head to head · open source
AnythingLLM vs k-dense-byok
AnythingLLM has 67,862 GitHub stars, 7,658 forks, 311 open issues and last shipped 4 days ago. k-dense-byok has 1,421 stars, 189 forks, 7 open issues and last shipped 18 days ago. AnythingLLM leads on adoption by 4,676% (67,862 vs 1,421 stars). AnythingLLM is written in JavaScript under MIT; k-dense-byok is written in TypeScript under MIT. AnythingLLM has attracted 11% as many forks as stars, k-dense-byok 13%. AnythingLLM was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (agentic-ai), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| AnythingLLM | k-dense-byok | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 68K | ★ 1.4K |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Written in | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-30 | 2026-10-16 |
| Forks | ⑂ 7.7K | ⑂ 189 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick AnythingLLM if
- You weight community size — 68K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick k-dense-byok if
- You want the k-dense-byok feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and k-dense-byok fits your workflow better
About AnythingLLM
[!NOTE] We are also working on Open Computer which gives an entire computer environment for AI Agents to use. This will bring AnythingLLM's agent capabilities to a new level and a novel UX paradigm for AI Agent use. ⭐ Star the repo to stay updated! AnythingLLM: The all in one AI app you were looking for. Chat with your docs, use AI Agents, hyper configurable, multi user, & no frustrating setup required. Docs Hosted Instance English · 简体中文 · 日本語 👉 AnythingLLM for desktop (Mac, Windows, & Linux)! Download Now Chat with your docs. Automate complex workflows with AI Agents. Hyper configurable, multi user ready…
read the full AnythingLLM overview →
About k-dense-byok
K Dense BYOK 🎥 Webinar recording: Getting Started with K Dense BYOK An online walkthrough of installing Kady and running your first research task, with live Q&A. 👉 Watch the recording on YouTube Your own AI research assistant, running on your computer, powered by the accounts and API keys you choose. K Dense BYOK (Bring Your Own Keys) is a free, open source app that gives you Kady — an AI research assistant for scientists in any field. Describe a task in plain language — analyze this dataset , review my manuscript , search the literature , build this figure — and Kady works through it in a complete research…
read the full k-dense-byok overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is AnythingLLM or k-dense-byok more popular?
AnythingLLM has 67,862 GitHub stars and k-dense-byok has 1,421. AnythingLLM has the larger community by that measure.
Are AnythingLLM and k-dense-byok free?
Both are open source. AnythingLLM is licensed under MIT and k-dense-byok under MIT. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between AnythingLLM and k-dense-byok?
AnythingLLM is written in JavaScript and k-dense-byok in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, AnythingLLM or k-dense-byok?
Choose AnythingLLM if you want the larger community (67,862 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose k-dense-byok if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.