--- title: "claude-mem vs GPTCache" type: "comparison" canonical_url: "https://www.graphcanon.com/compare/thedotmack-claude-mem-vs-zilliztech-gptcache" tools: ["thedotmack-claude-mem", "zilliztech-gptcache"] --- # claude-mem vs GPTCache *GraphCanon updated Aug 18, 2026* ## Verdict Pick claude-mem if claude-mem provides persistent context across sessions, leveraging AI to capture and compress agent activity; pick GPTCache if semantic caching tool for LLMs, integrates with LangChain and llama_index. [claude-mem](https://claude-mem.ai) reports 91k GitHub stars, 8.0k forks, and 200 open issues, last pushed Aug 17, 2026. [GPTCache](https://gptcache.readthedocs.io) has 8.1k stars, 589 forks, and 94 open issues, last pushed Jul 11, 2025. Figures are from public GitHub metadata via [claude-mem's repository](https://github.com/thedotmack/claude-mem) and [GPTCache's repository](https://github.com/zilliztech/GPTCache). | | [claude-mem](/tools/thedotmack-claude-mem.md) | [GPTCache](/tools/zilliztech-gptcache.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Tagline | Persistent Context Across Sessions for Every Agent | Semantic cache for LLMs. | | Stars | 91,018 | 8,124 | | Forks | 7,953 | 589 | | Open issues | 200 | 94 | | Language | JavaScript | Python | | Adopt for | claude-mem provides persistent context across sessions, leveraging AI to capture and compress agent activity. | Semantic caching tool for LLMs, integrates with LangChain and llama_index. | | Persona | - | - | | Runtime | - | - | | License | Claude-Mem is distributed under the Apache License 2.0, allowing it to be freely used in a variety of development and production environments while maintaining clear licensing terms. | MIT | | Categories | AI Agents, Inference & Serving | Evaluation & Observability, Inference & Serving | ## Trust and health _Sourced signals - not a safety guarantee. No winner column._ | | [claude-mem](/tools/thedotmack-claude-mem.md) | [GPTCache](/tools/zilliztech-gptcache.md) | | --- | --- | --- | | Maintenance | Very active (96%) | Dormant (18%) | | Days since push | 0d | 392d | | Open issues (now) | 200 | 94 | | Stars delta | +3.3k (30d) | Unknown | | Open issues delta | -116 (30d) | Unknown | | Owner type | User | Organization | | Full report | [trust report](/tools/thedotmack-claude-mem/trust.md) | [trust report](/tools/zilliztech-gptcache/trust.md) | ## Shared compatibility - **Python**: [claude-mem](/tools/thedotmack-claude-mem.md) - Python runtime; [GPTCache](/tools/zilliztech-gptcache.md) - Python runtime ## Decision facts: claude-mem - **Requirements:** Requires Node.js v20.0.0 or higher.; Must have the latest version of Claude Code with plugin support.; Auto-installs Bun (JavaScript runtime and process manager) if not already present.; Requires uv (Python package for vector search), auto-installation supported. - **Adopt for:** claude-mem provides persistent context across sessions, leveraging AI to capture and compress agent activity. - **License detail:** Claude-Mem is distributed under the Apache License 2.0, allowing it to be freely used in a variety of development and production environments while maintaining clear licensing terms. ## Decision facts: GPTCache - **Adopt for:** Semantic caching tool for LLMs, integrates with LangChain and llama_index. ## Choose when ### Choose claude-mem if… - claude-mem is primarily JavaScript; GPTCache is Python. - License: claude-mem is Apache-2.0, GPTCache is MIT. - Requirements: Requires Node.js v20.0.0 or higher.; Must have the latest version of Claude Code with plugin support.; Auto-installs Bun (JavaScript runtime and process manager) if not already present.; Requires uv (Python package for vector search), auto-installation supported.. - Tags unique to claude-mem: ai-agents, ai-memory, chromadb, claude. - Also covers AI Agents. - claude-mem ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment. - claude-mem ships an MCP server manifest. - When you require seamless and persistent context continuity between different session interactions with Claude Code or other supported agents. ### Choose GPTCache if… - GPTCache is primarily Python; claude-mem is JavaScript. - License: GPTCache is MIT, claude-mem is Apache-2.0. - Tags unique to GPTCache: aigc, autogpt, babyagi, chatbot. - Also covers Evaluation & Observability. - You need vector search capabilities integrated directly into your caching mechanism using Milvus or Redis. ## When NOT to use claude-mem - When working in environments where Node.js v20.0.0 or higher cannot be installed, as claude-mem requires this version to operate. - If your specific AI agent or tool does not integrate with the supported frameworks listed (e.g., Claude Code, OpenClaw), making context persistence ineffective for your workflow. ## When NOT to use GPTCache - Your application strictly requires a non-Python environment as GPTCache is Python-specific. - If you seek minimal dependencies and manual setup; GPTCache installs additional libraries automatically based on usage. ## Common questions ### What is the difference between claude-mem and GPTCache? claude-mem: Persistent Context Across Sessions for Every Agent. GPTCache: Semantic cache for LLMs.. See the comparison table for live GitHub stats and shared categories. ### When should I choose claude-mem over GPTCache? Choose claude-mem over GPTCache when claude-mem is primarily JavaScript; GPTCache is Python; License: claude-mem is Apache-2.0, GPTCache is MIT; Requirements: Requires Node.js v20.0.0 or higher.; Must have the latest version of Claude Code with plugin support.; Auto-installs Bun (JavaScript runtime and process manager) if not already present.; Requires uv (Python package for vector search), auto-installation supported.; Tags unique to claude-mem: ai-agents, ai-memory, chromadb, claude; Also covers AI Agents; claude-mem ships Docker support for self-hosted deployment; claude-mem ships an MCP server manifest; When you require seamless and persistent context continuity between different session interactions with Claude Code or other supported agents. ### When should I choose GPTCache over claude-mem? Choose GPTCache over claude-mem when GPTCache is primarily Python; claude-mem is JavaScript; License: GPTCache is MIT, claude-mem is Apache-2.0; Tags unique to GPTCache: aigc, autogpt, babyagi, chatbot; Also covers Evaluation & Observability; You need vector search capabilities integrated directly into your caching mechanism using Milvus or Redis. ### When should I avoid claude-mem? When working in environments where Node.js v20.0.0 or higher cannot be installed, as claude-mem requires this version to operate. If your specific AI agent or tool does not integrate with the supported frameworks listed (e.g., Claude Code, OpenClaw), making context persistence ineffective for your workflow. ### When should I avoid GPTCache? Your application strictly requires a non-Python environment as GPTCache is Python-specific. If you seek minimal dependencies and manual setup; GPTCache installs additional libraries automatically based on usage. ### Is claude-mem or GPTCache more popular on GitHub? claude-mem has more GitHub stars (91,018 vs 8,124). Stars measure visibility, not whether either tool fits your constraints. ### Are claude-mem and GPTCache open source? Yes - both are open-source projects on GitHub (claude-mem: Apache-2.0, GPTCache: MIT). ### Where can I find alternatives to claude-mem or GPTCache? GraphCanon lists graph-backed alternatives at [claude-mem alternatives](/tools/thedotmack-claude-mem/alternatives) and [GPTCache alternatives](/tools/zilliztech-gptcache/alternatives) ([claude-mem markdown twin](/tools/thedotmack-claude-mem/alternatives.md), [GPTCache markdown twin](/tools/zilliztech-gptcache/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/thedotmack-claude-mem-vs-zilliztech-gptcache.md) mirrors this page for agents and LLM crawlers, with the same stats table and FAQ answers. ### Which is better maintained, claude-mem or GPTCache? claude-mem: Very active. GPTCache: 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 claude-mem and GPTCache? GraphCanon publishes per-repo trust reports with dated maintenance, provenance, and scan summaries: [claude-mem trust report](/tools/thedotmack-claude-mem/trust); [GPTCache trust report](/tools/zilliztech-gptcache/trust). --- **Machine-readable endpoints** - JSON: [`/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=thedotmack-claude-mem`](/api/graphcanon/graph?tool=thedotmack-claude-mem) - 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/_