head to head · open source
flow-next vs roam-code
flow-next has 716 GitHub stars, 63 forks, 6 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. roam-code has 516 stars, 50 forks, 12 open issues and last shipped 5 days ago. flow-next leads on adoption by 39% (716 vs 516 stars). flow-next is written in Python under MIT; roam-code is written in Python under Apache-2.0. flow-next has attracted 9% as many forks as stars, roam-code 10%. flow-next was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (cli, code-review), 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
| flow-next | roam-code | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 716 | ★ 516 |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | Python |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-10-31 |
| Forks | ⑂ 63 | ⑂ 50 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick flow-next if
- You weight community size — 716 stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick roam-code if
- You want the roam-code 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 roam-code fits your workflow better
About flow-next
Flow Next Agents generate. flow next proves. Implementation got cheap. Reviewing it, verifying it, and keeping a codebase coherent did not. Flow Next is a workflow plugin that runs inside your coding agent. Give it the change you want and the rules your project follows. It turns that intent into specs, implementation, review, and pull requests with evidence. Your specs, decisions, and task state live in your repository. A real recorded run: plan, then cross model plan review (catches a missing guard, fix, SHIP), then implement plus tests, then impl review SHIP, ending on the receipt. Nothing staged; every frame…
read the full flow-next overview →
About roam-code
roam code Local code analysis and ready to run checks for coding agents. Roam gives your agent a reusable codebase index, pattern findings, candidate algorithmic alternatives, and checks it can call as it works. It can investigate code and evaluate changes without building each analysis from scratch. Runs on your machine · free and open source · no account or API key for local analysis · no automatic source code or telemetry upload 287 commands · 246 MCP tools (17 in the default core preset) · 28 languages Connect your agent · Try a task · Documentation · Explore the code map Why Roam is different Your agent can…
read the full roam-code overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is flow-next or roam-code more popular?
flow-next has 716 GitHub stars and roam-code has 516. flow-next has the larger community by that measure.
Are flow-next and roam-code free?
Both are open source. flow-next is licensed under MIT and roam-code under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between flow-next and roam-code?
flow-next is written in Python and roam-code 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, flow-next or roam-code?
Choose flow-next if you want the larger community (716 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose roam-code if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.