head to head · open source
react vs Bknd
react has 250,566 GitHub stars, 51,372 forks, 1,377 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Bknd has 3,762 stars, 145 forks, 42 open issues and last shipped yesterday. react leads on adoption by 6,560% (250,566 vs 3,762 stars). react is written in JavaScript under MIT; Bknd is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. react has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Bknd 4%. react 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 | ★ 251K | ★ 3.8K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-18 |
| Forks | ⑂ 51K | ⑂ 145 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick react if
- You weight community size — 251K 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 is a JavaScript library under the MIT licence for building user interfaces, using a declarative, component based model that renders both on the web and, through React Native, on mobile.
read the full react overview →
About Bknd
Bknd is a lightweight TypeScript backend platform that provides a visual backend for database management, authentication, media, and workflows. It is positioned as a Firebase and Supabase alternative that can run inside many JavaScript environments, including Next.js, React Router, Astro, Cloudflare, Bun, Node.js, and AWS Lambda.
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Frequently asked questions
Is react or Bknd more popular?
react has 250,566 GitHub stars and Bknd has 3,762. 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 (250,566 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Bknd if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.