--- title: "FastChat vs start-llms" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/lm-sys-fastchat-vs-louisfb01-start-llms" tools: ["lm-sys-fastchat", "louisfb01-start-llms"] --- # FastChat vs start-llms *GraphCanon updated Jul 12, 2026* ## Verdict Pick FastChat if fastChat is a comprehensive open platform for managing large language models (LLMs) that includes capabilities for training, serving, evaluating, and comparing chatbot models via web UIs and RESTful APIs. It powers ChatB; pick start-llms if a comprehensive beginner-friendly guide oriented towards developing Large Language Model (LLM) skills through the latest methods and industry practices. [FastChat](https://github.com/lm-sys/FastChat) reports 39k GitHub stars, 4.8k forks, and 1.0k open issues, last pushed May 1, 2026. [start-llms](https://www.louisbouchard.ai/from-zero-to-hero-with-llms/) has 978 stars, 127 forks, and 2 open issues, last pushed Jan 23, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [FastChat's repository](https://github.com/lm-sys/FastChat) and [start-llms's repository](https://github.com/louisfb01/start-llms). | | [FastChat](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat.md) | [start-llms](/tools/louisfb01-start-llms.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | An open platform for training, serving, and evaluating large language models | A comprehensive guide for beginners to advance in LLM skills and stay current with industry developments. | | Stars | 39,490 | 978 | | Forks | 4,788 | 127 | | Open issues | 1,027 | 2 | | Language | Python | - | | Adopt for | FastChat is a comprehensive open platform for managing large language models (LLMs) that includes capabilities for training, serving, evaluating, and comparing chatbot models via web UIs and RESTful APIs. It powers ChatB | A comprehensive beginner-friendly guide oriented towards developing Large Language Model (LLM) skills through the latest methods and industry practices. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | MIT | | Categories | Evaluation & Observability, Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks, Model Training | Evaluation & Observability, Model Training | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [FastChat](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat.md) | [start-llms](/tools/louisfb01-start-llms.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Steady (60%) | Slowing (36%) | | Days since push | 71d | 168d | | Open issues (now) | 1.0k | 2 | | Owner type | Organization | User | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/louisfb01-start-llms/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: FastChat - **Adopt for:** FastChat is a comprehensive open platform for managing large language models (LLMs) that includes capabilities for training, serving, evaluating, and comparing chatbot models via web UIs and RESTful APIs. It powers ChatB ## Decision facts: start-llms - **Adopt for:** A comprehensive beginner-friendly guide oriented towards developing Large Language Model (LLM) skills through the latest methods and industry practices. ## Choose when ### Choose FastChat if… - License: FastChat is Apache-2.0, start-llms is MIT. - Tags unique to FastChat: chatbots, distributed serving, evaluation system. - Also covers Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks. - - You are looking to train and evaluate state-of-the-art models such as Vicuna or MT-Bench. ### Choose start-llms if… - License: start-llms is MIT, FastChat is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to start-llms: ai, fine-tuning, gpt, language-model. - You are a newcomer to LLMs looking for an accessible introductory pathway. ## When NOT to use FastChat - - You require a proprietary or closed-source framework; FastChat is open-source under Apache-2.0 license and its use might be unsuitable for environments requiring proprietary solutions. - - Your chatbot evaluation needs do not align with the types of data used in FastChat's datasets (e.g., human votes, MT-Bench evaluations). - - You prefer a more user-friendly setup without the need to clone a repository and manually install dependencies; FastChat requires installation from source with additional steps for Rust and CMake on - + Mac. ## When NOT to use start-llms - You already have advanced expertise or are a seasoned professional who prefers to dive deep into specialized areas immediately. - Your primary objective is real-time collaboration features for model development teams, as the repository does not highlight these aspects. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between FastChat and start-llms? FastChat: An open platform for training, serving, and evaluating large language models. start-llms: A comprehensive guide for beginners to advance in LLM skills and stay current with industry developments.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose FastChat over start-llms? Choose FastChat over start-llms when License: FastChat is Apache-2.0, start-llms is MIT; Tags unique to FastChat: chatbots, distributed serving, evaluation system; Also covers Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks; - You are looking to train and evaluate state-of-the-art models such as Vicuna or MT-Bench. ### When should I choose start-llms over FastChat? Choose start-llms over FastChat when License: start-llms is MIT, FastChat is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to start-llms: ai, fine-tuning, gpt, language-model; You are a newcomer to LLMs looking for an accessible introductory pathway. ### When should I avoid FastChat? - You require a proprietary or closed-source framework; FastChat is open-source under Apache-2.0 license and its use might be unsuitable for environments requiring proprietary solutions. - Your chatbot evaluation needs do not align with the types of data used in FastChat's datasets (e.g., human votes, MT-Bench evaluations). - You prefer a more user-friendly setup without the need to clone a repository and manually install dependencies; FastChat requires installation from source with additional steps for Rust and CMake on + Mac. ### When should I avoid start-llms? You already have advanced expertise or are a seasoned professional who prefers to dive deep into specialized areas immediately. Your primary objective is real-time collaboration features for model development teams, as the repository does not highlight these aspects. ### Is FastChat or start-llms more popular on GitHub? FastChat has more GitHub stars (39,490 vs 978). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are FastChat and start-llms open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (FastChat: Apache-2.0, start-llms: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to FastChat or start-llms? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [FastChat alternatives](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat/alternatives) and [start-llms alternatives](/tools/louisfb01-start-llms/alternatives) ([FastChat markdown twin](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat/alternatives.md), [start-llms markdown twin](/tools/louisfb01-start-llms/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/lm-sys-fastchat-vs-louisfb01-start-llms.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, FastChat or start-llms? FastChat: Steady. start-llms: Slowing. 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 FastChat and start-llms? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [FastChat trust report](/tools/lm-sys-fastchat/trust); [start-llms trust report](/tools/louisfb01-start-llms/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=lm-sys-fastchat`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=lm-sys-fastchat) - 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/_