head to head · open source
react vs Directus
react has 250,552 GitHub stars, 51,372 forks, 1,377 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Directus has 37,952 stars, 4,946 forks, 402 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. react leads on adoption by 560% (250,552 vs 37,952 stars). react is written in JavaScript under MIT; Directus is written in TypeScript under a custom or non-standard licence. react has attracted 21% as many forks as stars, Directus 13%. react was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 1 topic tag (javascript), 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
| react | Directus | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 251K | ★ 38K |
| License | MIT | Custom / other |
| Written in | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-18 | 2026-09-17 |
| Forks | ⑂ 51K | ⑂ 4.9K |
| 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 Directus if
- You want the Directus feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Custom / other license terms
- Your stack matches TypeScript
- You evaluated both and Directus 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 Directus
Directus is an open source data platform that wraps any SQL database with a REST and GraphQL API layer and a visual management interface. It lives in the developer tools and frameworks ecosystem, specifically targeting teams needing a flexible backend for content management, admin panels, or custom applications without writing boilerplate code.
read the full Directus overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is react or Directus more popular?
react has 250,552 GitHub stars and Directus has 37,952. react has the larger community by that measure.
Are react and Directus free?
Both are open source. react is licensed under MIT, and Directus has no licence declared in this registry. Both are free to self-host.
What is the difference between react and Directus?
react is written in JavaScript and Directus 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 Directus?
Choose react if you want the larger community (250,552 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Directus if its feature set, stack or Custom / other licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.