head to head · open source
GDevelop vs libgdx
GDevelop has 26,665 GitHub stars, 1,557 forks, 633 open issues and last shipped yesterday. libgdx has 25,405 stars, 6,526 forks, 337 open issues and last shipped 11 days ago. GDevelop leads on adoption by 5% (26,665 vs 25,405 stars). GDevelop is written in JavaScript under a custom or non-standard licence; libgdx is written in Java under Apache-2.0. GDevelop has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, libgdx 26%. GDevelop was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 5 topic tags (3d, game, 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 | libgdx | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 27K | ★ 25K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-09-19 | 2026-09-09 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.6K | ⑂ 6.5K |
| 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 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 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 libgdx
libGDX is a cross platform Java game development framework built on OpenGL (ES) that renders 2D and 3D games for Windows, Linux, macOS, Android, web browsers, and iOS, aimed at Java developers who want one codebase and no imposed design or coding style.
read the full libgdx overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is GDevelop or libgdx more popular?
GDevelop has 26,665 GitHub stars and libgdx has 25,405. GDevelop has the larger community by that measure.
Are GDevelop and libgdx free?
Both are open source. GDevelop has no licence declared in this registry, and libgdx is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between GDevelop and libgdx?
GDevelop is written in JavaScript 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, GDevelop or libgdx?
Choose GDevelop if you want the larger community (26,665 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose libgdx if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.