--- title: "semtools vs agents" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/run-llama-semtools-vs-wshobson-agents" tools: ["run-llama-semtools", "wshobson-agents"] --- # semtools vs agents *GraphCanon updated Jul 11, 2026* ## Verdict Pick semtools when semtools is primarily Rust; agents is Python; pick agents when agents is primarily Python; semtools is Rust. [semtools](https://github.com/run-llama/semtools) reports 1.8k GitHub stars, 136 forks, and 6 open issues, last pushed Mar 11, 2026. [agents](https://sethhobson.com) has 38k stars, 4.0k forks, and 1 open issues, last pushed Jul 8, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [semtools's repository](https://github.com/run-llama/semtools) and [agents's repository](https://github.com/wshobson/agents). | | [semtools](/tools/run-llama-semtools.md) | [agents](/tools/wshobson-agents.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Semantic search and document parsing tools for the command line | Multi-harness agentic plugin marketplace for various AI agents | | Stars | 1,830 | 37,779 | | Forks | 136 | 4,050 | | Open issues | 6 | 1 | | Language | Rust | Python | | Adopt for | - | The agents tool is a marketplace for plugins that enhances multiple AI agents, offering integration and management capabilities across several platforms, including Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor, OpenCode, GitHub Copilot | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | MIT | MIT | | Categories | Developer Tools, Vector Databases | AI Agents, Developer Tools | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [semtools](/tools/run-llama-semtools.md) | [agents](/tools/wshobson-agents.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Slowing (36%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 121d | 2d | | Open issues (now) | 6 | 1 | | Owner type | Organization | User | | Security scan | No lockfile | No MCP manifest | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/run-llama-semtools/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/wshobson-agents/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: agents - **Adopt for:** The agents tool is a marketplace for plugins that enhances multiple AI agents, offering integration and management capabilities across several platforms, including Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor, OpenCode, GitHub Copilot ## Choose when ### Choose semtools if… - semtools is primarily Rust; agents is Python. - Tags unique to semtools: cli, embeddings, parser, rust. - Also covers Vector Databases. ### Choose agents if… - agents is primarily Python; semtools is Rust. - Tags unique to agents: agent-skills, agentic-ai, automation, prompt-engineering. - Also covers AI Agents. - You are working specifically within the ecosystems of Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor, OpenCode, GitHub Copilot, or Gemini CLI, as it provides tailored plugins for these environments ## When NOT to use semtools - Last GitHub push was 122 days ago (slowing maintenance, Mar 11, 2026). Validate activity before betting a new project on semtools. - Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. - Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate. ## When NOT to use agents - You are working solely within a niche environment that isn't one of the supported platforms (like Claude Code, Codex CLI, etc.) because it may not offer compatible plugins or extensive support - Your project requirements do not include interoperability between multiple AI agents and you only need to leverage functionalities from a single AI agent with a robust in-built plugin ecosystem ## Common questions ### What is the difference between semtools and agents? semtools: Semantic search and document parsing tools for the command line. agents: Multi-harness agentic plugin marketplace for various AI agents. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose semtools over agents? Choose semtools over agents when semtools is primarily Rust; agents is Python; Tags unique to semtools: cli, embeddings, parser, rust; Also covers Vector Databases. ### When should I choose agents over semtools? Choose agents over semtools when agents is primarily Python; semtools is Rust; Tags unique to agents: agent-skills, agentic-ai, automation, prompt-engineering; Also covers AI Agents; You are working specifically within the ecosystems of Claude Code, Codex CLI, Cursor, OpenCode, GitHub Copilot, or Gemini CLI, as it provides tailored plugins for these environments. ### When should I avoid semtools? Last GitHub push was 122 days ago (slowing maintenance, Mar 11, 2026). Validate activity before betting a new project on semtools. Developer Tools: A gateway is overkill when you're pinned to a single provider and model. Vector Databases: Don't reach for a dedicated vector DB under ~100k vectors; pgvector on your existing Postgres is simpler to operate. ### When should I avoid agents? You are working solely within a niche environment that isn't one of the supported platforms (like Claude Code, Codex CLI, etc.) because it may not offer compatible plugins or extensive support Your project requirements do not include interoperability between multiple AI agents and you only need to leverage functionalities from a single AI agent with a robust in-built plugin ecosystem ### Is semtools or agents more popular on GitHub? agents has more GitHub stars (37,779 vs 1,830). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are semtools and agents open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (semtools: MIT, agents: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to semtools or agents? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [semtools alternatives](/tools/run-llama-semtools/alternatives) and [agents alternatives](/tools/wshobson-agents/alternatives) ([semtools markdown twin](/tools/run-llama-semtools/alternatives.md), [agents markdown twin](/tools/wshobson-agents/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/run-llama-semtools-vs-wshobson-agents.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, semtools or agents? semtools: Slowing. agents: 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 semtools and agents? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [semtools trust report](/tools/run-llama-semtools/trust); [agents trust report](/tools/wshobson-agents/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=run-llama-semtools`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=run-llama-semtools) - 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/_