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SolidStart vs SolidJS

SolidStart logo

SolidStart

Web Development

Full-stack meta-framework for SolidJS with fine-grained reactivity

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SolidJS logo

SolidJS

Web Development

Reactive JavaScript framework with no virtual DOM

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: SolidStart smaller ecosystem compared to Next.js or Remix due to relative newness; SolidJS much smaller ecosystem than React, so many problems have no off-the-shelf library
  • They diverge on capability: SolidStart covers Fine-grained reactivity, SolidJS covers No virtual DOM.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SolidStart and SolidJS actually diverge.

Attributes where SolidStart and SolidJS differ
AttributeSolidStartSolidJS
Pricing modelopen-sourceOpen source, no licence fee

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web), 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 SolidStart

  • Fine-grained reactivity
  • Server actions
  • Single-flight mutations
  • Request deduplication
  • Multi-router support
  • Automatic API generation
  • Vite integration

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.

SolidStart

  • Building lightweight full-stack applications with minimal runtime overheadnot SolidJS
  • Projects requiring fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency trackingnot SolidJS
  • Applications targeting multiple deployment platforms with single codebasenot SolidJS
  • Teams prioritizing performance and small bundle sizesnot SolidJS

SolidJS

  • Interfaces where update performance is the binding constraintnot SolidStart
  • Teams comfortable with React syntax who want finer-grained reactivitynot SolidStart
  • Applications where bundle size directly affects the businessnot SolidStart

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

SolidStart

  • Smaller ecosystem compared to Next.js or Remix due to relative newness
  • SolidJS less familiar to developers with React experience
  • Community documentation not as extensive as larger frameworks
  • Limited third-party UI component libraries compared to React ecosystem

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

SolidStart

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the SolidStart review.

SolidJS

Free
  • SolidJSFree
    • Full library
    • Commercial use permitted
    • No usage limits

Which should you pick?

Choose SolidStart if

  • You need fine-grained reactivity.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want server actions.
SolidStart review

Choose SolidJS if

  • You need no virtual dom.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want components run once.
SolidJS review

Questions people ask

Is SolidStart or SolidJS better?
Neither clearly leads. SolidStart 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, SolidStart or SolidJS?
SolidStart starts at Free and SolidJS at Free.
Does SolidStart or SolidJS run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use SolidStart for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is SolidStart best used for?
SolidStart is most often used for building lightweight full-stack applications with minimal runtime overhead, projects requiring fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency tracking, applications targeting multiple deployment platforms with single codebase, teams prioritizing performance and small bundle sizes. Of those, building lightweight full-stack applications with minimal runtime overhead and projects requiring fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency tracking are not what SolidJS is typically brought in for.
What can SolidStart do that SolidJS cannot?
SolidStart covers Fine-grained reactivity, Server actions, Single-flight mutations, Request deduplication. SolidJS covers No virtual DOM, Components run once, JSX syntax, Small bundles.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SolidStart: What is SolidJS and how does it differ from React?

SolidJS uses fine-grained reactivity and automatic dependency tracking instead of React's virtual DOM, resulting in smaller bundles and better performance.

Source
SolidJS: Is SolidJS free?

Yes, open source under the MIT licence.

SolidStart: How many deployment platforms does SolidStart support?

SolidStart supports over 20 deployment platforms including Cloudflare, Netlify, Vercel, Deno, AWS, and Azure through Vite plugins.

Source
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.

SolidStart: Can I use TanStack Router with SolidStart?

Yes, SolidStart supports using either the official Solid Router or TanStack Router depending on project requirements.

Source
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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