head to head · open source
Reflex vs ripwire
Reflex has 28,968 GitHub stars, 1,810 forks, 346 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. ripwire has 2,461 stars, 157 forks, 66 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Reflex leads on adoption by 1,077% (28,968 vs 2,461 stars). Reflex is written in Python under Apache-2.0; ripwire is written in C++ under Apache-2.0. Reflex has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, ripwire 6%. Reflex 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
| Reflex | ripwire | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 29K | ★ 2.5K |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | C++ |
| Last push | 2026-10-20 | 2026-10-20 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 157 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick Reflex if
- You weight community size — 29K stars and counting
- You want the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches Python
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick ripwire if
- You want the ripwire feature set and don't need the biggest community
- You prefer the Apache-2.0 license terms
- Your stack matches C++
- You evaluated both and ripwire fits your workflow better
About Reflex
✨ Performant, customizable web apps in pure Python. Deploy in seconds. ✨ [!NOTE] Build faster with Reflex: AI Builder Generate full stack Reflex apps in seconds. Agent Toolkit Connect MCP and Skills to your coding assistant. App Management Deploy and manage your Reflex apps. Introduction Reflex is a library to build full stack web apps in pure Python. Key features: Pure Python Write your app's frontend and backend all in Python, no need to learn Javascript. Full Flexibility Reflex is easy to get started with, but can also scale to complex apps. See our architecture page to learn how Reflex works under the hood…
read the full Reflex overview →
About ripwire
Rip'n Fast. Fewer Tokens. Better Code. The ripgrep of AI context. A map before your agent reads the repo — and a check on what it writes. Ranked, deterministic call graph: what to touch, what it breaks, which tests to run. On the edit: blast radius, tests that reach it, twelve quality kinds reporting only what got worse, forgotten co changes, fields read and written, names that resolve more than one way. Just want to use it? Install it with the one line below, then start each coding session by telling your agent to use it, for example: "Use ripwire on this repo." That is all most people need: the install also…
read the full ripwire overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Reflex or ripwire more popular?
Reflex has 28,968 GitHub stars and ripwire has 2,461. Reflex has the larger community by that measure.
Are Reflex and ripwire free?
Both are open source. Reflex is licensed under Apache-2.0 and ripwire under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Reflex and ripwire?
Reflex is written in Python and ripwire in C++. The practical differences are community size, licence terms, language stack and release cadence — all compared in the table above.
Which should I choose, Reflex or ripwire?
Choose Reflex if you want the larger community (28,968 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose ripwire if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.