Formily vs VueUse
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 form library for React and Vue that handles complex and JSON-schema-driven forms.
Open source · MIT
A large set of ready-made Vue 3 composable functions for common UI and browser tasks.
The short answer
Choose Formily if you need…
- Frontend developers building data-heavy forms with many linked fields
- Teams that want forms generated from JSON Schema sent by a back end
- Projects already using Ant Design or Alibaba Fusion components
- Teams that want a visual form builder (Designable) alongside the library
Choose VueUse if you need…
- Vue 3 developers who repeat common browser logic across projects
- Teams building Vue apps with Vite, Nuxt, or Webpack
- Developers who want typed, documented utilities
- Projects that need server-side rendering support
Side-by-side
| Formily | VueUse | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 12.6k | 22.4k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 17 months ago | 6 days ago |
What each one is
Formily
Formily is a TypeScript form library that helps developers build forms in React, React Native, Vue 2, and Vue 3. It manages each field's state separately so large forms with many linked fields don't re-render the whole page. It also supports JSON Schema, so forms can be described as data, for example by a back end.
VueUse
VueUse is a collection of reusable functions (called composables) for Vue 3, such as tracking mouse position, detecting a user's dark-mode preference, or saving state to localStorage. Developers import the functions they need instead of writing that logic from scratch. The README says it is tree-shakeable, works with SSR, and can be loaded from a CDN without a bundler.
Best for
Formily
- Frontend developers building data-heavy forms with many linked fields
- Teams that want forms generated from JSON Schema sent by a back end
- Projects already using Ant Design or Alibaba Fusion components
- Teams that want a visual form builder (Designable) alongside the library
VueUse
- Vue 3 developers who repeat common browser logic across projects
- Teams building Vue apps with Vite, Nuxt, or Webpack
- Developers who want typed, documented utilities
- Projects that need server-side rendering support
Strengths
Formily
- The README says field state is managed independently, which aims to avoid slow re-renders in linked forms
- Supports converting between JSON Schema and its own JSchema format
- Released under the permissive MIT license
VueUse
- Covers many common needs in one package
- Written in TypeScript with documentation comments
- Tree-shakeable, so unused functions are not bundled
Not ideal for
Formily
- Simple forms with a few inputs, where a lighter library is enough
- Projects not using React or Vue, since the README lists only those frameworks
- Non-developers who want a no-code form tool; the README describes it as a developer library
VueUse
- Projects still on Vue 2, since v12 and later dropped Vue 2 support (use v11.x instead)
- Projects on Vue older than 3.5 if they use v14 or later, since the README says v14 requires Vue 3.5+
- Non-developers looking for a finished app, because this is a code library
Trade-offs
Formily
- The README is short and covers little API detail, so setup needs the official documentation site
- The README mentions two website versions (1.0 and 2.0), so check you are reading the right docs
VueUse
- Only as good as the functions you use; some add-ons depend on other libraries such as Firebase or RxJS
- Requires familiarity with Vue's Composition API to use effectively
Getting started
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between Formily and VueUse?
Formily: A form library for React and Vue that handles complex and JSON-schema-driven forms. VueUse: A large set of ready-made Vue 3 composable functions for common UI and browser tasks. Formily suits frontend developers building data-heavy forms with many linked fields, while VueUse suits vue 3 developers who repeat common browser logic across projects.
Are Formily and VueUse free?
Formily: Free and open source. VueUse: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Formily or VueUse?
VueUse is easier to get started with (rated beginner); Formily is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Formily or VueUse more popular?
VueUse has more GitHub stars (22.4k) than Formily (12.6k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Formily and VueUse?
Other options people compare them with include React Hook Form, VeeValidate, Ajv, SoybeanAdmin, redux-form.
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.