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Open Source
Tool Comparison
Semantic Kernel
Microsoft's enterprise AI SDK — orchestrate LLMs in Python, C#, and Java.
VS
At a Glance
| Attribute | Semantic Kernel | LangChain |
|---|---|---|
| License / Pricing | Open Source | Free |
| Type | ai | ai |
| GitHub Stars | — | — |
| Rating | 4.2/5 | 4.6/5 |
| Key Features | 6 listed | 6 listed |
| Integrations | 5 listed | 6 listed |
| Categories | AI Agents | AI AgentsRAG Frameworks |
Key Features
Semantic Kernel
- Plugins — wrap functions as AI-callable tools
- Planner for autonomous goal decomposition
- Memory store with vector DB integrations
- Multi-LLM support: Azure OpenAI, OpenAI, Mistral, Ollama
- Available in Python, C#, and Java
- Native integration with Microsoft 365 and Azure
LangChain
- LCEL (LangChain Expression Language) for composing chains
- LangGraph for stateful, multi-actor agent workflows
- 600+ integrations with LLMs, vector stores, tools
- RAG primitives: document loaders, splitters, retrievers
- Memory and conversation history management
- LangSmith for tracing, debugging, and evaluation
Real-World Use Cases
Semantic Kernel
Add AI to a .NET enterprise application
Add the Microsoft.SemanticKernel NuGet package
LangChain
Build a document Q&A bot with RAG
Load documents using LangChain document loaders (PDF, web, S3)
Build a ReAct agent with tools
Define tools (web search, calculator, database query)
Integrations
Semantic Kernel
openaianthropicazure-devopslangchainpinecone
LangChain
openaianthropicpineconechromalangsmithweaviate
🏆 Which should you choose?
Choose Semantic Kernel if…
- → you need a fully open-source, self-hosted solution with no vendor lock-in
Choose LangChain if…
- → you want a managed or commercial offering with enterprise support and SLAs