Backbone vs Ember.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 that adds models, views, collections and events to structure web apps.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript framework for building large web applications with conventions and built-in tools.
The short answer
Choose Backbone if you need…
- Developers maintaining or extending an existing JavaScript app that already uses Backbone
- Developers who want a small, unopinionated structure for client-side code rather than a full framework
- Teams wanting to connect a JavaScript front end to a RESTful JSON backend
Choose Ember.js if you need…
- Developers building large, long-lived web applications
- Teams that want built-in routing, components, and data management in one framework
- Developers who value stable releases and long-term security support
- Developers who want sensible defaults with the option to configure more
Side-by-side
| Backbone | Ember.js | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 28.1k | 22.6k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | See the README |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 24 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Backbone
Backbone is a JavaScript library that gives structure to browser apps that do a lot of work in JavaScript. It provides models with key-value binding and custom events, collections with a set of enumerable helper functions, and views with declarative event handling. It can connect to an existing app through a RESTful JSON interface.
Ember.js
Ember.js is a JavaScript framework for building web applications. It aims to reduce the repetitive work involved in web development by providing common pieces such as routing, components, and a data layer out of the box. Developers use it when they want a structured, convention-driven way to build a complex app.
Best for
Backbone
- Developers maintaining or extending an existing JavaScript app that already uses Backbone
- Developers who want a small, unopinionated structure for client-side code rather than a full framework
- Teams wanting to connect a JavaScript front end to a RESTful JSON backend
Ember.js
- Developers building large, long-lived web applications
- Teams that want built-in routing, components, and data management in one framework
- Developers who value stable releases and long-term security support
- Developers who want sensible defaults with the option to configure more
Strengths
Backbone
- Provides clear building blocks: models, collections, views and events
- Connects to RESTful JSON interfaces, as described in the README
- Open source under the MIT license with a long-running public project
Ember.js
- The README describes regular LTS releases and 30 weeks of security fixes
- Strong defaults mean many apps need little or no configuration
- Released under the permissive MIT license
Not ideal for
Backbone
- Beginners looking for a complete, batteries-included framework, since the README points to external docs for most details
- People starting a brand-new project who want the currently most popular component model, as the README does not compare Backbone to other options
Ember.js
- People wanting a small library to add to an existing page, since Ember is a full framework with its own structure
- Beginners looking for the simplest possible first project, as the framework has many concepts to learn
- Projects that need a framework with a different component model than Ember's, since the README emphasizes its own conventions
Trade-offs
Backbone
- The README is short and sends most documentation to the external website, so details must be found elsewhere
- No release is listed in the metadata, so version choice needs checking on the project's own pages
Ember.js
- The README is short and points to external guides for most detail, so the full picture requires reading other sites
- Its conventions and concepts take time to learn compared with lighter libraries
- Ecosystem depth depends on community addons whose quality varies, per the README's own reference to ratings
Getting started
Backbone
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/jashkenas/backboneEmber.js
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/emberjs/ember.js.gitFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Backbone and Ember.js?
Backbone: A JavaScript library that adds models, views, collections and events to structure web apps. Ember.js: A JavaScript framework for building large web applications with conventions and built-in tools. Backbone suits developers maintaining or extending an existing javascript app that already uses backbone, while Ember.js suits developers building large, long-lived web applications.
Are Backbone and Ember.js free?
Backbone: Free and open source. Ember.js: Free and open source.
Is Backbone or Ember.js more popular?
Backbone has more GitHub stars (28.1k) than Ember.js (22.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Backbone and Ember.js?
Other options people compare them with include React, Angular, Svelte.
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.