Fresh
A web framework for TypeScript that ships little or no JavaScript to the browser by default.
- Stars
- 13.8k
- Forks
- 757
- Licence
- MIT
- Language
- TypeScript
- Last update
- 20 days ago
- Type
- Framework
What it is
Fresh is a web framework built on Deno, written in TypeScript. It lets you build websites and web apps with file-based routing, where each file in a folder becomes a page. Its README says it sends no JavaScript to the client by default and only hydrates small interactive pieces called islands.
- Scaffold a new project with the Fresh init script and run a local dev server
- Build a site with file-system routes and interactive islands for specific components
- Deploy a project to Deno Deploy by connecting a GitHub repository
Great for
- Developers who already use Deno and want a web framework with little setup
- Developers who want interactive pages without shipping a lot of client-side JavaScript
- Developers familiar with Next.js-style file-system routing
- Small to medium sites where a minimal configuration is preferred
Not ideal for
- Teams that need the Node.js ecosystem, since Fresh is built around Deno, and the README does not describe Node support
- People who want a fully client-side single-page app, because the README emphasizes server-rendered pages with islands
- Beginners who have never used a terminal or a JavaScript module system, since the setup assumes a Deno CLI
How to get it
- 1
Install with a package manager
You'll need: Deno CLI
Scaffold a new project
deno run -Ar jsr:@fresh/initEnter the project folder
cd fresh-projectStart the development server
deno task dev - 2
Run it
- Install the latest Deno CLI
- Run the init script to create a project folder named fresh-project
- Change into the project folder
- Run deno task dev and open http://localhost:5173 in your browser
- 3
Get the most out of it
- Use the documentation at usefresh.dev for the full getting-started guide and API details
- Deploy to Deno Deploy by pushing your project to GitHub and creating a Deno Deploy project linked to that repo
- Use the deno task screenshot command from the README to add your site to the showcase
Downloads
Strengths
- The README claims no configuration is needed to start and TypeScript works out of the box
- Islands architecture limits client-side JavaScript to the parts that need interactivity
- Clear documentation site and a getting-started guide linked from the README
Trade-offs
- Tied to the Deno runtime, so projects depend on Deno tooling and hosting
- The README is brief on architecture details, so the docs site is needed for depth
- Release binaries are not provided; you install through Deno tooling instead
How it compares
| Project | Stars | Type | Level | Updated | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| fresh (this) | 13.8k | Framework | intermediate | 20 days ago | Developers who already use Deno and want a web framework with little setup |
| next.js | 143k | Framework | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers already comfortable with React who want a full framework around it |
| nuxt | 61k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | Developers who already know Vue.js and want a structured full-stack setup |
| razzle | 11k | Framework | intermediate | 2.7 years ago | Developers who want server-rendered React or Preact apps without writing webpack configuration themselves |
| preact | 39k | Library | intermediate | 4 days ago | Web developers who already know React and want a lighter library |
| hono | 32.8k | Library | beginner | 6 days ago | Developers writing TypeScript or JavaScript HTTP APIs |
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.