--- title: "neuron-ai vs catai" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/neuron-core-neuron-ai-vs-withcatai-catai" tools: ["neuron-core-neuron-ai", "withcatai-catai"] --- # neuron-ai vs catai *GraphCanon updated Aug 21, 2026* ## Verdict Pick neuron-ai if neuron-AI is specifically designed as an Agentic Framework for PHP developers to incorporate AI capabilities into their applications through the seamless integration of LLMs, tools, and vector databases with agents; pick catai if catai, an AI assistant framework built for local deployment with Node.js, offers developers using TypeScript the ability to create and deploy AI agents through. [neuron-ai](https://docs.neuron-ai.dev) reports 2.1k GitHub stars, 235 forks, and 7 open issues, last pushed Aug 20, 2026. [catai](https://withcatai.github.io/catai/) has 498 stars, 39 forks, and 2 open issues, last pushed Nov 16, 2025. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [neuron-ai's repository](https://github.com/neuron-core/neuron-ai) and [catai's repository](https://github.com/withcatai/catai). | | [neuron-ai](/tools/neuron-core-neuron-ai.md) | [catai](/tools/withcatai-catai.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Agentic Framework for building production-ready AI applications in PHP | Run AI assistant locally with Node.js | | Stars | 2,058 | 498 | | Forks | 235 | 39 | | Open issues | 7 | 2 | | Language | PHP | TypeScript | | Adopt for | Neuron-AI is specifically designed as an Agentic Framework for PHP developers to incorporate AI capabilities into their applications through the seamless integration of LLMs, tools, and vector databases with agents. | catai, an AI assistant framework built for local deployment with Node.js, offers developers using TypeScript the ability to create and deploy AI agents through a simple API. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | MIT | MIT | | Categories | AI Agents, Inference & Serving | AI Agents, Inference & Serving | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [neuron-ai](/tools/neuron-core-neuron-ai.md) | [catai](/tools/withcatai-catai.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Very active (96%) | Slowing (36%) | | Days since push | 0d | 269d | | Open issues (now) | 7 | 2 | | Stars delta | +37 (30d) | Unknown | | Open issues delta | -2 (30d) | Unknown | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/neuron-core-neuron-ai/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/withcatai-catai/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: neuron-ai - **Adopt for:** Neuron-AI is specifically designed as an Agentic Framework for PHP developers to incorporate AI capabilities into their applications through the seamless integration of LLMs, tools, and vector databases with agents. ## Decision facts: catai - **Adopt for:** catai, an AI assistant framework built for local deployment with Node.js, offers developers using TypeScript the ability to create and deploy AI agents through a simple API. ## Choose when ### Choose neuron-ai if… - neuron-ai is primarily PHP; catai is TypeScript. - Tags unique to neuron-ai: agent, agentic-ai, llm-inference, php. - neuron-ai ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. - When you are a PHP developer looking for an agentic framework that allows integration of AI components directly in your existing stack. ### Choose catai if… - catai is primarily TypeScript; neuron-ai is PHP. - Tags unique to catai: ai-assistant, chatbot, ggmlv3, llama-cpp. - - When aiming to deploy a local AI assistant without reliance on cloud-based services; catai is ideal due to its focus on node-llama-cpp integration, allowing for robust offline capabilities. ## When NOT to use neuron-ai - If your application does not require integration of AI agents, sophisticated tools, or vector databases within the PHP framework as Neuron-AI doesn't offer standalone value without these integrations. - When a different programming language is heavily favored over PHP in your project environment, Neuron-AI would then be less suitable due to its PHP-centric design. - If immediate access to the latest advancements in AI components like neural networks or machine learning requires rapid iteration and experimentation beyond what PHP allows efficiently. ## When NOT to use catai - - For environments that strictly prohibit or limit Node.js operations on the server side, as catai is engineered to run locally via Node.js only. - - If seeking a cloud-based AI deployment solution that does not require local setup, since catai focuses solely on providing local AI capabilities through an easy-to-use API. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between neuron-ai and catai? neuron-ai: Agentic Framework for building production-ready AI applications in PHP. catai: Run AI assistant locally with Node.js. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose neuron-ai over catai? Choose neuron-ai over catai when neuron-ai is primarily PHP; catai is TypeScript; Tags unique to neuron-ai: agent, agentic-ai, llm-inference, php; neuron-ai ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; When you are a PHP developer looking for an agentic framework that allows integration of AI components directly in your existing stack. ### When should I choose catai over neuron-ai? Choose catai over neuron-ai when catai is primarily TypeScript; neuron-ai is PHP; Tags unique to catai: ai-assistant, chatbot, ggmlv3, llama-cpp; - When aiming to deploy a local AI assistant without reliance on cloud-based services; catai is ideal due to its focus on node-llama-cpp integration, allowing for robust offline capabilities. ### When should I avoid neuron-ai? If your application does not require integration of AI agents, sophisticated tools, or vector databases within the PHP framework as Neuron-AI doesn't offer standalone value without these integrations. When a different programming language is heavily favored over PHP in your project environment, Neuron-AI would then be less suitable due to its PHP-centric design. If immediate access to the latest advancements in AI components like neural networks or machine learning requires rapid iteration and experimentation beyond what PHP allows efficiently. ### When should I avoid catai? - For environments that strictly prohibit or limit Node.js operations on the server side, as catai is engineered to run locally via Node.js only. - If seeking a cloud-based AI deployment solution that does not require local setup, since catai focuses solely on providing local AI capabilities through an easy-to-use API. ### Is neuron-ai or catai more popular on GitHub? neuron-ai has more GitHub stars (2,058 vs 498). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are neuron-ai and catai open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (neuron-ai: MIT, catai: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to neuron-ai or catai? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [neuron-ai alternatives](/tools/neuron-core-neuron-ai/alternatives) and [catai alternatives](/tools/withcatai-catai/alternatives) ([neuron-ai markdown twin](/tools/neuron-core-neuron-ai/alternatives.md), [catai markdown twin](/tools/withcatai-catai/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/neuron-core-neuron-ai-vs-withcatai-catai.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, neuron-ai or catai? neuron-ai: Very active. catai: 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 neuron-ai and catai? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [neuron-ai trust report](/tools/neuron-core-neuron-ai/trust); [catai trust report](/tools/withcatai-catai/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=neuron-core-neuron-ai`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=neuron-core-neuron-ai) - 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/_