head to head · open source
Babylon.js vs libgdx
Babylon.js has 26,293 GitHub stars, 3,722 forks, 22 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. libgdx has 25,507 stars, 6,522 forks, 337 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Babylon.js leads on adoption by 3% (26,293 vs 25,507 stars). Babylon.js is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; libgdx is written in Java under Apache-2.0. Babylon.js has attracted 14% as many forks as stars, libgdx 26%. Babylon.js was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 3 topic tags (3d, game-development, game-engine), so they are genuine substitutes rather than adjacent tools.
Two open source projects, one decision. Both are free and self-hostable — the differences are community size, license terms, language stack and release pace.
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Side by side
| Babylon.js | libgdx | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 26K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-03 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.7K | ⑂ 6.5K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Babylon.js if
- You weight community size — 26K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick libgdx if
- You want the libgdx feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You evaluated both and libgdx fits your workflow better
About Babylon.js
Babylon.js Getting started? Play directly with the Babylon.js API using our playground. It also contains a lot of samples to learn how to use it. Any questions? Here is our official forum. CDN ⚠️ WARNING: The CDN should not be used in production environments. The purpose of our CDN is to serve Babylon packages to users learning how to use the platform or running small experiments. Once you've built an application and are ready to share it with the world at large, you should serve all packages from your own CDN. For the preview release, use the following URLs: A list of additional references can be found here…
read the full Babylon.js overview →
About libgdx
Cross platform Game Development Framework libGDX is a cross platform Java game development framework based on OpenGL (ES), designed for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, web browsers, and iOS. It provides a robust and well established environment for rapid prototyping and iterative development. Unlike other frameworks, libGDX does not impose a specific design or coding style, allowing you the freedom to create games according to your preferences. Open Source, Feature Packed, and Fostering a Large Third Party Ecosystem libGDX is released under the Apache 2.0 License, offering unrestricted usage in both commercial…
read the full libgdx overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Babylon.js or libgdx more popular?
Babylon.js has 26,293 GitHub stars and libgdx has 25,507. Babylon.js has the larger community by that measure.
Are Babylon.js and libgdx free?
Both are open source. Babylon.js is licensed under Apache-2.0 and libgdx under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Babylon.js and libgdx?
Babylon.js is written in TypeScript and libgdx in Java. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Babylon.js or libgdx?
Choose Babylon.js if you want the larger community (26,293 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose libgdx if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.