head to head · open source
Babylon.js vs libgdx
Babylon.js has 26,087 GitHub stars, 3,687 forks, 22 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. libgdx has 25,405 stars, 6,526 forks, 337 open issues and last shipped 11 days ago. Babylon.js leads on adoption by 3% (26,087 vs 25,405 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 | ★ 25K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-09 |
| 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 is an open source, Apache 2.0 licensed 3D game and rendering engine written in TypeScript, built for JavaScript and TypeScript developers who want to create browser based 3D games, visualizations and WebXR experiences inside a friendly JavaScript framework.
read the full Babylon.js 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 Babylon.js or libgdx more popular?
Babylon.js has 26,087 GitHub stars and libgdx has 25,405. 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 (26,087 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.