head to head · open source
Babylon.js vs Pumpkin
Babylon.js has 26,087 GitHub stars, 3,687 forks, 22 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Pumpkin has 11,292 stars, 813 forks, 452 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Babylon.js leads on adoption by 131% (26,087 vs 11,292 stars). Babylon.js is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0; Pumpkin is written in Rust under GPL-3.0. Babylon.js has attracted 14% as many forks as stars, Pumpkin 7%. Pumpkin 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
| Babylon.js | Pumpkin | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 26K | ★ 11K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | GPL-3.0 |
| Written in | TypeScript | Rust |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-19 |
| Forks | ⑂ 3.7K | ⑂ 813 |
| 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 Pumpkin if
- You want the Pumpkin feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You evaluated both and Pumpkin 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 Pumpkin
Pumpkin is a Minecraft server implementation written entirely in Rust that aims to let anyone host fast and efficient Java and Bedrock Edition servers, and it is built for server operators and plugin developers who want vanilla compatible gameplay without the official Java server.
read the full Pumpkin overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Babylon.js or Pumpkin more popular?
Babylon.js has 26,087 GitHub stars and Pumpkin has 11,292. Babylon.js has the larger community by that measure.
Are Babylon.js and Pumpkin free?
Both are open source. Babylon.js is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Pumpkin under GPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Babylon.js and Pumpkin?
Babylon.js is written in TypeScript and Pumpkin 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, Babylon.js or Pumpkin?
Choose Babylon.js if you want the larger community (26,087 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Pumpkin if its feature set, stack or GPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.