k-dense-byok vs ScienceClaw
The two are close in size: 1.4k stars for k-dense-byok, 1.0k for ScienceClaw. Over the days we have tracked them k-dense-byok moved +48.5% and ScienceClaw +16.9%, so k-dense-byok is growing faster right now.
They split the axes: k-dense-byok leads on context depth and model freedom, ScienceClaw on noise control.
Stars and commit dates come from our own daily tracking. The six axes are read off each project's documentation by our review pipeline, so they describe what a project says about itself, not what we measured in its code.
Where they stand today
A local-first, bring-your-own-keys AI research assistant that runs on your computer and bundles domain-specific scientific skills, workflows, and a living lab notebook.
- Stars
- 1.4k
- Tracked growth
- +48.5%
- Maturity
- ●●●●●
- Last commit
- 3d ago
- Language
- TypeScript
- License
- MIT
- Cost to run
- Your API key (pay-per-use) or free local models
Self-evolving scientific skills plus a hard research protocol (SCIENCE.md) that enforces evidence-only citations and long-running, persistent research memory.
- Stars
- 1.0k
- Tracked growth
- +16.9%
- Maturity
- ●●●●●
- Last commit
- 3d ago
- Language
- TypeScript
- License
- MIT
- Cost to run
- Free, self-host
Six axes, head to head
Each axis runs 0 to 5. The label under a score is what that project's own docs claim, not a category average.
| Axis | k-dense-byok | ScienceClaw |
|---|---|---|
Context depth How much of your codebase it sees before it answers: the open diff, the diff plus related files, or the whole repository. | ●●●●● Whole-project access | ●●●●● Session-limited |
Noise control How it keeps output volume down — severity thresholds, deduplication, incremental runs over new commits only. | ●●●●● Clarifying prompts & review | ●●●●● Protocol enforced |
Customization How far it bends to your team: custom rules, prompts, style guides, per-path config. | ●●●●● Configurable skills & presets | ●●●●● Extensive config & plugins |
Privacy Whether your code stays on your own infrastructure: fully local, self-hostable, or cloud API only. | ●●●●● Fully local optional | ●●●●● Fully local |
Model freedom Whether you can point it at any provider, or it is wired to one. | ●●●●● BYOK + local models | ●●●●● Single fixed provider |
Setup ease What it takes to get a first useful run out of it. | ●●●●● Quick local start | ●●●●● One-click setup |
Which one to pick
Pick k-dense-byok if…
Privacy-first — run a full scientific assistant locally or use your own OpenRouter key while keeping projects and data on your machine, with many prebuilt scientific skills and workflows.
- Context depth: Whole-project access (5/5 against 1/5)
- Model freedom: BYOK + local models (5/5 against 1/5)
Pick ScienceClaw if…
Zero-hallucination — pick ScienceClaw when you need a research assistant that enforces verified citations, supports long-duration sessions, and adapts to your field over time.
- Noise control: Protocol enforced (5/5 against 3/5)
What people want from each one
K-Dense-AI/k-dense-byok
Questions people ask
Is k-dense-byok better than ScienceClaw?
They split the axes: k-dense-byok leads on context depth and model freedom, ScienceClaw on noise control. k-dense-byok is worth picking when privacy-first — run a full scientific assistant locally or use your own OpenRouter key while keeping projects and data on your machine, with many prebuilt scientific skills and workflows.
Which of k-dense-byok and ScienceClaw keeps my code private?
k-dense-byok: Fully local optional (5/5). ScienceClaw: Fully local (5/5).
What does each one cost to run?
k-dense-byok: Your API key (pay-per-use) or free local models. ScienceClaw: Free, self-host.
Full profiles: K-Dense-AI/k-dense-byok and beita6969/ScienceClaw. Everything else in Research agents.