--- title: "refly vs agent-toolkit" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/refly-ai-refly-vs-softaworks-agent-toolkit" tools: ["refly-ai-refly", "softaworks-agent-toolkit"] --- # refly vs agent-toolkit *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 agent-toolkit if extends AI coding agent capabilities with Python skills for development and professional workflows. [refly](https://refly.ai) reports 7.5k GitHub stars, 725 forks, and 104 open issues, last pushed Jul 29, 2026. [agent-toolkit](https://github.com/softaworks/agent-toolkit) has 2.5k stars, 226 forks, and 18 open issues, last pushed Mar 5, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [refly's repository](https://github.com/refly-ai/refly) and [agent-toolkit's repository](https://github.com/softaworks/agent-toolkit). | | [refly](/tools/refly-ai-refly.md) | [agent-toolkit](/tools/softaworks-agent-toolkit.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | The first open-source agent skills builder for creating bots and workflows | A curated collection of skills for AI coding agents | | Stars | 7,517 | 2,483 | | Forks | 725 | 226 | | Open issues | 104 | 18 | | 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. | Extends AI coding agent capabilities with Python skills for development and professional workflows | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Other | MIT | | Categories | AI Agents | AI Agents, Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [refly](/tools/refly-ai-refly.md) | [agent-toolkit](/tools/softaworks-agent-toolkit.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Steady (60%) | Slowing (36%) | | Days since push | 48d | 198d | | Open issues (now) | 104 | 18 | | Stars delta | +44 (30d) | +176 (30d) | | Open issues delta | +9 (30d) | +1 (30d) | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/refly-ai-refly/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/softaworks-agent-toolkit/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: agent-toolkit - **Adopt for:** Extends AI coding agent capabilities with Python skills for development and professional workflows ## Choose when ### Choose refly if… - refly is primarily TypeScript; agent-toolkit is Python. - License: refly is Other, agent-toolkit is MIT. - Tags unique to refly: codex, cursor, lark-bot, slack-bot. - When you want to define and automate skills across multiple platforms including Slack and Lark/Feishu using an open-source platform. ### Choose agent-toolkit if… - agent-toolkit is primarily Python; refly is TypeScript. - License: agent-toolkit is MIT, refly is Other. - Tags unique to agent-toolkit: ai, claude-code, coding-agent, development. - Also covers Developer Tools. - For enhancing specific tasks like documentation, planning, and workflow management ## 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 agent-toolkit - If you seek support for languages other than Python - When working with non-Python based coding agents that require specialized skills not covered by this toolkit - In cases where custom, from-scratch development is preferred over using pre-packaged scripts ## Common questions ### What is the difference between refly and agent-toolkit? refly: The first open-source agent skills builder for creating bots and workflows. agent-toolkit: A curated collection of skills for AI coding agents. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose refly over agent-toolkit? Choose refly over agent-toolkit when refly is primarily TypeScript; agent-toolkit is Python; License: refly is Other, agent-toolkit is MIT; Tags unique to refly: codex, cursor, lark-bot, slack-bot; 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 agent-toolkit over refly? Choose agent-toolkit over refly when agent-toolkit is primarily Python; refly is TypeScript; License: agent-toolkit is MIT, refly is Other; Tags unique to agent-toolkit: ai, claude-code, coding-agent, development; Also covers Developer Tools; For enhancing specific tasks like documentation, planning, and workflow management. ### 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 agent-toolkit? If you seek support for languages other than Python When working with non-Python based coding agents that require specialized skills not covered by this toolkit In cases where custom, from-scratch development is preferred over using pre-packaged scripts ### Is refly or agent-toolkit more popular on GitHub? refly has more GitHub stars (7,517 vs 2,483). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are refly and agent-toolkit open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (refly: Other, agent-toolkit: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to refly or agent-toolkit? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [refly alternatives](/tools/refly-ai-refly/alternatives) and [agent-toolkit alternatives](/tools/softaworks-agent-toolkit/alternatives) ([refly markdown twin](/tools/refly-ai-refly/alternatives.md), [agent-toolkit markdown twin](/tools/softaworks-agent-toolkit/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-softaworks-agent-toolkit.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, refly or agent-toolkit? refly: Steady. agent-toolkit: 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 refly and agent-toolkit? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [refly trust report](/tools/refly-ai-refly/trust); [agent-toolkit trust report](/tools/softaworks-agent-toolkit/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/_