head to head · open source
webtorrent vs Deta Surf
webtorrent has 31,401 GitHub stars, 2,901 forks, 83 open issues and last shipped yesterday. Deta Surf has 3,572 stars, 251 forks, 32 open issues and last shipped 27 days ago. webtorrent leads on adoption by 779% (31,401 vs 3,572 stars). webtorrent is written in JavaScript under MIT; Deta Surf is written in TypeScript under Apache-2.0. webtorrent has attracted 9% as many forks as stars, Deta Surf 7%. webtorrent 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
| webtorrent | Deta Surf | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 31K | ★ 3.6K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-09-19 | 2026-08-24 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.9K | ⑂ 251 |
| Self-hosting | Yes | Yes |
| Data ownership | Your server | Your server |
pick webtorrent if
- You weight community size — 31K stars and counting
- You want the MIT license terms
- Your stack matches JavaScript
- You value the larger contributor base for long-term maintenance
pick Deta Surf if
- You want the Deta Surf 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 Deta Surf fits your workflow better
About webtorrent
WebTorrent is a streaming torrent client written entirely in JavaScript, distributed as a single npm package that runs both in node.js and in the browser. In node.js it behaves as an ordinary torrent client, using TCP and UDP to communicate with other clients. In the browser it uses WebRTC data channels for peer to peer transport, which means it works without browser plugins, extensions, or installations. The project lives in the JavaScript and node.js ecosystem, is licensed under MIT, and has been developed for roughly thirteen years.
read the full webtorrent overview →
About Deta Surf
Deta Surf is an open source AI notebook and browser workspace. It combines tabs, split view, a sidebar, local files, web pages, and generated notes in one application. The project lives in the productivity and browser extension ecosystem, and it is built primarily with Svelte, TypeScript, and Rust. It runs on MacOS, Windows, and Linux.
read the full Deta Surf overview →
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Frequently asked questions
Is webtorrent or Deta Surf more popular?
webtorrent has 31,401 GitHub stars and Deta Surf has 3,572. webtorrent has the larger community by that measure.
Are webtorrent and Deta Surf free?
Both are open source. webtorrent is licensed under MIT and Deta Surf under Apache-2.0. Neither carries a licence fee.
What is the difference between webtorrent and Deta Surf?
webtorrent is written in JavaScript and Deta Surf 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, webtorrent or Deta Surf?
Choose webtorrent if you want the larger community (31,401 stars) or its MIT licence terms. Choose Deta Surf if its feature set, stack or Apache-2.0 licence fits better. Both are self-hostable.