SweetAlert vs SweetAlert2
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 that replaces the plain browser alert with styled popup dialogs.
Open source · MIT
A customizable, accessible replacement for JavaScript's built-in popup boxes, with no dependencies.
The short answer
Choose SweetAlert if you need…
- Web developers who want nicer alert and confirm popups than the browser default
- Projects that already use npm and modern JavaScript imports
- Sites that need a quick yes/no confirmation before a delete or leave-page action
- Developers who need a simple text input prompt in a modal
Choose SweetAlert2 if you need…
- Web developers who want nicer popups than the browser's built-in alert and confirm boxes
- Teams adding confirmation dialogs before destructive actions like deleting data
- Projects that need accessible modal dialogs without pulling in extra libraries
- Developers who want prebuilt themes that match frameworks such as Bootstrap or Material UI
Side-by-side
| SweetAlert | SweetAlert2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 22.2k | 18.1k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Beginner |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 years ago | 10 days ago |
What each one is
SweetAlert
SweetAlert is a JavaScript library that shows popup dialogs on a web page in place of the plain built-in alert box. You call it with a title, text, or an icon, and it displays a styled modal that can also ask for confirmation or text input. Web developers use it to make pop-up messages look nicer and to get the user's answer back as a promise.
SweetAlert2
SweetAlert2 is a JavaScript library that shows popup dialogs, alerts, confirmations, prompts and toast notifications on a web page. It replaces the plain browser alert and confirm boxes with styled, responsive ones that follow WAI-ARIA accessibility conventions. The README says it has zero dependencies.
Best for
SweetAlert
- Web developers who want nicer alert and confirm popups than the browser default
- Projects that already use npm and modern JavaScript imports
- Sites that need a quick yes/no confirmation before a delete or leave-page action
- Developers who need a simple text input prompt in a modal
SweetAlert2
- Web developers who want nicer popups than the browser's built-in alert and confirm boxes
- Teams adding confirmation dialogs before destructive actions like deleting data
- Projects that need accessible modal dialogs without pulling in extra libraries
- Developers who want prebuilt themes that match frameworks such as Bootstrap or Material UI
Strengths
SweetAlert
- Simple one-line call for common alerts, such as swal("Hello world!")
- Returns the user's choice as a promise, so it works with async/await
- Has a documented theming section and a guides site at sweetalert.js.org
SweetAlert2
- The README describes it as zero dependencies
- Built to be accessible with WAI-ARIA support
- Customizable and includes several prebuilt theme CSS files in the latest release
Not ideal for
SweetAlert
- People who are not writing or editing a website, since it requires code to use
- Projects that need a React-native component model; the README points to a separate package, @sweetalert/with-react, for that
- Teams needing active maintenance guarantees, since the last push in the provided metadata is from April 2023
SweetAlert2
- Projects that do not run JavaScript in a browser, since it is a front-end popup library
- Anyone who needs a fully custom dialog system built from scratch, as this library brings its own look and behavior
- Non-developers who want a no-code tool; using it requires writing code
Trade-offs
SweetAlert
- The README does not show recent maintenance; last push is 2023-04-15 in the provided metadata
- Upgrading from version 1.x involves breaking changes, according to the README
- Usage details beyond the README are on the external docs site, which this analysis did not review
SweetAlert2
- The README is truncated and does not show the full API, so the depth of customization is hard to judge from it alone
- Much of the README is sponsor listings, which makes the documentation harder to scan
- Its popups are a visual style choice; teams wanting a specific design system may still need to adapt the styles
Getting started
SweetAlert
Install SweetAlert from npm
npm install --save sweetalertSweetAlert2
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/sweetalert2/sweetalert2Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between SweetAlert and SweetAlert2?
SweetAlert: A JavaScript library that replaces the plain browser alert with styled popup dialogs. SweetAlert2: A customizable, accessible replacement for JavaScript's built-in popup boxes, with no dependencies. SweetAlert suits web developers who want nicer alert and confirm popups than the browser default, while SweetAlert2 suits web developers who want nicer popups than the browser's built-in alert and confirm boxes.
Are SweetAlert and SweetAlert2 free?
SweetAlert: Free and open source. SweetAlert2: Free and open source.
Is SweetAlert or SweetAlert2 more popular?
SweetAlert has more GitHub stars (22.2k) than SweetAlert2 (18.1k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to SweetAlert and SweetAlert2?
Other options people compare them with include Semantic UI, Sonner, Chakra UI, BootstrapVue, downshift.
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.