Comparison
kong vs algernon
Verdict
Pick kong if kong is Lua-based and Apache-2.0 licensed for API and AI gateway purposes; pick algernon if algernon is a lightweight pure-Go web server that supports Lua, Teal, Markdown, HTTP/2, QUIC among other technologies, suitable for developers needing fast local server setup with multiple language and database support.
Markdown twin · kong alternatives · algernon alternatives
GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026
14views this month
Trust & integrity
| Signal | kong | algernon |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Active (12d since push) As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Very active (1d since push) As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Personal account As of Sep 20, 2026 · github_public_v1 |
| OSV dependency advisories | No lockfile (source not queried) As of Jul 11, 2026 · osv@v1 | No lockfile (source not queried) As of Jul 15, 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
- kong
- The API and AI Gateway
- algernon
- Small self-contained pure-Go web server with Lua, Teal, Markdown, Ollama, HTTP/2, QUIC, Redis, TypeScript, SQLite and PostgreSQL support
Stars
- kong
- 44k
- algernon
- 3.0k
Forks
- kong
- 5.2k
- algernon
- 149
Open issues
- kong
- 200
- algernon
- 19
Language
- kong
- Lua
- algernon
- JavaScript
Adopt for
- kong
- Kong is Lua-based and Apache-2.0 licensed for API and AI gateway purposes.
- algernon
- Algernon is a lightweight pure-Go web server that supports Lua, Teal, Markdown, HTTP/2, QUIC among other technologies, suitable for developers needing fast local server setup with multiple language and database support.
Persona
- kong
- -
- algernon
- -
Runtime
- kong
- -
- algernon
- -
License
- kong
- Apache-2.0
- algernon
- BSD-3-Clause
Last pushed
- kong
- Sep 7, 2026
- algernon
- Sep 18, 2026
Categories
- kong
- Developer Tools
- algernon
- Developer Tools
Trust and health
Maintenance
- kong
- Active (82%)
- algernon
- Very active (96%)
Days since push
- kong
- 12d
- algernon
- 1d
Open issues (now)
- kong
- 200
- algernon
- 19
Stars delta
- kong
- +299 (30d)
- algernon
- +3 (30d)
Open issues delta
- kong
- +33 (30d)
- algernon
- 0 (30d)
Owner type
- kong
- Organization
- algernon
- User
Full report
- kong
- Trust report
- algernon
- Trust report
Choose kong if…
- kong is primarily Lua; algernon is JavaScript.
- License: kong is Apache-2.0, algernon is BSD-3-Clause.
- Tags unique to kong: ai-gateway, api-gateway, cloud-native, kubernetes.
- requires Lua scripting
When NOT to use kong
- prefers non-Lua languages
- seeks competitor-native AI capabilities
Choose algernon if…
- algernon is primarily JavaScript; kong is Lua.
- License: algernon is BSD-3-Clause, kong is Apache-2.0.
- Tags unique to algernon: go, http/2, lua, ollama.
- For quick development of cross-platform applications leveraging Go and TypeScript
When NOT to use algernon
- In scenarios where extensive documentation or complex setup procedures are expected, as Algernon offers a minimalist approach without comprehensive guides
- If project requires MySQL support because Algernon specifically supports PostgreSQL and SQLite but not MySQL
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (Kong/kong) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (Kong/kong) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (Kong/kong) · observed Sep 7, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 14, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (xyproto/algernon) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- GitHub forks (xyproto/algernon) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Last push (xyproto/algernon) · observed Sep 18, 2026
- License file (BSD-3-Clause) · observed Sep 20, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 17, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 15, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: kong 44k · algernon 3.0k (synced Sep 20, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between kong and algernon?
- kong: The API and AI Gateway. algernon: Small self-contained pure-Go web server with Lua, Teal, Markdown, Ollama, HTTP/2, QUIC, Redis, TypeScript, SQLite and PostgreSQL support. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose kong over algernon?
- Choose kong over algernon when kong is primarily Lua; algernon is JavaScript; License: kong is Apache-2.0, algernon is BSD-3-Clause; Tags unique to kong: ai-gateway, api-gateway, cloud-native, kubernetes; requires Lua scripting.
- When should I choose algernon over kong?
- Choose algernon over kong when algernon is primarily JavaScript; kong is Lua; License: algernon is BSD-3-Clause, kong is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to algernon: go, http/2, lua, ollama; For quick development of cross-platform applications leveraging Go and TypeScript.
- When should I avoid kong?
- prefers non-Lua languages seeks competitor-native AI capabilities
- When should I avoid algernon?
- In scenarios where extensive documentation or complex setup procedures are expected, as Algernon offers a minimalist approach without comprehensive guides If project requires MySQL support because Algernon specifically supports PostgreSQL and SQLite but not MySQL
- Is kong or algernon more popular on GitHub?
- kong has more GitHub stars (44,157 vs 3,027). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are kong and algernon open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (kong: Apache-2.0, algernon: BSD-3-Clause).
- Where can I find alternatives to kong or algernon?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at kong alternatives and algernon alternatives (kong markdown twin, algernon 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, kong or algernon?
- kong: Active. algernon: 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 algernon?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: kong trust report; algernon trust report.