server
Open source
free (OSS) + managed cloud

Chroma

Open-source embedding database for LLM applications. The default 'just install pip and start' vector store for prototypes, with first-party clients in Python and JS. SQLite-backed locally, distributed mode in cloud.

By Fredoline Eruo·Last verified Jun 12, 2026·17,000 GitHub stars

Overview

Open-source embedding database for LLM applications. The default 'just install pip and start' vector store for prototypes, with first-party clients in Python and JS. SQLite-backed locally, distributed mode in cloud.

Stack & relationships

How Chroma relates to other entries in the catalog — recommended pairings, alternatives, dependencies, and edges to avoid. Each edge carries a one-line operator note from our editorial team.

Chroma ↔ ecosystem

Works with

  • Works with
    AnythingLLM

    Drop-in alternative to LanceDB. Pick when you want a real DB with introspection tooling.

Alternatives

  • Alternative to
    Qdrant

    Chroma is the simplest dev-experience vector store; Qdrant is the production upgrade once your collection sizes outgrow Chroma's single-node design.

  • Competes with
    LanceDB

    LanceDB stores vectors in Arrow files on disk — embeddable, zero-server. Chroma has a similar embeddable mode. LanceDB scales further before needing a real server.

  • Alternative to
    LanceDB

    Both are embedded-first; LanceDB scales further before needing a server, Chroma has the simpler dev experience. Pick LanceDB for workstation-tier RAG; Chroma for prototyping.

Pros

  • Trivial local setup
  • Strong Python ergonomics
  • Active 17k★ community

Cons

  • Performance trails Qdrant/Milvus at 100M+ vectors
  • Schema flexibility costs query speed

Compatibility

Operating systems
macOS
Linux
Windows
GPU backends
n/a
LicenseOpen source · free (OSS) + managed cloud

Runtime health

Operator-grade signals on how actively Chroma is being maintained, how fresh its measurements are, and what failure classes operators have flagged. Every label below is anchored to a real date or count — we never infer maintainer activity we can't show.

Release cadence

Derived from the most recent editorial signal on this row.

Active
Updated Jun 12, 2026

8 days since last refresh · source: lastUpdated

Benchmark freshness

How recent the editorial measurements on this runtime are.

0editorial benchmarks

No editorial benchmarks for this runtime yet.

Community reproduction

Submissions that match an editorial measurement on similar hardware.

0reproduced reports

No community reproductions on file yet.

Get Chroma

Frequently asked

Is Chroma free?

Yes — Chroma is free to use and open-source.

What operating systems does Chroma support?

Chroma supports macOS, Linux, Windows.

Does Chroma need a GPU?

No — Chroma runs on CPU; it does not require or use a GPU.

Reviewed by RunLocalAI Editorial. See our editorial policy for how we evaluate tools.

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Before you buy

Verify Chroma runs on your specific hardware before committing money.