Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Preact.js VS Fresh Framework

Compare Preact.js VS Fresh Framework and see what are their differences

Preact.js logo Preact.js

Preact is a fast 3kB alternative to React with the same modern API. Components & Virtual DOM.

Fresh Framework logo Fresh Framework

Fresh is a next generation web framework, built for speed, reliability, and simplicity.
  • Preact.js Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-05-11
  • Fresh Framework Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-09-30

Preact.js features and specs

  • Size
    Preact is very small in size (about 3KB gzipped), which makes it easy to load and faster to execute, resulting in improved performance and quicker load times.
  • Compatibility
    Preact is largely compatible with React, allowing developers to switch to Preact with minimal code changes. This makes it easier to adopt for projects already using React.
  • Performance
    Due to its small size and efficient design, Preact offers excellent performance, especially on low-powered devices and in applications with heavy user interactions.
  • Ecosystem
    Preact can work with many tools and libraries that are designed for React, giving developers access to a rich ecosystem of resources.
  • Community
    Preact has an active and growing community that provides support, plugins, and third-party tools, making it easier for developers to find solutions and share knowledge.

Possible disadvantages of Preact.js

  • Feature Set
    While Preact covers most of the core React features, it lacks some of the advanced functionality present in React, which may require additional workarounds or third-party libraries.
  • Learning Curve
    For developers coming from a non-React background, learning Preact might involve a learning curve, particularly because of its similarities and subtle differences with React.
  • Tooling Compatibility
    Although many tools designed for React can work with Preact, some might not be directly compatible, requiring additional configuration or patches.
  • Community Size
    While Preact has a supportive community, it is smaller compared to the massive React community, which can result in fewer available resources and third-party packages.
  • Maturity
    Preact, being newer and less widely adopted than React, might not have the same level of battle-tested reliability for all use cases, especially for large scale applications.

Fresh Framework features and specs

  • Performance
    Fresh takes advantage of Deno's fast runtime and server-side rendering, minimizing latency and improving performance by generating HTML content on the server side.
  • TypeScript Support
    Fresh supports TypeScript out of the box, enabling developers to write type-safe code, which enhances code reliability and maintainability.
  • Modern JavaScript
    Fresh is built with modern JavaScript features and uses ES modules, which supports a more modular and efficient codebase.
  • No Build Step
    Fresh doesn't require a bundling or build step, as it uses native ES modules. This simplifies the development workflow and reduces complexity.
  • Deno Integration
    Being tightly integrated with Deno, Fresh benefits from Deno's security model, tooling, and standard library.

Possible disadvantages of Fresh Framework

  • Ecosystem Maturity
    Fresh and the Deno ecosystem are relatively new compared to other frameworks like React or Node.js, which may result in limited third-party libraries and community support.
  • Learning Curve
    Developers familiar with the Node.js ecosystem might face a learning curve when adapting to Deno and Fresh due to different APIs and features.
  • Hosting Options
    Since Deno is newer, there are fewer hosting providers that natively support it compared to Node.js, potentially complicating deployment.
  • Tooling
    The tooling around Fresh and Deno may not be as mature or feature-rich as those for more established frameworks like React or Angular.

Analysis of Preact.js

Overall verdict

  • Preact.js is a strong option for projects where performance and load time are critical, or where a light footprint is necessary. Its compatibility with React makes it a flexible and efficient alternative in scenarios where React may be overkill due to its larger size.

Why this product is good

  • Preact.js is known for its small size and high performance, making it an excellent choice for developers who need a lightweight alternative to React without sacrificing functionality. It offers a familiar API for React developers, ensuring an easy transition, and is highly efficient in terms of rendering performance. Preact also offers excellent compatibility with existing React tools and ecosystems, meaning many React packages work seamlessly with Preact.

Recommended for

    Preact.js is recommended for developers building applications with stringent performance requirements, those needing to optimize for fast loading times in environments with limited bandwidth or resources, or those looking to integrate React-like architecture in smaller projects without introducing the full weight of the React library.

Analysis of Fresh Framework

Overall verdict

  • Fresh is a promising framework for developers already using or interested in Deno, especially those looking to build fast and efficient web applications with modern architectures. However, its relatively new status compared to more established frameworks might mean a smaller community and ecosystem.

Why this product is good

  • Fresh is a web framework specifically designed for Deno. It leverages Deno’s native features, such as TypeScript support and secure by default permissions. Fresh emphasizes speed by using island architecture, allowing for zero JavaScript by default in static content and selective hydration for interactive components. It's optimized for edge deployment, making it suitable for building modern, high-performance web applications.

Recommended for

  • Developers interested in Deno and its ecosystem
  • Projects requiring edge deployment and high performance
  • Teams looking to leverage modern web development practices like island architecture
  • Developers who need TypeScript as a first-class citizen in their projects

Preact.js videos

JS frameworks are replaceable

Fresh Framework videos

No Fresh Framework videos yet. You could help us improve this page by suggesting one.

Add video

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Preact.js and Fresh Framework)
Javascript UI Libraries
88 88%
12% 12
Web Frameworks
0 0%
100% 100
JavaScript Framework
71 71%
29% 29
JavaScript
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Preact.js and Fresh Framework. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Preact.js and Fresh Framework

Preact.js Reviews

Top JavaScript Frameworks in 2025
PreactJS is a JavaScript library that is said to be the fast 3Kb alternative to ReactJS using the same modern API. It implements the fastest virtual DOM compared to other frameworks in the market. Moreover, it is one of the smallest libraries in terms of size.
Source: solguruz.com
20 Next.js Alternatives Worth Considering
Preact is like React’s little sibling, smaller in size but with the same familiar moves. It’s cutting down the fluff and zipping through tasks with less overhead. When performance budgets are tight, Preact wiggles in perfectly.
20 Best JavaScript Frameworks For 2023
Preact is built with the same core principle of React – A component-based approach with Virtual DOM while completely compatible with React. It can even use React packages without compromising on speed, performance, and leaner size. In instances where the full potential of React isn’t necessary, most developers even use React during development and switch to Preact for...
Top 15 jQuery Alternatives To Know
ReactJS is a powerful JavaScript library to create user interfaces. Developers can design easy views at each stage in the application and there is regular update and rendering for the actual components whenever there is any data alteration. It is component-driven and creates encapsulated components that manage their own state.
Top 5 JavaScript Frameworks To Learn in 2021
But according to the graph above, we can notice a decrease in interest in Preact. This might result from having many similar frameworks with the same specs, like react-lite, Inferno, etc. However, knowing a framework like Preact will be useful for your development journey.
Source: enlear.academy

Fresh Framework Reviews

We have no reviews of Fresh Framework yet.
Be the first one to post

Social recommendations and mentions

Preact.js might be a bit more popular than Fresh Framework. We know about 93 links to it since March 2021 and only 68 links to Fresh Framework. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Preact.js mentions (93)

View more

Fresh Framework mentions (68)

  • FDLD - Fatigue Driven Lack of Development
    Ummm... Well I am mostly a web dev so I will try out the Fresh 🍋 framework to make something simple like an app where a user can log their mood (why not 🦀). - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Let's talk metaframeworks
    Fresh. Deno-based full-stack web framework using…. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • 5 things I like about Deno
    Everything changed when I started "Tear Down and Rebuild" my blog. After many times of hesitating and pondering over technology choices, the name Fresh appeared. However, Fresh requires Deno as its runtime environment. Having no prior deployment experience but thinking "it's just a JavaScript runtime environment!" gave me more confidence. The next story is this article. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Wrapping My Mind Around Node.js Runtimes
    Deno also provides infrastructure beyond the runtime. Tests, linters, and formatters are also included. You can also deploy your applications using Deno’s serverless environment, Deno Deploy (learn how to use Neon with Deno Deploy), and build entire applications using Deno’s framework, Fresh. - Source: dev.to / 7 months ago
  • Create a blog with Deno 2 and Fresh
    Fresh is the most popular web framework built on Deno. With the imminent Deno 2.0 launch, now is a great time to take a look at it. I give an updated dive into how to build a simple blog engine with it, based on Andy Jiang's original example. - Source: dev.to / 8 months ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Preact.js and Fresh Framework, you can also consider the following products

Svelte - Cybernetically enhanced web apps

Deno - A secure runtime for JavaScript and TypeScript built with V8, Rust, and Tokio.

Vue.js - Reactive Components for Modern Web Interfaces

Next.js - A small framework for server-rendered universal JavaScript apps

React - A JavaScript library for building user interfaces

Inferno - An extremely fast React-like javascript library for building modern user interfaces.