Anime.js vs mo · js
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for animating CSS properties, SVG, DOM attributes and plain objects.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for building motion graphics and animations on web pages.
The short answer
Choose Anime.js if you need…
- Front-end developers adding motion to websites or web apps
- Developers animating SVG graphics or DOM elements
- Projects that want a small, JavaScript-only animation dependency
- Developers who prefer ES module imports
Choose mo · js if you need…
- Front-end developers who want decorative animated effects like bursts, shapes, or icon animations
- Developers who already use a bundler such as webpack or rollup and want to install via npm
- Designers working with a developer who wants more customizable motion on the web
- Teams who want to add small visual flourishes to a page without a large animation framework
Side-by-side
| Anime.js | mo · js | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 74.2k | 18.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | CoffeeScript |
| Last code update | 3 months ago | 3 months ago |
What each one is
Anime.js
Anime.js is a JavaScript animation library that moves, rotates, fades and otherwise changes things on a web page over time. It works with CSS properties, SVG, DOM attributes and JavaScript objects, using one API for all of them. Developers use it to add motion to interfaces without writing the timing math by hand.
mo · js
mo·js is a JavaScript library for creating motion graphics on websites, such as animated shapes, bursts, and swirls. It uses a declarative API, meaning you describe the animation you want in configuration objects rather than writing each frame by hand. It is typically added to a site through npm or a CDN and is aimed at making visual effects that enhance the user experience.
Best for
Anime.js
- Front-end developers adding motion to websites or web apps
- Developers animating SVG graphics or DOM elements
- Projects that want a small, JavaScript-only animation dependency
- Developers who prefer ES module imports
mo · js
- Front-end developers who want decorative animated effects like bursts, shapes, or icon animations
- Developers who already use a bundler such as webpack or rollup and want to install via npm
- Designers working with a developer who wants more customizable motion on the web
- Teams who want to add small visual flourishes to a page without a large animation framework
Strengths
Anime.js
- Single API covers CSS, SVG, DOM attributes and JavaScript objects
- Described in the README as lightweight, with ES module, UMD, CJS and IIFE builds available
- Widely used, with 74k+ GitHub stars and MIT license
mo · js
- The README describes a declarative API that gives fine control over animation.
- Ships with built-in components such as html, shape, swirl, burst, and stagger to start quickly.
- Installable via npm or a CDN, and the README notes support for bundler optimizations like tree shaking.
Not ideal for
Anime.js
- People who want no-code animation tools; the README describes a code API only
- Projects that must stay on v3 without migration work, since the README points to a separate v3-to-v4 migration guide
- Anyone who needs a full 3D or game engine; the README does not cover those uses
mo · js
- People who need a no-code tool, since mo·js requires writing JavaScript
- Projects that must support older or unlisted browsers, since the README lists minimum versions and says others are not extensively tested
- Developers looking for a general-purpose UI framework, since the README describes it as a motion library
Trade-offs
Anime.js
- The README is truncated and gives little detail beyond the usage example; full details live on an external documentation site
- v4 changed the API, so older tutorials and code may need migration
- Learning the full API depends on the external documentation
mo · js
- The README lists specific browser minimums (for example Chrome 49+, Safari 8+) and says other browsers are not extensively tested.
- The README does not document its own learning curve; learning resources are largely external tutorials and a separate API documentation site.
- The project's primary language is CoffeeScript per repository metadata, which may matter if you plan to read or modify the source.
Getting started
mo · js
Install with npm
npm install @mojs/coreInstall with yarn
yarn add @mojs/coreFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Anime.js and mo · js?
Anime.js: A JavaScript library for animating CSS properties, SVG, DOM attributes and plain objects. mo · js: A JavaScript library for building motion graphics and animations on web pages. Anime.js suits front-end developers adding motion to websites or web apps, while mo · js suits front-end developers who want decorative animated effects like bursts, shapes, or icon animations.
Are Anime.js and mo · js free?
Anime.js: Free and open source. mo · js: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Anime.js or mo · js?
Anime.js is easier to get started with (rated beginner); mo · js is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Anime.js or mo · js more popular?
Anime.js has more GitHub stars (74.2k) than mo · js (18.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Anime.js and mo · js?
Other options people compare them with include G2, Rough.js, flag-icons, three.js, nivo.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.