Comparison
FastChat vs garak
Verdict
Pick FastChat when tags unique to FastChat: evaluation system, large-language-models, chatbots, distributed serving; pick garak when tags unique to garak: ai, python, security-scanners, llm-security.
Markdown twin · FastChat alternatives · garak alternatives
GraphCanon updated today
Trust & integrity
| Signal | FastChat | garak |
|---|---|---|
| Maintenance | Steady (71d since push) As of today · github_public_v1 | Very active (1d since push) As of today · github_public_v1 |
| Provenance | Not a fork · Organization account As of today · github_public_v1 | Not a fork · Organization account As of today · github_public_v1 |
| Security (OSV) | No lockfile As of today · none | 54 low (54 low) As of today · osv@v1 |
Tagline
- FastChat
- An open platform for training, serving, and evaluating large language models
- garak
- the LLM vulnerability scanner
Stars
- FastChat
- 39k
- garak
- 8.4k
Forks
- FastChat
- 4.8k
- garak
- 1.1k
Open issues
- FastChat
- 1.0k
- garak
- 367
Language
- FastChat
- Python
- garak
- Python
Adopt for
- FastChat
- 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
- garak
- -
Persona
- FastChat
- -
- garak
- -
Runtime
- FastChat
- -
- garak
- -
License
- FastChat
- Apache-2.0
- garak
- Apache-2.0
Last pushed
- FastChat
- May 1, 2026
- garak
- Jul 10, 2026
Categories
- FastChat
- Model Training, LLM Frameworks, Inference & Serving, Evaluation & Observability
- garak
- Vector Databases, LLM Frameworks, Evaluation & Observability
Trust and health
Maintenance
- FastChat
- Steady (60%)
- garak
- Very active (96%)
Days since push
- FastChat
- 71d
- garak
- 1d
Open issues (now)
- FastChat
- 1.0k
- garak
- 367
Security scan
- FastChat
- No lockfile
- garak
- 54 low (54 low)
Full report
- FastChat
- Trust report
- garak
- Trust report
Shared compatibility
- Python · FastChat: Python runtime · garak: Python runtime
Choose FastChat if…
- Tags unique to FastChat: evaluation system, large-language-models, chatbots, distributed serving.
- Also covers Model Training, Inference & Serving.
- - You are looking to train and evaluate state-of-the-art models such as Vicuna or MT-Bench.
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.
Choose garak if…
- Tags unique to garak: ai, python, security-scanners, llm-security.
- Also covers Vector Databases.
- More recently updated (last pushed Jul 10, 2026).
When NOT to use garak
- Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate.
- LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves.
- Evaluation & Observability: Defer heavyweight eval infra only until you have real traffic - never skip it once users depend on answers.
Explore
Sources
Every stat on this page traces to a dated GitHub sync, license file, enrichment field, or trust scan.
- GitHub stars (lm-sys/FastChat) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (lm-sys/FastChat) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (lm-sys/FastChat) · observed May 1, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Decision facts (enrichment) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub stars (NVIDIA/garak) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- GitHub forks (NVIDIA/garak) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Last push (NVIDIA/garak) · observed Jul 10, 2026
- License file (Apache-2.0) · observed Jul 11, 2026
- Trust scan (lockfile / OSV) · observed Jul 11, 2026
GitHub stars on cards: FastChat 39k · garak 8.4k (synced Jul 11, 2026).
Common questions
- What is the difference between FastChat and garak?
- FastChat: An open platform for training, serving, and evaluating large language models. garak: the LLM vulnerability scanner. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories.
- When should I choose FastChat over garak?
- Choose FastChat over garak when Tags unique to FastChat: evaluation system, large-language-models, chatbots, distributed serving; Also covers Model Training, Inference & Serving; - You are looking to train and evaluate state-of-the-art models such as Vicuna or MT-Bench.
- When should I choose garak over FastChat?
- Choose garak over FastChat when Tags unique to garak: ai, python, security-scanners, llm-security; Also covers Vector Databases; More recently updated (last pushed Jul 10, 2026).
- 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 garak?
- Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate. LLM Frameworks: Avoid a framework for a single prompt-and-retrieve call; the abstraction can cost more than it saves. Evaluation & Observability: Defer heavyweight eval infra only until you have real traffic - never skip it once users depend on answers.
- Is FastChat or garak more popular on GitHub?
- FastChat has more GitHub stars (39,490 vs 8,400). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints.
- Are FastChat and garak open source?
- Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (FastChat: Apache-2.0, garak: Apache-2.0).
- Where can I find alternatives to FastChat or garak?
- GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at FastChat alternatives and garak alternatives (FastChat markdown twin, garak 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, FastChat or garak?
- FastChat: Steady. garak: 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 FastChat and garak?
- GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: FastChat trust report; garak trust report.