Prefect

A Python framework that turns scripts into scheduled, observable data pipelines with retries and caching, run on your own server or on Prefect Cloud.

24.1k stars, 2.6k forks Python On GitHub since June 2018

Visit website View on GitHub How to run it

What is Prefect?

With Prefect you mark Python functions as flows and tasks using decorators, and the framework adds retries, caching, concurrency limits, schedules and event-based triggers. Runs are tracked in a self-hosted Prefect server or in Prefect Cloud, where you can see what ran, what failed and why. Because it starts from plain Python, an existing script becomes a pipeline with a few lines of change.

Good fit if

  • Your data team writes Python and wants scheduling and monitoring without learning a new pipeline language.
  • You need pipelines that react to events as well as to schedules.
  • You want to start small on one machine and add workers later.

Look elsewhere if

  • You want a mature ecosystem of operators for a classic batch data stack: Apache Airflow.
  • You prefer workflows defined in YAML: Kestra.

Before you adopt it

Prefect is Apache-2.0 today, with no paid parts in the repository; Prefect Cloud is the paid managed service. In March 2022 it moved from the Prefect Community License to Apache-2.0, a change to a more permissive, OSI-approved license. It needs Python 3.11 or newer.

Drafted with AI from the project's README and repository data, then checked against that data on 30 October 2026. Report a correction

Prefect health: is it still maintained?

80 of 100, actively developed

  • Activity
    507 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 31 October 2026.
    30 / 30
  • Contributors
    21 people wrote the latest 100 commits; the most active wrote 16% of them.
    18 / 20
  • Releases
    3 releases in the last 12 months; the latest, 3.9.1, on 30 October 2026.
    15 / 20
  • Replies to issues
    Too few recent issues from outside the team to measure, so this part gets a neutral score.
    10 / 20
  • Security practices
    OpenSSF Scorecard 6.7 of 10.
    7 / 10

Read from GitHub on 1 November 2026. How the score works

Prefect license: is it open source?

Prefect uses Apache-2.0, an open-source license approved by the OSI.

  1. June 2018First published on GitHub under Prefect Community License.
  2. 8 March 2022Changed to Apache-2.0. Commit: Update license to apache
  3. TodayApache-2.0.

How to run Prefect yourself

Docker
Dockerfile or compose file in the repository
Setup effort
2 of 5, judged from the compose file
Kubernetes
No Helm chart in the repository
Desktop and mobile
No app builds in GitHub releases
Interface languages
English only

Install instructions: prefect.io or the README on GitHub.

Alternatives to Prefect

  • Apache AirflowApache Airflow - A platform to programmatically author, schedule, and monitor workflows 87 health · Apache-2.0 · 47.3k stars
  • DagsterAn orchestration platform for the development, production, and observation of data assets. 68 health · Apache-2.0 · 16.4k stars
  • KestraOrchestrate everything, everywhere. The open-source control plane for workflows across data, infrastructure,… 85 health · Apache-2.0 · 30.1k stars
  • Argo WorkflowsWorkflow Engine for Kubernetes 86 health · Apache-2.0 · 17.1k stars
  • DifyBuild Agentic workflows, RAG pipelines, with rich AI model and tool support on one collaborative workspace.… 84 health · Apache-2.0 with additional conditions · 160k stars

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Questions about Prefect

Is Prefect open source?

Yes. Prefect is published under Apache-2.0, an OSI-approved open-source license.

Is Prefect still maintained?

Its health score is 80 of 100 (actively developed). It had 507 commits in the last 90 days, the latest on 31 October 2026, and its latest release came out on 30 October 2026.

Did Prefect change its license?

Yes. It moved from Prefect Community License to Apache-2.0 on 8 March 2022.

How do I run Prefect?

You can run it with Docker. The README on GitHub has the exact steps.

What are the alternatives to Prefect?

Close alternatives in the Workflow automation category include Apache Airflow, Dagster, Kestra.