head to head · open source
webtorrent vs Deta Surf
webtorrent has 31,469 GitHub stars, 2,852 forks, 83 open issues and last shipped 2 days ago. Deta Surf has 3,617 stars, 252 forks, 32 open issues and last shipped 2 months ago. webtorrent leads on adoption by 770% (31,469 vs 3,617 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.
← all 20902 open source comparisons
Side by side
| webtorrent | Deta Surf | |
|---|---|---|
| GitHub stars | ★ 31K | ★ 3.6K |
| License | MIT | Apache-2.0 |
| Written in | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last push | 2026-11-03 | 2026-08-24 |
| Forks | ⑂ 2.9K | ⑂ 252 |
| 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 The streaming torrent client. For node.js and the web. Sponsored by WebTorrent is a streaming torrent client for node.js and the browser . YEP, THAT'S RIGHT. THE BROWSER. It's written completely in JavaScript – the language of the web – so the same code works in both runtimes. In node.js, this module is a simple torrent client, using TCP and UDP to talk to other torrent clients. In the browser, WebTorrent uses WebRTC (data channels) for peer to peer transport. It can be used without browser plugins, extensions, or installations. It's Just JavaScript™. Note: WebTorrent does not support UDP/TCP peers in…
read the full webtorrent overview →
About Deta Surf
Website Discord Deta Surf: Your AI Notebook Deta Surf is an AI notebook that brings all your files and the web directly into your stream of thought. It’s meant for simultaneous research and thinking that minimizes the grunt work: manually searching, opening windows & tabs, scrolling, copying and pasting into a document editor. Surf is primarily built in Svelte, TypeScript and Rust, runs on MacOS, Windows & Linux, stores data locally in open formats, and is open source. Motivation Most applications are focused on a single task, or a single media type: notes, websites, or PDFs. Real thinking requires juggling…
read the full Deta Surf overview →
More in Productivity & Utilities
Related comparisons
More Browsers & Extensions projects
Compare either of these against the rest of the Browsers & Extensions field.
Frequently asked questions
Is webtorrent or Deta Surf more popular?
webtorrent has 31,469 GitHub stars and Deta Surf has 3,617. 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 (31,469 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.