Web Development · head to head
Lit vs SolidJS
SolidJS
Web Development
Reactive JavaScript framework with no virtual DOM
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Lit smaller ecosystem compared to React or Vue; SolidJS much smaller ecosystem than React, so many problems have no off-the-shelf library
- They diverge on capability: Lit covers Reactive properties, SolidJS covers No virtual DOM.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Lit and SolidJS actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Web Development).
What each one covers
Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.
Only in Lit
- Reactive properties
- Tagged template literals
- Scoped styling with Shadow DOM
- Web Components standard
- Minimal bundle size
Only in SolidJS
- No virtual DOM
- Components run once
- JSX syntax
- Small bundles
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Lit
- Building reusable component libraries across frameworksnot SolidJS
- Creating design systems with scoped stylesnot SolidJS
- Developing progressive web applications with minimal dependenciesnot SolidJS
SolidJS
- Interfaces where update performance is the binding constraintnot Lit
- Teams comfortable with React syntax who want finer-grained reactivitynot Lit
- Applications where bundle size directly affects the businessnot Lit
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Lit
- Smaller ecosystem compared to React or Vue
- Web Components adoption still growing in the industry
- Requires understanding of Shadow DOM concepts
SolidJS
- Much smaller ecosystem than React, so many problems have no off-the-shelf library
- The React-like syntax is misleading: components run once, and React habits produce subtle bugs
- Smaller hiring pool and fewer learning resources than the mainstream frameworks
Pricing, plan by plan
Lit
FreeNo published plan breakdown. See the Lit review.
SolidJS
Free- SolidJSFree
- Full library
- Commercial use permitted
- No usage limits
Which should you pick?
Choose Lit if
- You need reactive properties.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Node.js.
- You also want tagged template literals.
Choose SolidJS if
- You need no virtual dom.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want components run once.
Questions people ask
- Is Lit or SolidJS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Lit starts at Free and SolidJS at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Lit or SolidJS?
- Lit starts at Free and SolidJS at Free.
- Does Lit or SolidJS run on more platforms?
- Lit runs on Web, Node.js. SolidJS runs on Web.
- Can I use Lit for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Lit best used for?
- Lit is most often used for building reusable component libraries across frameworks, creating design systems with scoped styles, developing progressive web applications with minimal dependencies. Of those, building reusable component libraries across frameworks and creating design systems with scoped styles are not what SolidJS is typically brought in for.
- What can Lit do that SolidJS cannot?
- Lit covers Reactive properties, Tagged template literals, Scoped styling with Shadow DOM, Web Components standard. SolidJS covers No virtual DOM, Components run once, JSX syntax, Small bundles.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Lit: Is Lit free to use?
Yes, Lit is open source and completely free under the BSD 3-Clause license.
SourceSolidJS: Is SolidJS free?
Yes, open source under the MIT licence.
SolidJS: Is SolidJS just React without the virtual DOM?
The syntax is similar but the model is not. Solid components run once and reactivity is fine-grained, so patterns that are correct in React can be wrong in Solid.
SolidJS: Why is SolidJS fast?
It compiles away much of the framework and updates individual DOM nodes directly, rather than re-rendering components and diffing a virtual DOM.
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