--- title: "tome vs shell_gpt" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/runebookai-tome-vs-ther1d-shell-gpt" tools: ["runebookai-tome", "ther1d-shell-gpt"] --- # tome vs shell_gpt *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 shell_gpt if shellGPT is an AI-driven CLI utility using LLMs for task efficiency with OpenAI support. [tome](https://gettome.app) reports 631 GitHub stars, 45 forks, and 2 open issues, last pushed Oct 20, 2025. [shell_gpt](https://github.com/TheR1D/shell_gpt) has 12k stars, 977 forks, and 121 open issues, last pushed Jul 2, 2026. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [tome's repository](https://github.com/runebookai/tome) and [shell_gpt's repository](https://github.com/TheR1D/shell_gpt). | | [tome](/tools/runebookai-tome.md) | [shell_gpt](/tools/ther1d-shell-gpt.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | LLM desktop client for anyone | A command-line productivity tool powered by AI large language models | | Stars | 631 | 12,287 | | Forks | 45 | 977 | | Open issues | 2 | 121 | | Language | Svelte | Python | | Adopt for | tome is a Svelte-built desktop client for LLMs and MCP that targets broad accessibility. | ShellGPT is an AI-driven CLI utility using LLMs for task efficiency with OpenAI support. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Apache-2.0 | MIT | | 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) | [shell_gpt](/tools/ther1d-shell-gpt.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Archived (8%) | Steady (60%) | | Days since push | 334d | 79d | | Archived on GitHub | Yes | No | | Open issues (now) | 2 | 121 | | Stars delta | +4 (30d) | +52 (30d) | | Open issues delta | -13 (30d) | +3 (30d) | | Owner type | Organization | User | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/runebookai-tome/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/ther1d-shell-gpt/trust.md) | ## Decision facts: tome - **Adopt for:** tome is a Svelte-built desktop client for LLMs and MCP that targets broad accessibility. ## Decision facts: shell_gpt - **Adopt for:** ShellGPT is an AI-driven CLI utility using LLMs for task efficiency with OpenAI support. ## Choose when ### Choose tome if… - tome is primarily Svelte; shell_gpt is Python. - License: tome is Apache-2.0, shell_gpt is MIT. - 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 shell_gpt if… - shell_gpt is primarily Python; tome is Svelte. - License: shell_gpt is MIT, tome is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to shell_gpt: chatgpt, cli, commands, productivity. - shell_gpt ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. - When requiring integration with the OpenAI API for advanced CLI tasks ## 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 shell_gpt - Avoid if seeking a tool optimized for local-only models like Ollama, which are not fully supported - Not ideal for those aiming to avoid costs associated with the OpenAI API usage fees ## Common questions ### What is the difference between tome and shell_gpt? tome: LLM desktop client for anyone. shell_gpt: A command-line productivity tool powered by AI large language models. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose tome over shell_gpt? Choose tome over shell_gpt when tome is primarily Svelte; shell_gpt is Python; License: tome is Apache-2.0, shell_gpt is MIT; 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 shell_gpt over tome? Choose shell_gpt over tome when shell_gpt is primarily Python; tome is Svelte; License: shell_gpt is MIT, tome is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to shell_gpt: chatgpt, cli, commands, productivity; shell_gpt ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; When requiring integration with the OpenAI API for advanced CLI tasks. ### 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 shell_gpt? Avoid if seeking a tool optimized for local-only models like Ollama, which are not fully supported Not ideal for those aiming to avoid costs associated with the OpenAI API usage fees ### Is tome or shell_gpt more popular on GitHub? shell_gpt has more GitHub stars (12,287 vs 631). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are tome and shell_gpt open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (tome: Apache-2.0, shell_gpt: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to tome or shell_gpt? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [tome alternatives](/tools/runebookai-tome/alternatives) and [shell_gpt alternatives](/tools/ther1d-shell-gpt/alternatives) ([tome markdown twin](/tools/runebookai-tome/alternatives.md), [shell_gpt markdown twin](/tools/ther1d-shell-gpt/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-ther1d-shell-gpt.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, tome or shell_gpt? tome: Archived. shell_gpt: Steady. 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 shell_gpt? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [tome trust report](/tools/runebookai-tome/trust); [shell_gpt trust report](/tools/ther1d-shell-gpt/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/_