React 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 JavaScript library for building interactive user interfaces out of reusable components.
Open source · MIT
A JavaScript library for building user interfaces that updates only the parts of the page that change.
The short answer
Choose React if you need…
- Developers building interactive web interfaces with JavaScript
- Teams adding React gradually to an existing project, as the README describes
- Developers who want to reuse the same component model for mobile apps via React Native
- Students learning how modern front-end UIs are structured
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
| React | Solid | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 252k | 36.2k |
| Setup difficulty | Intermediate | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 6 days ago | 4 days ago |
What each one is
React
React is a JavaScript library for building user interfaces. You describe what the screen should look like for each state of your data, and React updates and redraws only the parts that change. It is built around components, small self-contained pieces of UI that you combine into larger screens. The README also says React can render on the server with Node and power mobile apps through React Native.
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
React
- Developers building interactive web interfaces with JavaScript
- Teams adding React gradually to an existing project, as the README describes
- Developers who want to reuse the same component model for mobile apps via React Native
- Students learning how modern front-end UIs are structured
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
React
- Declarative views make code easier to predict and debug, according to the README
- Adopts incrementally, so it can be added to an existing project without rewriting it
- Large, active project with an MIT license and a documented site at react.dev
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
React
- People who want a complete, opinionated framework with routing and data fetching built in, since the README says React makes no assumptions about the rest of your stack and points to a separate toolchain for new projects
- Non-programmers looking for a no-code website builder
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
React
- It is a UI library only, so you must choose and add other tools for routing, data, and build setup
- The README's examples use JSX, a syntax extension that adds a learning step, though the README notes JSX is not strictly required
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
React
Install React and React DOM from npm
npm install react react-domSolid
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 React and Solid?
React: A JavaScript library for building interactive user interfaces out of reusable components. Solid: A JavaScript library for building user interfaces that updates only the parts of the page that change. React suits developers building interactive web interfaces with javascript, while Solid suits developers who want fine-grained control over what re-renders in a web ui.
Are React and Solid free?
React: Free and open source. Solid: Free and open source.
Is React or Solid more popular?
React has more GitHub stars (252k) than Solid (36.2k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to React and Solid?
Other options people compare them with include Svelte, Angular, Preact, FoldingCell, RAMAnimatedTabBarController.
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.