head to head · open source
react vs Bknd
react has 252,095 GitHub stars, 51,624 forks, 1,377 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. Bknd has 3,778 stars, 147 forks, 42 open issues and last shipped 3 days ago. react leads on adoption by 6,573% (252,095 vs 3,778 stars). react is written in JavaScript under MIT; Bknd is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. react has attracted 20% as many forks as stars, Bknd 4%. Bknd 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
| react | Bknd | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 252K | ★ 3.8K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-10-31 | 2026-10-31 |
| Forks | ⑂ 52K | ⑂ 147 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick react if
- You weight community size — 252K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Bknd if
- You want the Bknd feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Bknd fits your workflow better
About react
React · React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Declarative: React makes it painless to create interactive UIs. Design simple views for each state in your application, and React will efficiently update and render just the right components when your data changes. Declarative views make your code more predictable, simpler to understand, and easier to debug. Component Based: Build encapsulated components that manage their own state, then compose them to make complex UIs. Since component logic is written in JavaScript instead of templates, you can easily pass rich data through your app and…
read the full react overview →
About Bknd
⭐ Live Demo bknd simplifies app development by providing a fully functional visual backend for database management, authentication, media and workflows. Being lightweight and built on Web Standards, it can be deployed nearly anywhere, including running inside your framework of choice. No more deploying multiple separate services! It's designed to avoid vendor lock in and architectural limitations. Built exclusively on WinterTC Minimum Common Web Platform API for universal compatibility, all functionality (data, auth, media, flows) is modular and opt in, and infrastructure access is adapter based with direct…
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Frequently asked questions
Is react or Bknd more popular?
react has 252,095 GitHub stars and Bknd has 3,778. react has the larger community by that measure.
Are react and Bknd free?
Both are open source. react is licensed under MIT and Bknd under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between react and Bknd?
react is written in JavaScript and Bknd in TypeScript. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, react or Bknd?
Choose react if you want the larger community (252,095 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Bknd if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.