--- title: "tome vs llm" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/runebookai-tome-vs-simonw-llm" tools: ["runebookai-tome", "simonw-llm"] --- # tome vs llm *GraphCanon updated Sep 20, 2026* ## Verdict Pick tome if tome is a Svelte-built desktop client for LLMs and MCP that targets broad accessibility; pick llm if decision-critical facts for 'llm'. [tome](https://gettome.app) reports 631 GitHub stars, 45 forks, and 2 open issues, last pushed Oct 20, 2025. [llm](https://llm.datasette.io) has 12k stars, 978 forks, and 689 open issues, last pushed Sep 2, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [tome's repository](https://github.com/runebookai/tome) and [llm's repository](https://github.com/simonw/llm). | | [tome](/tools/runebookai-tome.md) | [llm](/tools/simonw-llm.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | LLM desktop client for anyone | Access large language models from the command-line | | Stars | 631 | 12,473 | | Forks | 45 | 978 | | Open issues | 2 | 689 | | Language | Svelte | Python | | Adopt for | tome is a Svelte-built desktop client for LLMs and MCP that targets broad accessibility. | Decision-critical facts for 'llm' | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 | | Categories | Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks | Inference & Serving, LLM Frameworks | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [tome](/tools/runebookai-tome.md) | [llm](/tools/simonw-llm.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Archived (8%) | Very active (96%) | | Days since push | 334d | 4d | | Archived on GitHub | Yes | No | | Open issues (now) | 2 | 689 | | Stars delta | +4 (30d) | +149 (30d) | | Open issues delta | -13 (30d) | +25 (30d) | | Owner type | Organization | User | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/runebookai-tome/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/simonw-llm/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: tome - **Adopt for:** tome is a Svelte-built desktop client for LLMs and MCP that targets broad accessibility. ## Decision facts: llm - **Requirements:** - Installation supports multiple methods including `pip`, Homebrew (with caveats noted), `pipx`, and `uv`.; - Requires an OpenAI API key for certain functionalities. - **Adopt for:** Decision-critical facts for 'llm' - **License detail:** Apache-2.0 ## Choose when ### Choose tome if… - tome is primarily Svelte; llm is Python. - Tags unique to tome: gemini, llm-client, localai, mcp-client. - You require a no-code local client to interface with various LLM services and MCP ### Choose llm if… - llm is primarily Python; tome is Svelte. - Requirements: - Installation supports multiple methods including `pip`, Homebrew (with caveats noted), `pipx`, and `uv`.; - Requires an OpenAI API key for certain functionalities.. - Tags unique to llm: ai, llms. - - You prioritize command-line interaction over graphical interfaces, as llm is designed to provide a seamless CLI experience with multiple installation methods. ## When NOT to use tome - You need capabilities beyond just a desktop client, such as comprehensive model training or large-scale server administration features - Advanced customization of the frontend is important as tome's Svelte framework might restrict deeper modifications without significant workarounds ## When NOT to use llm - - If you require real-time visual feedback or a graphical interface for interacting with language models, as llm is strictly command-line-based. - - If your primary focus is on model training rather than inference or serving, since llm is aimed at accessing and using pre-trained models. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between tome and llm? tome: LLM desktop client for anyone. llm: Access large language models from the command-line. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose tome over llm? Choose tome over llm when tome is primarily Svelte; llm is Python; Tags unique to tome: gemini, llm-client, localai, mcp-client; You require a no-code local client to interface with various LLM services and MCP. ### When should I choose llm over tome? Choose llm over tome when llm is primarily Python; tome is Svelte; Requirements: - Installation supports multiple methods including `pip`, Homebrew (with caveats noted), `pipx`, and `uv`.; - Requires an OpenAI API key for certain functionalities.; Tags unique to llm: ai, llms; - You prioritize command-line interaction over graphical interfaces, as llm is designed to provide a seamless CLI experience with multiple installation methods. ### When should I avoid tome? You need capabilities beyond just a desktop client, such as comprehensive model training or large-scale server administration features Advanced customization of the frontend is important as tome's Svelte framework might restrict deeper modifications without significant workarounds ### When should I avoid llm? - If you require real-time visual feedback or a graphical interface for interacting with language models, as llm is strictly command-line-based. - If your primary focus is on model training rather than inference or serving, since llm is aimed at accessing and using pre-trained models. ### Is tome or llm more popular on GitHub? llm has more GitHub stars (12,473 vs 631). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are tome and llm open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (tome: Apache-2.0, llm: Apache-2.0). ### Where can I find alternatives to tome or llm? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [tome alternatives](/tools/runebookai-tome/alternatives) and [llm alternatives](/tools/simonw-llm/alternatives) ([tome markdown twin](/tools/runebookai-tome/alternatives.md), [llm markdown twin](/tools/simonw-llm/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/runebookai-tome-vs-simonw-llm.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, tome or llm? tome: Archived. llm: 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 tome and llm? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [tome trust report](/tools/runebookai-tome/trust); [llm trust report](/tools/simonw-llm/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=runebookai-tome`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=runebookai-tome) - 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/_