Dragula vs Vue.Draggable
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 small JavaScript library for drag and drop between lists and containers.
Open source · MIT
A Vue 2 component that makes lists drag-and-drop reorderable and keeps the array in sync.
The short answer
Choose Dragula if you need…
- Front-end developers who want drag-and-drop without a large framework
- Developers building sortable lists or kanban-style boards in plain JavaScript
- Projects that want a small, dependency-light drag-and-drop option
Choose Vue.Draggable if you need…
- Vue 2 developers adding drag-to-reorder lists to an app
- Teams that want Sortable.js features inside Vue components
- Apps that need drag between multiple lists
- Projects using Vuex that want v-model based list updates
Side-by-side
| Dragula | Vue.Draggable | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 22.1k | 20.5k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | See the README | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 2 years ago | 3 years ago |
What each one is
Dragula
Dragula is a JavaScript library that lets web developers add drag-and-drop behavior to page elements, such as moving items between lists. The project describes itself as simple, and it is listed under the front-end and vanilla JavaScript topics. The README provided here was truncated and empty, so details beyond the basic description are limited.
Vue.Draggable
Vue.Draggable is a component for Vue.js 2 that lets users reorder items in a list by dragging them, and between lists. It wraps Sortable.js and updates your app's array to match what the user dragged, so the screen and your data stay in sync. The README says it is for Vue 2; a separate project handles Vue 3.
Best for
Dragula
- Front-end developers who want drag-and-drop without a large framework
- Developers building sortable lists or kanban-style boards in plain JavaScript
- Projects that want a small, dependency-light drag-and-drop option
Vue.Draggable
- Vue 2 developers adding drag-to-reorder lists to an app
- Teams that want Sortable.js features inside Vue components
- Apps that need drag between multiple lists
- Projects using Vuex that want v-model based list updates
Strengths
Dragula
- Described by its author as simple to use
- Written in plain JavaScript, per its topics
- Released under the permissive MIT license
Vue.Draggable
- Based on Sortable.js and offers its features, including touch support and drag handles
- Keeps the HTML list and the Vue array in sync through v-model
- Supports Sortable.js options as props and has events for fine control
Not ideal for
Dragula
- Non-developers, since it requires writing JavaScript to use
- Projects that need drag-and-drop features the README does not describe, because the README provided was empty and features could not be verified
Vue.Draggable
- Vue 3 projects, since the README points to a separate vue.draggable.next project for that version
- Developers not using Vue, because this is a Vue-specific wrapper
- Users who want a finished end-user app rather than a code component
Trade-offs
Dragula
- The README provided was empty, so documentation quality could not be verified here
- No published release is listed, so version stability is unclear
- Last code push was June 2024, so recent maintenance activity is uncertain
Vue.Draggable
- The README targets Vue 2; Vue 3 users must use a different project
- The README is truncated and the last push was March 2024, so current maintenance status is unclear
Getting started
Dragula
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/bevacqua/dragulaVue.Draggable
Install with yarn
yarn add vuedraggableInstall with npm
npm i -S vuedraggableFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Dragula and Vue.Draggable?
Dragula: A small JavaScript library for drag and drop between lists and containers. Vue.Draggable: A Vue 2 component that makes lists drag-and-drop reorderable and keeps the array in sync. Dragula suits front-end developers who want drag-and-drop without a large framework, while Vue.Draggable suits vue 2 developers adding drag-to-reorder lists to an app.
Are Dragula and Vue.Draggable free?
Dragula: Free and open source. Vue.Draggable: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Dragula or Vue.Draggable?
Dragula is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Vue.Draggable is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Dragula or Vue.Draggable more popular?
Dragula has more GitHub stars (22.1k) than Vue.Draggable (20.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Dragula and Vue.Draggable?
Other options people compare them with include Sortable, FilePond, interact.js, Lenis, Mint UI.
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.