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ice.js

A React-based framework for building web apps, with routing, SSR/SSG and a plugin system.alibaba/ice

GitHub Download v3.6.2
Stars
18.6k
Forks
2.1k
Licence
MIT
Language
TypeScript
Last update
7 months ago
Type
Framework

What it is

ice.js is an open-source framework built on React for building web applications. It comes with features such as file-system routing, state management and data requests, and it can pre-render pages at build time (SSG) or on each request (SSR). It is aimed at developers who want a React setup that works with minimal configuration.

  • Scaffold a new React app from the official lite template with npm init ice
  • Build pages that are pre-rendered at build time (SSG) or rendered per request (SSR)
  • Extend the app through its plugin system

Great for

  • Developers who already know React and want a ready-made project structure
  • Teams building sites that need server-side or build-time rendering
  • Developers who want TypeScript, Less, Sass and CSS Modules supported without manual setup

Not ideal for

  • Complete beginners to React, since the README gives little introductory guidance and assumes familiarity with the stack
  • Projects that need only a static page or a very small script, where a framework adds unnecessary weight
  • Teams needing a mobile or miniapp target, since the README mentions these only briefly and the details are unclear from it
Step-by-step guide: how to use ice.jsInstall, first run, examples, tips and FAQs
ice.js alternativesice.js vs Next.jsice.js vs Remixice.js vs umiHidden Bar vs ice.js

How to get it

  1. 1

    Install with a package manager

    You'll need: Node.js · npm 6+

    Create a new project from the lite scaffold

    npm init ice ice-app --template @ice/lite-scaffold

    Install dependencies

    cd ice-app && npm install

    Start the local dev server

    npm run start
  2. 2

    Run it

    • Run the npm init ice command to create a project named ice-app
    • Change into the ice-app directory and run npm install
    • Run npm run start
    • Open http://localhost:3000 in a browser
  3. 3

    Get the most out of it

    • Use file-system routing and the built-in state management and request features listed in the README
    • Choose SSG or SSR per page depending on whether content changes per request
    • Add functionality through the plugin system described in the README
    • Read the full documentation at https://ice.work for configuration options

Downloads

Source code (.zip)master branch · straight from GitHubRelease v3.6.2Release notes and sourceOfficial website & docsice.work

Strengths

  • Zero-config support for TypeScript, Less, Sass and CSS Modules, per the README
  • Supports both build-time (SSG) and request-time (SSR) rendering
  • Released under the permissive MIT license

Trade-offs

  • The README is short and truncated, so many details must be checked in the official docs
  • Multi-end support (web, miniapp, Weex) is listed in the features but not explained
  • Documentation is hosted externally at ice.work

How it compares

ProjectStarsTypeLevelUpdatedBest for
ice (this)18.6kFrameworkintermediate7 months agoDevelopers who already know React and want a ready-made project structure
next.js143kFrameworkintermediate4 days agoDevelopers already comfortable with React who want a full framework around it
remix33.4kLibraryintermediate4 days agoDevelopers who want a framework built on standard Web APIs rather than Node-specific ones
umi16kFrameworkintermediate6 days agoDevelopers who already work with React and want a framework on top of it
gatsby55.9kFrameworkintermediate17 days agoDevelopers building content-heavy sites such as blogs or documentation
ngx-admin25.7kFrameworkintermediate2.1 years agoDevelopers starting a new Angular admin or back-office dashboard

Stats synced from GitHub. The assessment above was drafted with AI from the project's README on 2026-10-29 and may miss recent changes — check the README before relying on a command. MIT licence: free to use, modify and distribute, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright notice.