DSPy vs Rivet
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted self-hosted ai options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | DSPy | Rivet |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 99 · Excellent | 80 · Excellent |
| Category | Self-Hosted AI | Self-Hosted AI |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | Python | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 1,024 MB |
| Deployment | source | binary, bare-metal |
| GitHub stars | ★ 38,243 | ★ 4,698 |
| First released | 2023 | 2023 |
| Replaces | LangChain | LangChain |
What are DSPy and Rivet?
DSPy
DSPy is a framework for building language model pipelines by writing modular Python code instead of brittle prompt strings. It can compile and optimize prompts automatically against metrics for self-hosted LLM applications.
- Declarative LLM modules
- Automatic prompt optimization
- Metric-driven compilation
- Works with local models
Rivet
Rivet is an open-source desktop application for visually creating and debugging complex LLM prompt graphs. It lets developers design AI agents as node graphs and embed them into applications.
- Visual prompt graphs
- Live debugging
- Embeddable runtime
- Many LLM integrations
DSPy vs Rivet: key differences
DSPy is written in Python, while Rivet is built with TypeScript. DSPy has the considerably larger community, at 38,243 GitHub stars versus 4,698.
Why pick each one
Choose DSPy if…
- Programmatic prompt optimization
- Modular composable pipelines
- Strong research pedigree
Watch out for
- Conceptual learning curve
- Optimization runs cost tokens
Choose Rivet if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Active community (4.7k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Frequently asked questions
Is DSPy or Rivet better?
Neither is universally better. DSPy has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are DSPy and Rivet free and open-source?
Yes. DSPy is licensed under MIT and Rivet under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run DSPy and Rivet with Docker?
DSPy: check the project docs for container support. Rivet: check the project docs for container support.