supports two sizes, allowing for flexible deployment.; Tags unique to caveman: anthropic, caveman, claude, claude-code; When you need to significantly reduce token usage in coding agents, as Caveman can cut usage by 65% through its simplified language style.
- When should I choose aideml over caveman?
- Choose aideml over caveman when aideml is primarily Python; caveman is Go; License: aideml is MIT, caveman is Other; Requirements: Min 4 GB RAM; Requires Docker; Requires Docker for deployment.; Needs an OpenAI API key for full functionality.; Tags unique to aideml: ai-agents, automated-machine-learning, autonomous-agents, autoresearch; Also covers Developer Tools; When you need an LLM agent that focuses on automated machine learning and autonomous agents, as AIDE is specifically designed for these purposes.
- When should I avoid caveman?
- If your project requires a fully OSI-approved open-source license, as Caveman's engine-linked runtime is BSL-1.1, which is not OSI-approved until a future date. When you need a tool that does not involve a trademarked name and logo, as Caveman is trademarked and has specific guidelines for its use.
- When should I avoid aideml?
- If your project does not require integration with OpenAI services, as AIDE's functionality is partly tied to OpenAI APIs. When you are looking for a tool that does not focus on autonomous agents or self-improving AI, as AIDE is specialized in these areas and may not be as versatile in other aspects of machine learning.
- Is caveman or aideml more popular on GitHub?
- caveman has more GitHub stars (106,401 vs 1,530). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are caveman and aideml open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (caveman: Other, aideml: MIT).
- Where can I find alternatives to caveman or aideml?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at caveman alternatives and aideml alternatives (caveman markdown twin, aideml 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, caveman or aideml?
- caveman: Very active. aideml: 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 caveman and aideml?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: caveman trust report; aideml trust report.