head to head · open source
Reflex vs Shelve
Reflex has 28,987 GitHub stars, 1,827 forks, 346 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Shelve has 459 stars, 43 forks, 17 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Reflex leads on adoption by 6,215% (28,987 vs 459 stars). Reflex is written in Python under Apache-2.0; Shelve is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. Reflex has attracted 6% as many forks as stars, Shelve 9%. Reflex was the more recently maintained of the two, and both are self-hostable with no licence fee. The two share 2 topic tags (developer-tools, open-source), 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
| Reflex | Shelve | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 29K | ★ 459 |
| License | Apache-2.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | Python | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-02 | 2026-11-02 |
| Forks | ⑂ 1.8K | ⑂ 43 |
| 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 Shelve if
- You want the Shelve 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 Shelve 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 Shelve
Shelve Open Source Secrets Management, Simplified. Centralize, secure, and sync your environment variables & secrets effortlessly. Built with exceptional Developer Experience (DX), aiming to become your unified development workspace. Website • Documentation 📑 Table of Contents Click to expand 📋 Overview 🎯 The Vision 🗺️ Status & Roadmap ✨ Key Features 🔒 Secure Secrets Management 💻 Developer Experience (DX) 🔄 Sync & Integrations 👥 Team Collaboration 🤔 Why Shelve? 🛠️ Tech Stack 🤝 Contributing 📚 Documentation 📖 Full Documentation 🏠 Self Hosting 💬 Community & Support 📄 License & Credits 📋 Overview…
read the full Shelve overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is Reflex or Shelve more popular?
Reflex has 28,987 GitHub stars and Shelve has 459. Reflex has the larger community by that measure.
Are Reflex and Shelve free?
Both are open source. Reflex is licensed under Apache-2.0 and Shelve under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between Reflex and Shelve?
Reflex is written in Python and Shelve 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, Reflex or Shelve?
Choose Reflex if you want the larger community (28,987 stars) or its Apache-2.0 licence terms. Choose Shelve if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.