head to head · open source
DBeaver vs m_flow
DBeaver has 51,791 GitHub stars, 4,371 forks, 3,334 open issues and last shipped yesterday. m_flow has 4,504 stars, 258 forks, 13 open issues and last shipped 17 days ago. DBeaver leads on adoption by 1,050% (51,791 vs 4,504 stars). DBeaver is written in Java under Apache-2.0; m_flow is written in Python under Apache-2.0. DBeaver has attracted 8% as many forks as stars, m_flow 6%. DBeaver was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
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
| DBeaver | m_flow | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 52K | ★ 4.5K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Java | Python |
| Last push | 2026-09-17 | 2026-09-01 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.4K | ⑂ 258 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick DBeaver if
- You weight community size — 52K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick m_flow if
- You want the m_flow feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You evaluated both and m_flow fits your workflow better
About DBeaver
DBeaver is a free, multi platform database management tool built in Java, designed for developers, SQL programmers, database administrators, and analysts. It operates across Windows, macOS, and Linux and integrates with the Eclipse based plugin ecosystem via OSGi and Eclipse RCP frameworks.
read the full DBeaver overview →
About m_flow
M flow is a Python bio inspired cognitive memory engine positioned as a new paradigm for Graph RAG. It lives in the LLM retrieval and agent memory ecosystem, as a database like component for knowledge graphs, episodic memory, long term memory, and MCP workflows.
read the full m_flow overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is DBeaver or m_flow more popular?
DBeaver has 51,791 GitHub stars and m_flow has 4,504. DBeaver has the larger community by that measure.
Are DBeaver and m_flow free?
Both are open source. DBeaver is licensed under Apache-2.0 and m_flow under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between DBeaver and m_flow?
DBeaver is written in Java and m_flow in Python. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, DBeaver or m_flow?
Choose DBeaver if you want the larger community (51,791 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose m_flow if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.