LangGraph vs Dify
Both are alternatives to OpenAI AgentKit. Here's how they stack up — verified facts, no spin.
Also searched as Dify vs LangGraph — same comparison, one verdict.
LangGraph is open source (MIT) and Dify is not (Modified Apache-2.0 (source-available, not OSI open source)) — so the real question is whether you want to own the ai agent frameworks stack or rent it.
LangGraph
TOP PICKAgents as an explicit state graph — the closest thing to what you are leaving.
LangGraph models an agent as a graph of nodes with explicit state, checkpointing and human-in-the-loop interrupts, which is very nearly the mental model Agent Builder gave you — with the difference that the graph is code in your repository. It is the most battle-tested option for production agents that must survive restarts, resume mid-run and be inspected when they go wrong. MIT-licensed, roughly 38.5k GitHub stars and pushed to daily as of 2026-07-30. LangGraph Platform is a paid hosted deployment tier, but the framework itself is complete without it — the distinction is worth checking before you build on anything you assume is free.
Dify
The visual builder AgentKit was — but read the licence before you commit.
Dify is the closest replacement for Agent Builder specifically: a visual canvas for wiring prompts, tools, retrieval and branching, with a hosted-app layer on top, so a team that liked drawing the workflow does not have to start writing graphs in Python. It is by far the most-starred project in this comparison at around 150.8k. One important correction to how it is usually described. Dify is very widely listed as open source, and its own licence file is headed "Open Source License", but the text is a modified Apache-2.0 with two additional conditions: you may not use the source to operate a multi-tenant service without written authorisation, and you may not remove or alter Dify's logo and copyright notices in the frontend. Those restrictions mean it does not meet the Open Source Definition. It is source-available. For most internal use that changes nothing; if you intend to build a product for your own customers on top of it, it changes everything, and it is exactly the clause people discover late.
Side by side
6 points of comparison, every one read from a verified field. Green marks the side that wins a row outright. A dash means we do not hold that fact — never that it is zero.
| LangGraph | Dify | |
|---|---|---|
| Sovereignty ScoreOur transparent 0–100 composite for data ownership and exit cost. | 92 | 72 |
| Open source | Yes | No |
| Self-hostable | Yes | Yes |
| Local-first data | Yes | Yes |
| License | MIT | Modified Apache-2.0 (source-available, not OSI open source) |
| Pricing | Free and open source. LangGraph Platform is an optional paid hosted tier. | Free to self-host within the licence terms. Dify Cloud and a commercial licence are paid. |
LangGraph is Macrostack's recommended OpenAI AgentKit alternative, so it's our pick here.
LangGraph
Strengths
- +Explicit state graph maps closely onto what Agent Builder did
- +Checkpointing and resumable runs — genuinely production-grade
- +Human-in-the-loop interrupts are a first-class feature, not a workaround
- +MIT and in your repository: nobody can announce a sunset date for it
Trade-offs
- −Steepest learning curve here — you are writing the graph, not drawing it
- −Carries LangChain ecosystem conventions whether or not you want them
- −Verbose for simple agents that only need a loop and two tools
- −The hosted platform is where the operational conveniences live
Dify
Strengths
- +The nearest thing to Agent Builder's visual canvas — smallest conceptual jump
- +Self-hostable, with retrieval, tools and app hosting in one product
- +Enormous community and the most stars of anything in this comparison
- +Non-engineers can read and change the workflow, which is rare here
Trade-offs
- −Not open source despite near-universal description as such — multi-tenant use needs a commercial licence
- −Branding and logo may not be removed from the frontend
- −Visual workflows are harder to review, diff and version than code
- −Single-vendor control, and the licence explicitly reserves the right to tighten
Which one fits you
The trade-offs above, turned into a decision. Find the line that describes your team.
Choose LangGraph
if you want the source and the option to fork it, and explicit state graph maps closely onto what Agent Builder did.
Choose Dify
if the nearest thing to Agent Builder's visual canvas — smallest conceptual jump.
Neither, yet
if both carry a real cost you should weigh first — steepest learning curve here — you are writing the graph, not drawing it, and not open source despite near-universal description as such — multi-tenant use needs a commercial licence. If either of those is a dealbreaker for your team, the shortlist is wrong rather than the choice.
LangGraph vs Dify — common questions
Is LangGraph a better fit than Dify for ai agent frameworks?
It depends on what you are optimising for, and the honest split is this: LangGraph scores 92 to Dify's 72 on data ownership and exit cost, so it is the safer choice if you care about being able to leave. Dify earns its place on a different axis — the nearest thing to Agent Builder's visual canvas — smallest conceptual jump. Neither is a wrong answer for every team; the table above is the actual comparison.
What happens if we want to switch later?
LangGraph keeps its data local or in open formats, so leaving is an export rather than a negotiation. Dify is still self-hostable, so the files stay on your server either way — but it is not local-first by design, so check what its export produces before you rely on it.
Can I self-host LangGraph or Dify?
Both can be self-hosted. The difference is what it costs you in time rather than whether it is possible — see the setup and maintenance rows above.
Are LangGraph and Dify both alternatives to OpenAI AgentKit?
Yes — both appear in our OpenAI AgentKit comparison, which is why they are worth putting side by side. People usually arrive here already having decided to move off OpenAI AgentKit and now choosing between the two replacements, which is a narrower and much easier question.
More OpenAI AgentKit head-to-heads
Related alternative guides
Facts verified 2026-07-30. Licenses and pricing change — spotted something out of date? That's a correction we want.