Compare
Bernstein vs Ralphex: quick decision guide
Ralphex (umputun/ralphex) CLI adapter.
Page built on 2026-08-16 from data/adapters-meta.json. Every claim below links to its primary source.
Install both
Ralphex
go install github.com/umputun/ralphex/cmd/ralphex@latestBernstein
pipx install bernsteinApache-2.0. Deterministic Python scheduler.
Feature matrix
| Capability | Ralphex | Bernstein |
|---|---|---|
| Install method | go install github.com/umputun/ralphex/cmd/ralphex@latest | pipx install bernstein |
| License | Not recorded | Apache-2.0 |
| Authentication | Not recorded | Per-agent credential scoping (no shared key) |
| Multi-agent orchestration | One agent in a terminal | Ralphex plus 40+ other adapters in parallel worktrees |
| MCP support | Not measured | Yes |
| Parallel-safe in worktrees | Not measured | Yes (designed around git worktrees) |
| HMAC-chained audit log | No | Yes (RFC 2104 SHA-256 chain in .sdd/) |
| Deterministic scheduler | Not applicable (single-agent CLI) | Yes (Deterministic Python scheduler) |
Adapter source: src/bernstein/adapters/ralphex.py | Upstream repo: umputun/ralphex
Verifiable facts
The brief for this surface requires at least three facts that a reader can verify against a primary source. The list below is built from the bernstein adapter source and, when available, the upstream project's own pages.
- Bernstein ships a Ralphex adapter at src/bernstein/adapters/ralphex.py that wraps the upstream CLI as one of 42 routable agents. [source: bernstein adapter source, as of 2026-08-16]
- Upstream install command, as recorded in the bernstein adapter, is "go install github.com/umputun/ralphex/cmd/ralphex@latest". [source: upstream repo, as of 2026-08-16]
- Bernstein is an open-source Multi-agent orchestrator licensed Apache-2.0, with a deterministic Python scheduler that routes work across CLI agents in parallel git worktrees. [source: bernstein repo, as of 2026-08-16]
Where Ralphex fits in Bernstein
Bernstein registers Ralphex under the slug "ralphex" and the registry name "ralphex". The adapter source lives at src/bernstein/adapters/ralphex.py in the bernstein repo and was last touched at build time 2026-08-16. The Ralphex adapter file is 138 lines and 5,549 bytes long, fingerprinted bdeccfa9669c95e4 (first 16 hex chars of SHA-256). Operators install Ralphex on a worker box with "go install github.com/umputun/ralphex/cmd/ralphex@latest" before Bernstein routes any task to it. Upstream code lives at github.com/umputun/ralphex, the canonical source operators audit when verifying the bernstein adapter against upstream behaviour. The bernstein adapter file for Ralphex does not yet carry a "Last verified against upstream" line; this means the adapter still tracks an unpinned upstream binary. Bernstein routes tasks to Ralphex when its pass rate on similar work clears the configured threshold, otherwise the deterministic Python scheduler picks a different adapter from the 40+ adapter catalog.
Adapter source excerpt
The module docstring of the Ralphex adapter, as it stands in the bernstein repo. Punctuation is normalised for the web; the wording is the author's. Length: 38 characters.
Ralphex (umputun/ralphex) CLI adapter.Adapter telemetry
| Registry name | ralphex |
|---|---|
| Adapter class | Ralphex |
| Source file | src/bernstein/adapters/ralphex.py |
| Source file size | 138 lines, 5,549 bytes |
| Source SHA-256 | bdeccfa9669c95e4d23a0e1837789131a8dd75ac57299d70da8b9e54efe6edcd |
| Category bucket | cli-family |
| Upstream repo | umputun/ralphex |
| Upstream homepage | Not recorded |
| Last verified upstream | No "Last verified" line in adapter source |
| Operator-curated overlay | No (programmatic page) |
When to pick which
Choose Ralphex
Reach for Ralphex when the work is a single thread that fits one agent: in a single-process terminal session, designed for single-instance use per repo. Auth model is configured per upstream docs. You skip the orchestrator round-trip and get the smallest possible surface between you and the model.
Choose Bernstein
Wrap Ralphex under Bernstein when the goal splits into parallel tasks, when you want an HMAC-chained audit log on every routing decision, or when a deterministic Python scheduler (no LLM picking who runs what) is a hard requirement.
FAQ
Does Bernstein replace Ralphex?
No. Bernstein wraps Ralphex as one of 40+ CLI adapters and routes tasks to it based on per-task pass-rate history. Ralphex keeps running unchanged; Bernstein decides when it gets work.
Can I run Ralphex alongside other agents in the same repo?
Yes. Each agent runs in its own git worktree under .sdd/worktrees/{session_id}, so file edits never collide. Bernstein merges results back to the trunk only after the configured quality gates (lint, types, tests) pass.
Is this comparison page handwritten?
No. The template is fixed; every fact and every link is pulled from the bernstein adapter source in the master branch and (when available) the upstream project's own pages. The data extractor lives at scripts/gen-compare-data.mjs. No LLM writes the prose.