Prefect is a workflow orchestration framework for building resilient data pipelines in Python.
Star History
Momentum
+598
STARS · LAST 30 DAYS
20
PER DAY
#75
MOST-STARRED Python
| Window | 7 days | 30 days | 90 days |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stars gained | +140 | +598 | +1.8K |
| Per day | 20 | 20 | 20 |
| Forks gained | +13 | +51 | +127 |
prefect gained 598 stars in the last 30 days, about 20 a day, and now has 23.9K. It is about 8 years old and has averaged roughly 3K stars a year. It ranks #75 among Python repositories and #376 across all languages on GitHubRepo.
Trending Record
3
DAYS ON TRENDING
#966
BEST RANK
Sep 26, 2026
FIRST APPEARANCE
Active
STATUS TODAY
prefect has maintained a continuous presence across global trending indexes, peaking at #966. Below is the 30-day activity profile:
💡 Overview
prefect is an open-source project written in Python: Prefect is a workflow orchestration framework for building resilient data pipelines in Python.
Engineered for speed, consistency, and developer ease, it solves common hurdles in automation, data, data-engineering. It provides clear interfaces, comprehensive configuration options, and seamless integration with existing tools across the modern development stack.
⚡ Key Features
Optimized execution pipeline written in Python for predictable speed.
Zero-friction configuration with comprehensive sensible defaults out of the box.
Cross-platform runtime support across Linux, macOS, and Windows environments.
Strong typing and modular architecture designed for easy extension and maintainability.
Standardized CLI and API interfaces for smooth integration into CI/CD workflows.
Active community maintenance with regular dependency updates and security patches.
📥 Installation
$ pip install prefect⚙ System Requirements
Platforms
- • macOS
- • Linux
- • Windows
Runtime & Dependencies
Python >= 3.9, pip, virtualenv
Architecture
x86_64, ARM64 (Apple Silicon & Graviton)
🧠 How It Works
prefect coordinates its core functionality through a modular Python pipeline. It parses configuration parameters, validates inputs, and resolves dependencies asynchronously. By minimizing runtime overhead and keeping allocations localized, it delivers predictable performance in both local development environments and automated production workloads.
🎯 Production Use Cases
Production System Integration
Embed prefect into Python backend services to handle core application logic.
CI/CD Automated Pipelines
Run automated validation, builds, and integration suites during deployments.
Developer Tooling & Workflows
Accelerate developer onboarding with pre-configured project utilities.
Open Source Extension
Fork and customize internal modules under the repository's open Apache-2.0 license.
🚀 Getting Started
Install prefect using your package manager: `pip install prefect`
Initialize your project workspace or configuration file for prefect.
Import prefect into your codebase or invoke it directly from your terminal.
Execute your test suite or run `prefect --help` to verify successful setup.
👍 Strengths
⚠️ Considerations
⇄ Alternatives & Direct Competitors
👥 Who Should Use This
Developers and engineering teams building with Python, seeking reliable, tested, and actively maintained tooling for production workloads.
🏆 Nearby in the Rankings
PrefectHQ/prefect is currently ranked #376 by stars across every repository tracked on GitHubRepo. These are adjacent projects:
| Rank | Repository | Language | Stars | Action |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| #371 | onevcat/Kingfisher | Swift | ★ 24.4K | Compare ↗ |
| #372 | redisson/redisson | Java | ★ 24.4K | Compare ↗ |
| #373 | urfave/cli | Go | ★ 24.3K | Compare ↗ |
| #374 | argoproj/argo-cd | Go | ★ 24.3K | Compare ↗ |
| #375 | semantic-release/semantic-release | JavaScript | ★ 24.1K | Compare ↗ |
| #376 | PrefectHQ/prefect This Project | Python | ★ 23.9K | |
| #377 | facebook/lexical | TypeScript | ★ 23.9K | Compare ↗ |
| #378 | mihonapp/mihon | Kotlin | ★ 23.8K | Compare ↗ |
| #379 | coleam00/Archon | TypeScript | ★ 23.6K | Compare ↗ |
| #380 | openjdk/jdk | Java | ★ 23.4K | Compare ↗ |
| #381 | dotnet/maui | C# | ★ 23.3K | Compare ↗ |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does prefect do? +
Prefect is a workflow orchestration framework for building resilient data pipelines in Python.
What language is prefect written in? +
The primary language is Python. Topics include: automation, data, data-engineering, data-ops, data-science.
Is prefect actively maintained? +
Yes, the last recorded push was on Sep 26, 2026 with 849 open issues being tracked.
How many stars does prefect have? +
prefect has 23,930 stars and 2,542 forks on GitHub.
How does prefect rank among GitHub repositories? +
With 23,930 stars, PrefectHQ/prefect is ranked #376 globally across all repositories tracked on GitHubRepo and #75 among Python projects.
What license is prefect distributed under? +
The repository reports a Apache-2.0 license. Always verify the repository LICENSE file for legal terms.
