head to head · open source
Pumpkin vs GameFrameX
Pumpkin has 12,276 GitHub stars, 908 forks, 452 open issues and last shipped yesterday. GameFrameX has 658 stars, 87 forks, 5 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Pumpkin leads on adoption by 1,766% (12,276 vs 658 stars). Pumpkin is written in Rust under GPL-3.0; GameFrameX is written in JavaScript under AGPL-3.0. Pumpkin has attracted 7% as many forks as stars, GameFrameX 13%. Pumpkin was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (game-server), 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
| Pumpkin | GameFrameX | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 12K | ★ 658 |
| License | GPL-3.0 | AGPL-3.0 |
| Written in | Rust | JavaScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-10 | 2026-10-10 |
| Forks | ⑂ 908 | ⑂ 87 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Pumpkin if
- You weight community size — 12K stars and counting
- You want the GPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Rust
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick GameFrameX if
- You want the GameFrameX feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the AGPL-3.0 license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You evaluated both and GameFrameX fits your workflow better
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 →
About GameFrameX
GameFrameX is an AGPL 3.0 open source toolbox that hands indie developers and small teams a complete client plus server stack — Unity, Godot, Cocos or Laya clients together with one .NET server — so a game can be taken from idea to built to live and running.
read the full GameFrameX overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Pumpkin or GameFrameX more popular?
Pumpkin has 12,276 GitHub stars and GameFrameX has 658. Pumpkin has the larger community by that measure.
Are Pumpkin and GameFrameX free?
Both are open source. Pumpkin is licensed under GPL-3.0 and GameFrameX under AGPL-3.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Pumpkin and GameFrameX?
Pumpkin is written in Rust and GameFrameX in JavaScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Pumpkin or GameFrameX?
Choose Pumpkin if you want the larger community (12,276 stars) or its GPL-3.0 licence terms. Choose GameFrameX if its feature set, stack or AGPL-3.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.