head to head · open source
GDevelop vs JoltPhysics
GDevelop has 26,937 GitHub stars, 1,560 forks, 633 open issues and last shipped today. JoltPhysics has 11,616 stars, 980 forks, 14 open issues and last shipped yesterday. GDevelop leads on adoption by 132% (26,937 vs 11,616 stars). GDevelop is written in JavaScript under a custom or non-standard licence; JoltPhysics is written in C++ under MIT. GDevelop has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, JoltPhysics 8%. GDevelop was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (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
| GDevelop | JoltPhysics | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 27K | ★ 12K |
| License | Custom / other | MIT |
| Written in | JavaScript | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-09-28 | 2026-09-27 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.6K | ⑂ 980 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick GDevelop if
- You weight community size — 27K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick JoltPhysics if
- You want the JoltPhysics feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and JoltPhysics fits your workflow better
About GDevelop
GDevelop is an open source, cross platform game engine and editor for creating 2D, 3D, and multiplayer games without writing code. It runs on Windows, macOS, and Linux, and targets mobile (iOS, Android), desktop, and web platforms. Built with JavaScript, React, Electron, PixiJS, and Three.js, it combines a visual event based system with AI assisted development to lower the barrier to entry for game creation.
read the full GDevelop overview →
About JoltPhysics
Jolt Physics is an MIT licensed, multi core friendly rigid body physics and collision detection library written in C++, intended for games and VR applications and used by Horizon Forbidden West and Death Stranding 2: On the Beach.
read the full JoltPhysics overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is GDevelop or JoltPhysics more popular?
GDevelop has 26,937 GitHub stars and JoltPhysics has 11,616. GDevelop has the larger community by that measure.
Are GDevelop and JoltPhysics free?
Both are open source. GDevelop has no licence declared in this registry, and JoltPhysics is licensed under MIT. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between GDevelop and JoltPhysics?
GDevelop is written in JavaScript and JoltPhysics in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, GDevelop or JoltPhysics?
Choose GDevelop if you want the larger community (26,937 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose JoltPhysics if its feature set, stack or MIT licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.