--- title: "refly vs agentflow" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/refly-ai-refly-vs-simonmesmith-agentflow" tools: ["refly-ai-refly", "simonmesmith-agentflow"] --- # refly vs agentflow *GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026* ## Verdict Pick refly if refly is an open-source agent skills builder ecosystem targeting automation through platforms like Slack and Lark/Feishu with capabilities for running on Claude Code, Cursor, Codex among others; pick agentflow if agentflow simplifies the creation of complex workflows for large language models through simple JSON configurations. [refly](https://refly.ai) reports 7.5k GitHub stars, 725 forks, and 104 open issues, last pushed Jul 29, 2026. [agentflow](https://github.com/simonmesmith/agentflow) has 320 stars, 27 forks, and 13 open issues, last pushed Aug 11, 2023. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [refly's repository](https://github.com/refly-ai/refly) and [agentflow's repository](https://github.com/simonmesmith/agentflow). | | [refly](/tools/refly-ai-refly.md) | [agentflow](/tools/simonmesmith-agentflow.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | The first open-source agent skills builder for creating bots and workflows | Complex LLM Workflows from Simple JSON | | Stars | 7,517 | 320 | | Forks | 725 | 27 | | Open issues | 104 | 13 | | Language | TypeScript | Python | | Adopt for | refly is an open-source agent skills builder ecosystem targeting automation through platforms like Slack and Lark/Feishu with capabilities for running on Claude Code, Cursor, Codex among others. | Agentflow simplifies the creation of complex workflows for large language models through simple JSON configurations. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Other | MIT | | Categories | AI Agents | AI Agents, LLM Frameworks | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [refly](/tools/refly-ai-refly.md) | [agentflow](/tools/simonmesmith-agentflow.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Steady (60%) | Dormant (18%) | | Days since push | 48d | 1100d | | Open issues (now) | 104 | 13 | | Stars delta | +44 (30d) | -1 (30d) | | Open issues delta | +9 (30d) | 0 (30d) | | Owner type | Organization | User | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/refly-ai-refly/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/simonmesmith-agentflow/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: refly - **Adopt for:** refly is an open-source agent skills builder ecosystem targeting automation through platforms like Slack and Lark/Feishu with capabilities for running on Claude Code, Cursor, Codex among others. ## Decision facts: agentflow - **Adopt for:** Agentflow simplifies the creation of complex workflows for large language models through simple JSON configurations. ## Choose when ### Choose refly if… - refly is primarily TypeScript; agentflow is Python. - License: refly is Other, agentflow is MIT. - Tags unique to refly: agent-skills, automation, claude, codex. - When you want to define and automate skills across multiple platforms including Slack and Lark/Feishu using an open-source platform. ### Choose agentflow if… - agentflow is primarily Python; refly is TypeScript. - License: agentflow is MIT, refly is Other. - Tags unique to agentflow: json, large-language-models, python, workflow-management. - Also covers LLM Frameworks. - When you need to rapidly prototype LLM workflows with minimal coding via JSON configs ## When NOT to use refly - Avoid if project requirements do not align with the limitations set forth by the ReflyAI Open Source License, distinguishing it from more permissive licenses found in competitors. - Not ideal if direct integration and optimization with other AI frameworks outside of the supported range like Claude Code or Cursor are mission-critical. ## When NOT to use agentflow - Avoid if requiring advanced customization that goes beyond basic JSON configurations - Not suitable for scenarios needing real-time dynamic changes in workflow setup during execution ## Common questions ### What is the difference between refly and agentflow? refly: The first open-source agent skills builder for creating bots and workflows. agentflow: Complex LLM Workflows from Simple JSON. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose refly over agentflow? Choose refly over agentflow when refly is primarily TypeScript; agentflow is Python; License: refly is Other, agentflow is MIT; Tags unique to refly: agent-skills, automation, claude, codex; When you want to define and automate skills across multiple platforms including Slack and Lark/Feishu using an open-source platform. ### When should I choose agentflow over refly? Choose agentflow over refly when agentflow is primarily Python; refly is TypeScript; License: agentflow is MIT, refly is Other; Tags unique to agentflow: json, large-language-models, python, workflow-management; Also covers LLM Frameworks; When you need to rapidly prototype LLM workflows with minimal coding via JSON configs. ### When should I avoid refly? Avoid if project requirements do not align with the limitations set forth by the ReflyAI Open Source License, distinguishing it from more permissive licenses found in competitors. Not ideal if direct integration and optimization with other AI frameworks outside of the supported range like Claude Code or Cursor are mission-critical. ### When should I avoid agentflow? Avoid if requiring advanced customization that goes beyond basic JSON configurations Not suitable for scenarios needing real-time dynamic changes in workflow setup during execution ### Is refly or agentflow more popular on GitHub? refly has more GitHub stars (7,517 vs 320). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are refly and agentflow open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (refly: Other, agentflow: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to refly or agentflow? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [refly alternatives](/tools/refly-ai-refly/alternatives) and [agentflow alternatives](/tools/simonmesmith-agentflow/alternatives) ([refly markdown twin](/tools/refly-ai-refly/alternatives.md), [agentflow markdown twin](/tools/simonmesmith-agentflow/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/refly-ai-refly-vs-simonmesmith-agentflow.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, refly or agentflow? refly: Steady. agentflow: Dormant. 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 refly and agentflow? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [refly trust report](/tools/refly-ai-refly/trust); [agentflow trust report](/tools/simonmesmith-agentflow/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=refly-ai-refly`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=refly-ai-refly) - 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/_