Fabric.js vs PixiJS
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 drawing, editing and exporting interactive objects on HTML canvas.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for fast 2D graphics, animation and interactive content in the browser.
The short answer
Choose Fabric.js if you need…
- Web developers building interactive canvas editors or drawing tools
- Teams that need selectable, movable and resizable objects on a canvas without writing that logic from scratch
- Developers who want to load or export SVG and JSON canvas content
- Node.js developers who need to render canvas images on the server
Choose PixiJS if you need…
- Web developers building interactive 2D graphics or animations
- Developers making browser-based 2D games
- Teams that need sprite, text, masking and filter effects on the web
- Developers who want a library with a large community and active releases
Side-by-side
| Fabric.js | PixiJS | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 31.5k | 48.6k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
Fabric.js
Fabric.js is a JavaScript library that makes it easier to work with the HTML canvas element. It gives you ready-made shapes, text, images, filters, gradients and brushes, plus built-in mouse interactions such as move, scale, rotate and skew. It can also read and write SVG, JSON, PNG and JPG data, and it can run in Node.js with the node-canvas package.
PixiJS
PixiJS is an open-source JavaScript and TypeScript library for drawing 2D graphics, sprites, text and interactive content in a web browser. It uses WebGL and WebGPU so the browser's graphics hardware does the heavy work, which is why it is often used for browser games, animations and interactive visuals.
Best for
Fabric.js
- Web developers building interactive canvas editors or drawing tools
- Teams that need selectable, movable and resizable objects on a canvas without writing that logic from scratch
- Developers who want to load or export SVG and JSON canvas content
- Node.js developers who need to render canvas images on the server
PixiJS
- Web developers building interactive 2D graphics or animations
- Developers making browser-based 2D games
- Teams that need sprite, text, masking and filter effects on the web
- Developers who want a library with a large community and active releases
Strengths
Fabric.js
- Covers many built-in features: shapes, controls, animations, image filters, gradients, patterns and brushes
- Supports SVG and JSON import and export along with JPG and PNG output
- Typed and modular, with MIT license and a large community (about 31.5k stars)
PixiJS
- Supports both WebGL and WebGPU renderers, per the README
- Large, active community with a MIT license and about 48,000 GitHub stars
- Includes a built-in asset loader, touch support and a documented setup CLI
Not ideal for
Fabric.js
- People who only need a simple static chart or image; a lighter drawing API may be enough
- Projects that must support Internet Explorer 11 or legacy Edge, since the README marks both as unsupported
- Non-developers looking for a finished app; this is a library to build with
PixiJS
- People who want a finished app or game with no coding, since it is a library you write code against
- Projects needing 3D rendering, since the README describes it as a 2D renderer
- Anyone who needs a guaranteed WebGPU experience across every browser, as the README notes WebGPU support depends on the TypeScript setup and environment
Trade-offs
Fabric.js
- Node.js use depends on node-canvas and jsdom, which the README notes can have their own limitations and bugs
- The package names have changed; the README recommends new packages (@fabricjs/browser, @fabricjs/node) while keeping the legacy fabric package, which can confuse newcomers
- Browser support is limited to recent versions as listed in the README table
PixiJS
- Requires JavaScript or TypeScript knowledge to use, so it is not a no-code tool
- The README's TypeScript section describes version-dependent setup steps for WebGPU types
Getting started
Fabric.js
Install for browser applications
npm install @fabricjs/browserInstall for Node.js applications
npm install @fabricjs/nodePixiJS
Create a new project with the PixiJS CLI
npm create pixi.js@latestAdd PixiJS to an existing project
npm install pixi.jsFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Fabric.js and PixiJS?
Fabric.js: A JavaScript library for drawing, editing and exporting interactive objects on HTML canvas. PixiJS: A JavaScript library for fast 2D graphics, animation and interactive content in the browser. Fabric.js suits web developers building interactive canvas editors or drawing tools, while PixiJS suits web developers building interactive 2d graphics or animations.
Are Fabric.js and PixiJS free?
Fabric.js: Free and open source. PixiJS: Free and open source.
Is Fabric.js or PixiJS more popular?
PixiJS has more GitHub stars (48.6k) than Fabric.js (31.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Fabric.js and PixiJS?
Other options people compare them with include Excalidraw, Phaser, three.js, GPU.js, G2.
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.