head to head · open source
Tldraw vs Graphite
Tldraw has 51,207 GitHub stars, 3,597 forks, 649 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Graphite has 27,821 stars, 1,311 forks, 562 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Tldraw leads on adoption by 84% (51,207 vs 27,821 stars). Tldraw is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence; Graphite is written in Rust under Apache-2.0. Tldraw has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, Graphite 5%. Tldraw was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (design), 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
| Tldraw | Graphite | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 51K | ★ 28K |
| License | Custom / other | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Rust |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.6K | ⑂ 1.3K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Tldraw if
- You weight community size — 51K stars and counting
- You want the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Graphite if
- You want the Graphite feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You evaluated both and Graphite fits your workflow better
About Tldraw
Build infinite canvas apps in React with the tldraw SDK. Docs · Examples · Starter kits Feature highlights tldraw provides a feature complete infinite canvas engine designed to be the foundation for any canvas app. Create custom shapes, tools, bindings and UI components for a custom experience. Use the default whiteboarding tool set or use the library's primitives to build entirely new shapes and interactions. Multiplayer — self hostable real time collaboration with @tldraw/sync Drawing and diagramming — pressure sensitive drawing, geometric shapes, rich text, arrows, snapping to shapes, edge scrolling, image…
read the full Tldraw overview →
About Graphite
Your procedural toolbox for 2D content creation Graphite is a free, open source vector and raster graphics engine, available now in alpha. Get creative with a fully nondestructive editing workflow that combines layer based compositing with node based generative design. Having begun life as a vector editor, Graphite continues evolving into a generalized, all in one graphics toolbox that's built more like a game engine than a conventional creative app. The editor's tools wrap its node graph core, providing user friendly workflows for vector, raster, and beyond. Photo editing, motion graphics, digital painting…
read the full Graphite overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Tldraw or Graphite more popular?
Tldraw has 51,207 GitHub stars and Graphite has 27,821. Tldraw has the larger community by that measure.
Are Tldraw and Graphite free?
Both are open source. Tldraw has no licence declared in this registry, and Graphite is licensed under Apache-2.0. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between Tldraw and Graphite?
Tldraw is written in TypeScript and Graphite in Rust. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Tldraw or Graphite?
Choose Tldraw if you want the larger community (51,207 stars) or its Custom / other licence terms. Choose Graphite if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.