--- title: "kong vs OpenHands" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/kong-kong-vs-openhands-openhands" tools: ["kong-kong", "openhands-openhands"] --- # kong vs OpenHands *GraphCanon updated Jul 11, 2026* ## Verdict Pick kong when kong is primarily Lua; OpenHands is Python; pick OpenHands when openHands is primarily Python; kong is Lua. [kong](https://konghq.com/install/) reports 44k GitHub stars, 5.2k forks, and 155 open issues, last pushed Jul 1, 2026. [OpenHands](https://openhands.dev) has 80k stars, 10k forks, and 359 open issues, last pushed Jul 11, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [kong's repository](https://github.com/Kong/kong) and [OpenHands's repository](https://github.com/OpenHands/OpenHands). | | [kong](/tools/kong-kong.md) | [OpenHands](/tools/openhands-openhands.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | 🦍 The API and AI Gateway | AI-Driven Development | | Stars | 43,768 | 80,430 | | Forks | 5,173 | 10,259 | | Open issues | 155 | 359 | | Language | Lua | Python | | Adopt for | - | OpenHands is an AI-driven development tool that integrates with multiple AI models like ChatGPT and Claude-AI to offer intelligent support for coding tasks in Python. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | Other | | Categories | LLM Frameworks, Developer Tools | LLM Frameworks, Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [kong](/tools/kong-kong.md) | [OpenHands](/tools/openhands-openhands.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Active (82%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 10d | 0d | | Open issues (now) | 155 | 359 | | Security scan | No MCP manifest | No lockfile | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/kong-kong/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/openhands-openhands/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: OpenHands - **Adopt for:** OpenHands is an AI-driven development tool that integrates with multiple AI models like ChatGPT and Claude-AI to offer intelligent support for coding tasks in Python. ## Choose when ### Choose kong if… - kong is primarily Lua; OpenHands is Python. - License: kong is Apache-2.0, OpenHands is Other. - Tags unique to kong: api-management, cloud-native, ai, apis. ### Choose OpenHands if… - OpenHands is primarily Python; kong is Lua. - License: OpenHands is Other, kong is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to OpenHands: claude-ai, llm, chatgpt, openai. - - You are working predominantly on Python projects requiring integration of advanced AI functionalities such as those offered by ChatGPT or Claude-AI. ## When NOT to use kong - LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. - Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. ## When NOT to use OpenHands - - If your project primarily uses technologies outside Python and you do not intend to integrate with ChatGPT or Claude-AI models specifically. - - When the need for customization in AI model integration is limited, as OpenHands is more rigid in its current support for specific models like ChatGPT and Claude-AI. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between kong and OpenHands? kong: 🦍 The API and AI Gateway. OpenHands: AI-Driven Development. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose kong over OpenHands? Choose kong over OpenHands when kong is primarily Lua; OpenHands is Python; License: kong is Apache-2.0, OpenHands is Other; Tags unique to kong: api-management, cloud-native, ai, apis. ### When should I choose OpenHands over kong? Choose OpenHands over kong when OpenHands is primarily Python; kong is Lua; License: OpenHands is Other, kong is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to OpenHands: claude-ai, llm, chatgpt, openai; - You are working predominantly on Python projects requiring integration of advanced AI functionalities such as those offered by ChatGPT or Claude-AI. ### When should I avoid kong? LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. ### When should I avoid OpenHands? - If your project primarily uses technologies outside Python and you do not intend to integrate with ChatGPT or Claude-AI models specifically. - When the need for customization in AI model integration is limited, as OpenHands is more rigid in its current support for specific models like ChatGPT and Claude-AI. ### Is kong or OpenHands more popular on GitHub? OpenHands has more GitHub stars (80,430 vs 43,768). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are kong and OpenHands open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (kong: Apache-2.0, OpenHands: Other). ### Where can I find alternatives to kong or OpenHands? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [kong alternatives](/tools/kong-kong/alternatives) and [OpenHands alternatives](/tools/openhands-openhands/alternatives) ([kong markdown twin](/tools/kong-kong/alternatives.md), [OpenHands markdown twin](/tools/openhands-openhands/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/kong-kong-vs-openhands-openhands.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, kong or OpenHands? kong: Active. OpenHands: 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 kong and OpenHands? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [kong trust report](/tools/kong-kong/trust); [OpenHands trust report](/tools/openhands-openhands/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=kong-kong`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=kong-kong) - 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/_