Web Development · head to head
Rollup vs SolidJS
SolidJS
Web Development
Reactive JavaScript framework with no virtual DOM
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Rollup slower than the Go and Rust bundlers that followed it, since it is written in JavaScript; SolidJS much smaller ecosystem than React, so many problems have no off-the-shelf library
- They diverge on capability: Rollup covers Tree shaking, SolidJS covers No virtual DOM.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Rollup and SolidJS actually diverge.
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Open source, no licence fee), 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 Rollup
- Tree shaking
- Clean output
- Multiple output formats
- Plugin API
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.
Rollup
- Publishing a JavaScript library in several module formatsnot SolidJS
- Builds where output size and cleanliness matter more than build speednot SolidJS
- Producing ES module output for consumers who will bundle it themselvesnot SolidJS
SolidJS
- Interfaces where update performance is the binding constraintnot Rollup
- Teams comfortable with React syntax who want finer-grained reactivitynot Rollup
- Applications where bundle size directly affects the businessnot Rollup
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Rollup
- Slower than the Go and Rust bundlers that followed it, since it is written in JavaScript
- Application concerns like dev servers and hot reloading are not its job, so app builds need Vite on top
- Configuration for non-trivial applications gets verbose compared with tools that assume more
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
Rollup
Free- RollupFree
- Full functionality
- Commercial use permitted
- Community support
SolidJS
Free- SolidJSFree
- Full library
- Commercial use permitted
- No usage limits
Which should you pick?
Choose Rollup if
- You need tree shaking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Linux, macOS, Windows.
- You also want clean output.
Choose SolidJS if
- You need no virtual dom.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want components run once.
Questions people ask
- Is Rollup or SolidJS better?
- Neither clearly leads. Rollup 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, Rollup or SolidJS?
- Rollup starts at Free and SolidJS at Free.
- Does Rollup or SolidJS run on more platforms?
- Rollup runs on Linux, macOS, Windows. SolidJS runs on Web.
- Can I use Rollup for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Rollup best used for?
- Rollup is most often used for publishing a javascript library in several module formats, builds where output size and cleanliness matter more than build speed, producing es module output for consumers who will bundle it themselves. Of those, publishing a javascript library in several module formats and builds where output size and cleanliness matter more than build speed are not what SolidJS is typically brought in for.
- What can Rollup do that SolidJS cannot?
- Rollup covers Tree shaking, Clean output, Multiple output formats, Plugin API. SolidJS covers No virtual DOM, Components run once, JSX syntax, Small bundles.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Rollup: Is Rollup free?
Yes, open source under the MIT licence.
SolidJS: Is SolidJS free?
Yes, open source under the MIT licence.
Rollup: Rollup or webpack?
Rollup is the usual choice for libraries thanks to cleaner output and better tree shaking. webpack remains stronger for complex applications with heavy asset handling.
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.
Rollup: Do I need Rollup if I use Vite?
Not directly. Vite uses Rollup for production builds, so you already benefit from it.
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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