ChatDev
Agent Frameworks · Free + paid
Communicative LLM agents simulating a virtual software development company
At a glance
- Made by
- OpenBMB
- Korean
- None (English and a few others only)
- Open source
- Apache-2.0
- GitHub
- 34,512 stars · Apache-2.0
What is ChatDev?
ChatDev is a chat-based software development framework in which specialized agents powered by large language models are guided by a chat chain on what to communicate and how, and take part in the design, coding, and testing stages. 1.0 (legacy) automates the entire development process as a virtual software company with agents such as CEO, CTO, and programmer. 2.0 (DevAll) is a no-code platform for building and running multi-agent systems by defining agents, workflows, and tasks with simple configuration. The related paper was accepted at ACL 2024.
- Chat chain guides how agents communicate with each other
- Agents take part in the design, coding, and testing stages
- No-code multi-agent setup (ChatDev 2.0 DevAll)
- Virtual software company of role-based agents: CEO, CTO, and programmer (1.0)
- MacNet, a collaboration network based on directed acyclic graphs (macnet branch)
Who uses ChatDev and for what
- Automates the entire software development process (design, coding, testing, documentation)
- Orchestrates complex scenarios such as data visualization, 3D generation, and deep research
Pricing
Open source (free)
Mostly distributed free under open-source licenses; the cost of the LLM API you connect to is separate
Estimate based on AI knowledge - please verify on the official site
AI tools similar to ChatDev (alternatives)
ChatDev vs. alternatives at a glance
| AI | Pricing | Combos on the map | Connected tools | Free | Cheapest monthly | Korean |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ChatDev | Free + paid | 0 | 24 | — | — | No |
| AgentForge | Free + paid | 0 | 24 | — | — | — |
| agentscope | Free + paid | 0 | 24 | — | — | No |
| antfarm | Free + paid | 0 | 24 | — | — | No |
| claude-flow | Free + paid | 0 | 5 | — | — | No |
0 of these 5 tools have a free plan.
Combo and connection counts are based on the relationships recorded on AI Galaxy Map (2026-10-26); they are not a quality ranking.
ChatDev on AI Galaxy Map
- One of 36 AI tools in the Agent Frameworks field.
- Connected to 24 other tools — #1 in its field.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use ChatDev for free?
Open source (free). Prices can change, so check the official site before paying.
What AI can I use instead of ChatDev?
Tools that do the same job, such as AgentForge, agentscope, antfarm, claude-flow, are connected to it on the map.
Can I use ChatDev in Korean?
None (English and a few others only)
Sources (official pages)
Checked on the official pages on 2026-10-14. Prices and features can change, so check the official site again before paying.