head to head · open source
libgdx vs ebiten
libgdx has 25,507 GitHub stars, 6,522 forks, 337 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. ebiten has 13,606 stars, 802 forks, 296 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. libgdx leads on adoption by 87% (25,507 vs 13,606 stars). libgdx is written in Java under Apache-2.0; ebiten is written in Go under Apache-2.0. libgdx has attracted 26% as many forks as stars, ebiten 6%. ebiten was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 4 topic tags (game, game-development, game-engine, gamedev), 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
| libgdx | ebiten | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 14K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Java | Go |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-11-03 |
| Forks | ⑂ 6.5K | ⑂ 802 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick libgdx if
- You weight community size — 26K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Java
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick ebiten if
- You want the ebiten feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Go
- You evaluated both and ebiten fits your workflow better
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 →
About ebiten
Ebitengine (v2) A dead simple 2D game engine for Go Ebitengine (formerly known as Ebiten) is an open source game engine for the Go programming language. Ebitengine's simple API allows you to quickly and easily develop 2D games that can be deployed across multiple platforms. Website (ebitengine.org) API Reference Cheat Sheet Awesome Ebitengine Platforms Windows macOS Linux FreeBSD Android (Cgo required) iOS (Cgo required) WebAssembly Nintendo Switch (Cgo required) Xbox (Cgo required) (Xbox support is limited and not available to everyone. Negotiations are currently underway to make it accessible to all.) For…
read the full ebiten overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is libgdx or ebiten more popular?
libgdx has 25,507 GitHub stars and ebiten has 13,606. libgdx has the larger community by that measure.
Are libgdx and ebiten free?
Both are open source. libgdx is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ebiten under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between libgdx and ebiten?
libgdx is written in Java and ebiten in Go. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, libgdx or ebiten?
Choose libgdx if you want the larger community (25,507 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose ebiten if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.