What is the main difference between Apache SkyWalking and Grafana?

Apache SkyWalking and Grafana are both performance monitoring (apm) tools but differ in their approach, features, and target audience. Compare their GitHub stats, technology stack, and community adoption to make the best choice.

Which is better: Apache SkyWalking or Grafana?

The choice between Apache SkyWalking and Grafana depends on your specific needs, technical requirements, and team preferences. Both are quality open source solutions with active communities.

Can I migrate from Apache SkyWalking to Grafana?

Migration between Apache SkyWalking and Grafana is possible but requires careful planning. Consider data export/import capabilities, feature parity, and potential workflow changes.

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Apache SkyWalking vs Grafana

Learn how Apache SkyWalking and Grafana differ in their key features, development activity, technology stack and community adoption, so you can decide which of these performance monitoring (apm) tools is best for you.

Apache SkyWalking

Open source observability platform covering distributed tracing, metrics, logs, profiling, and LLM cost tracking across 10+ languages with eBPF support on Kubernetes.

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24,967stars+26(+0.1%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
6 days ago
Repository age
11 years
Version
v11.0.0
License
Apache-2.0
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
apache/skywalking

Grafana

Grafana unifies metrics, logs, traces, profiles, and business data into one OpenTelemetry-native platform with AI-assisted root cause analysis and adaptive cost controls.

Visit Grafana Read more

77,092stars+503(+0.7%)

Last 30 days

Last commit
12 hours ago
Repository age
13 years
Version
v13.2.3
License
AGPL-3.0
Self-hosted
Yes
Repository
grafana/grafana

Detailed Comparison

Grafana appears to have several advantages over Apache SkyWalking, particularly in popularity, growth and maturity. Consider your specific needs regarding popularity, growth, activity, technology, maturity, licensing and features when making your decision.

Grafana wins

Community & Popularity

Grafana significantly outpaces Apache SkyWalking in community adoption with 77,092 stars compared to 24,967 stars on GitHub. This 3.1x difference suggests Grafana has a much larger and more active community. In terms of developer contributions, Grafana has 14,816 forks, indicating strong developer engagement.

Grafana wins

Growth Momentum

Grafana is growing faster, adding 503 stars in the last 30 days (+0.7%) against adding 26 stars for Apache SkyWalking (+0.1%). Grafana is both larger and pulling further ahead.

Comparable

Development Activity

Both projects show recent activity, with Apache SkyWalking last updated 6 days ago and Grafana 12 hours ago.

Comparable

Technology Stack

Both tools share common technology foundations, being built with JavaScript, Bash, Typescript, Python, Golang. However, they differ in their additional technology choices: Apache SkyWalking uses PHP, Java, Lua while Grafana leverages CSS, JSX, Ruby.

Grafana wins

Project Maturity

Grafana has been in development longer, starting 13 years ago, compared to Apache SkyWalking which began 11 years ago. This 1.9-year head start suggests Grafana may have more mature features and established processes.

Comparable

Licensing

The projects use different licenses: Apache SkyWalking is licensed under Apache-2.0 while Grafana uses AGPL-3.0. Consider the licensing requirements when choosing for your project.

Comparable

Use Cases & Features

Both tools serve similar use cases in Performance Monitoring (APM). However, they also have distinct specializations: Apache SkyWalking also focuses on Log Management while Grafana extends into Infrastructure Monitoring, Data Visualization.

Comparable