head to head · open source
parse-server vs nitrite-java
parse-server has 21,397 GitHub stars, 4,813 forks, 561 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. nitrite-java has 921 stars, 96 forks, 0 open issues and last shipped yesterday. parse-server leads on adoption by 2,223% (21,397 vs 921 stars). parse-server is written in JavaScript under Apache-2.0; nitrite-java is written in Java under Apache-2.0. parse-server has attracted 22% as many forks as stars, nitrite-java 10%. nitrite-java was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee.
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
| parse-server | nitrite-java | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 21K | ★ 921 |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | Java |
| Last push | 2026-11-01 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 4.8K | ⑂ 96 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick parse-server if
- You weight community size — 21K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick nitrite-java if
- You want the nitrite-java 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 nitrite-java fits your workflow better
About parse-server
[ ][open collective link] [ ][open collective link] Parse Server is an open source backend that can be deployed to any infrastructure that can run Node.js. Parse Server works with the Express web application framework. It can be added to existing web applications, or run by itself. The full documentation for Parse Server is available in the wiki. The Parse Server guide is a good place to get started. An API reference and Cloud Code guide are also available. If you're interested in developing for Parse Server, the Development guide will help you get set up. A big thank you 🙏 to our sponsors and backers who…
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About nitrite-java
Nitrite Database NO sql O bject ( NO 2 a.k.a Nitrite) database is an open source nosql embedded document store. It supports both in memory and file based persistent store. Nitrite is an embedded database ideal for desktop, mobile or small web applications. It features : Embedded, serverless Simple API Document oriented Schemaless document collection and object repository Extensible storage engines mvstore, rocksdb Indexing and full text search Simple query api In memory and file based store Transaction support Schema migration support Encryption support Android compatibility (API Level 26) Kotlin Extension…
read the full nitrite-java overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is parse-server or nitrite-java more popular?
parse-server has 21,397 GitHub stars and nitrite-java has 921. parse-server has the larger community by that measure.
Are parse-server and nitrite-java free?
Both are open source. parse-server is licensed under Apache-2.0 and nitrite-java under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between parse-server and nitrite-java?
parse-server is written in JavaScript and nitrite-java 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, parse-server or nitrite-java?
Choose parse-server if you want the larger community (21,397 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose nitrite-java if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.