head to head · open source
three.js vs libgdx
three.js has 117,520 GitHub stars, 36,859 forks, 386 open issues and last shipped yesterday. libgdx has 25,507 stars, 6,522 forks, 337 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. three.js leads on adoption by 361% (117,520 vs 25,507 stars). three.js is written in JavaScript under MIT; libgdx is written in Java under Apache-2.0. three.js has attracted 31% as many forks as stars, libgdx 26%. three.js was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (3d, html5), 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
| three.js | libgdx | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 118K | ★ 26K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-11-04 | 2026-11-03 |
| Forks | ⑂ 37K | ⑂ 6.5K |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick three.js if
- You weight community size — 118K stars and counting
- You want the MIT 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 three.js
three.js [![NPM Package][npm]][npm url] [![Build Size][build size]][build size url] [![NPM Downloads][npm downloads]][npmtrends url] [![jsDelivr Downloads][jsdelivr downloads]][jsdelivr url] [![Discord][discord]][discord url] JavaScript 3D library The aim of the project is to create an easy to use, lightweight, cross browser, general purpose 3D library. The current builds only include WebGL and WebGPU renderers but SVG and CSS3D renderers are also available as addons. Examples — Docs — Manual — Wiki — Migrating — Questions — Forum — Discord Usage This code creates a…
read the full three.js overview →
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 →
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Frequently asked questions
Is three.js or libgdx more popular?
three.js has 117,520 GitHub stars and libgdx has 25,507. three.js has the larger community by that measure.
Are three.js and libgdx free?
Both are open source. three.js is licensed under MIT and libgdx under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between three.js and libgdx?
three.js 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, three.js or libgdx?
Choose three.js if you want the larger community (117,520 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose libgdx if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.