Leptos vs Solid
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 Rust framework for building fast web apps that run in the browser, on the server, or both.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for building user interfaces that updates only the parts of the page that change.
The short answer
Choose Leptos if you need…
- Rust developers who want to build full web apps in one language
- Teams that want server-side rendering with browser interactivity in Rust
- Developers who want fine-grained updates instead of a virtual DOM
- People already comfortable with Rust's compiler and type system
Choose Solid if you need…
- Developers who want fine-grained control over what re-renders in a web UI
- Developers already comfortable with JSX and TypeScript
- Teams building client-rendered single-page apps or server-rendered apps
- People who want to inspect rendered output directly with browser devtools
Side-by-side
| Leptos | Solid | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 21.5k | 36.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Advanced | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | Rust | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Leptos
Leptos is a web framework written in Rust for building interactive websites and web apps. It can render pages in the browser, on a server, or on the server with interactivity added in the browser, and it includes a reactive system that updates only the parts of the page that change. It also lets server-only code, such as database calls, sit next to the UI code that uses it without a separate API layer.
Solid
Solid is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. Instead of using a Virtual DOM, it compiles templates into real DOM nodes and updates just the pieces that depend on changed state. Developers use it to build interactive web apps that can also be rendered on the server.
Best for
Leptos
- Rust developers who want to build full web apps in one language
- Teams that want server-side rendering with browser interactivity in Rust
- Developers who want fine-grained updates instead of a virtual DOM
- People already comfortable with Rust's compiler and type system
Solid
- Developers who want fine-grained control over what re-renders in a web UI
- Developers already comfortable with JSX and TypeScript
- Teams building client-rendered single-page apps or server-rendered apps
- People who want to inspect rendered output directly with browser devtools
Strengths
Leptos
- Fine-grained reactivity updates individual DOM nodes without re-running whole components, according to the README
- Supports client-side, server-side, and hydrated rendering in one framework
- Server functions let client and server code share one codebase without a separate REST API
Solid
- Updates only the code that depends on changed state, avoiding whole-component re-renders
- Built-in primitives for state, context, stores, and async data reduce the need for extra libraries
- Renders to real DOM nodes, so standard browser devtools work for inspection
Not ideal for
Leptos
- Beginners who are new to programming, since Rust has a steep learning curve
- Projects that need a mature, long-established ecosystem, since the README describes the project as still having bugs and missing features
- Teams that need a stable release today, since the latest release is a release candidate (v0.9.0-rc0) with no binaries
Solid
- Complete beginners with no JavaScript background, since the README assumes familiarity with components and state
- Projects that require a specific ecosystem of ready-made component libraries, since the README does not describe its ecosystem size
- Anyone who needs a framework with a large, established track record of production use, as the README does not discuss adoption beyond its own benchmarks
Trade-offs
Leptos
- Requires learning Rust, and the README notes the project has bugs that may take time to fix at the framework level
- Latest release is a release candidate, and the README says the author expects no major breaking changes but gives no formal stability guarantee
- Documentation is described as a work in progress in the README
Solid
- The README describes concepts like fine-grained reactivity that take time to learn compared with simpler templating
- Setup for JSX outside the starter templates requires configuring Babel or TypeScript, per the README
- Performance claims rely on the README's links to external benchmarks rather than independent analysis here
Getting started
Leptos
Install the cargo-leptos build tool
cargo install cargo-leptos --lockedCreate a new project from the Axum starter template
cargo leptos new --git https://github.com/leptos-rs/start-axumSolid
Create a new JavaScript app from the starter template
npx degit solidjs/templates/js my-appCreate a new TypeScript app from the starter template
npx degit solidjs/templates/ts my-appFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Leptos and Solid?
Leptos: A Rust framework for building fast web apps that run in the browser, on the server, or both. Solid: A JavaScript library for building user interfaces that updates only the parts of the page that change. Leptos suits rust developers who want to build full web apps in one language, while Solid suits developers who want fine-grained control over what re-renders in a web ui.
Are Leptos and Solid free?
Leptos: Free and open source. Solid: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Leptos or Solid?
Solid is easier to get started with (rated intermediate); Leptos is rated advanced and usually needs more setup.
Is Leptos or Solid more popular?
Solid has more GitHub stars (36.2k) than Leptos (21.5k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Leptos and Solid?
Other options people compare them with include nivo, React, Svelte, Preact, Inferno.
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.