llama.cpp vs Llama Stack
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted apps from related categories — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
Not the right match-up?
llama.cpp
High-performance LLM inference in plain C/C++
VS
Llama Stack
Composable API server for building generative AI applications
| Feature | llama.cpp | Llama Stack |
|---|---|---|
| Category | Local LLM Runners | Self-Hosted AI |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | C++ | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Hard | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 8,192 MB | 4,096 MB |
| Deployment | binary, bare-metal, docker | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 123,039 | ★ 8,421 |
| First released | 2023 | 2024 |
| Replaces | OpenAI API | OpenAI API |
Why pick each one
Choose llama.cpp if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 123k GitHub stars
- Written in C++
Choose Llama Stack if…
- Released under the MIT license
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Mature project with 8.4k GitHub stars
- Written in Python
Frequently asked questions
Is llama.cpp or Llama Stack better?
Neither is universally better. llama.cpp has the larger community, while Llama Stack is simpler to set up (medium difficulty). Choose based on the comparison table above and your own setup.
Are llama.cpp and Llama Stack free and open-source?
Yes. llama.cpp is licensed under MIT and Llama Stack under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run llama.cpp and Llama Stack with Docker?
llama.cpp: yes. Llama Stack: yes.