Million.js 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
An optimizing compiler that speeds up React components by skipping most of React's diffing work.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for building user interfaces that updates only the parts of the page that change.
The short answer
Choose Million.js if you need…
- React developers whose apps have many elements that update often
- Teams looking for a performance boost without rewriting their components
- Developers who want to experiment with compiler-based optimizations
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
| Million.js | Solid | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 17.7k | 36.2k |
| 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 | 6 months ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
Million.js
Million.js is a compiler for React that aims to make components update faster. Instead of React comparing old and new snapshots of the interface to find changes, the README says Million.js generates code that updates the affected DOM nodes directly. The project claims components can be up to 70% faster, citing an external benchmark.
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
Million.js
- React developers whose apps have many elements that update often
- Teams looking for a performance boost without rewriting their components
- Developers who want to experiment with compiler-based optimizations
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
Million.js
- Clear core idea: skip diffing and update the DOM node directly
- Installs through a single CLI command according to the README
- Open source under the MIT license with an active CI badge and npm package
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
Million.js
- Projects not using React, since the README describes Million.js as working with React
- Beginners who just want to build a simple site, because the setup and internals add complexity
- Teams that need a fully verified performance gain, since the 70% figure comes from the project's own benchmark link and the README does not detail the conditions
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
Million.js
- Performance claims rely on the project's benchmark and demo; results in your app may differ
- The README is truncated and the setup details point to external docs
- Its approach is a compiler layer on top of React, which adds another build-time component to understand
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
Million.js
Run the Million.js CLI to install and configure your project
npx million@latestSolid
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 Million.js and Solid?
Million.js: An optimizing compiler that speeds up React components by skipping most of React's diffing work. Solid: A JavaScript library for building user interfaces that updates only the parts of the page that change. Million.js suits react developers whose apps have many elements that update often, while Solid suits developers who want fine-grained control over what re-renders in a web ui.
Are Million.js and Solid free?
Million.js: Free and open source. Solid: Free and open source.
Is Million.js or Solid more popular?
Solid has more GitHub stars (36.2k) than Million.js (17.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Million.js and Solid?
Other options people compare them with include Preact, ahooks, useHooks, react-virtualized, 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.