Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to http.js, a tiny AJAX utility

Make HTTP requests from client-side JavaScript. Contribute to wylst/http.js development by creating an account on GitHub.

http.js is a lightweight JavaScript utility for making HTTP requests from the client side. Developers use it to simplify AJAX functionality in web applications. The tool is minimal in size and straightforward to… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. http.js, a tiny AJAX utility launched in 2014; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Server.js – A modern Express alternative▲295

   Powerful server for Node.js that just works so you can focus on your awesome project

   2017 · serverjs.io · its alternatives →

2. 2WP
   Weekend project, Intro.js▲716

   2013 · usablica.github.com · its alternatives →

3. 3WJ
   Wiv.js – A library for a more wiggly div▲265

   2018 · jjkaufman.github.io · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Swap.js – a JavaScript micro-framework (HTML fragments over the wire)▲127

   Hi HN! I created this lib in the need of a simple and tiny framework to easily do AJAX-style navigation / replacement of fragments in the page, in a web application. For people who don't want to use client-side-rendering and complex frameworks à la React, there are nowadays a few "HTML-over-the-wire" libraries, like HTMX, Unpoly or this super-tiny one Swap.js :) One other key thing is that no external tool is needed: no bundler, no webpack, no TypeScript compiler, no minification needed. Just write HTML, JS (+ your preferred server-side language: PHP, Python, etc.) and it works. The…

   2023 · github.com · its alternatives →

5. 5
   HTTPLang – a scripting language for making HTTP requests▲44

   A scripting langauge to do HTTP routines. . Contribute to f-prime/HTTPLang development by creating an account on GitHub.

   2015 · github.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   I made a CLI tool to create web extensions with no build configuration▲381

   Hello HN! I'm the creator and solo developer of Extension.js, a development tool for browser extensions with built-in support for TypeScript, WebAssembly, React, and modern JavaScript. Developers use it to spend less time configuring the compilation config or learning new frameworks and more time actually writing code. Most projects similar to Extension.js rely on some sort of abstraction or configuration to get started, making the initial development process slow given the extra learning curve and setup guidelines. By using Extension.js, adding the package to your npm scripts is all it…

   2024 · github.com · its alternatives →

7. 7JL
   JS library to make your website instant▲426

   http://instantclick.io/ It seems the internet architecture won't bring us instant websites anytime soon. So here is a hack. I released this JS library last month (today is version 2.0 release, fixing v1.0's rough edges), it makes use of HTML5's pushState and preloading to make a website instant. It works like this: before clicking on a link, you'll hover over it. And there's a delay of 200-300 ms between these two events. InstantClick uses this delay to preload a page, when you click on a link it will display instantly in most case. (You can test on the website.) That's…

   2014 · its alternatives →

8. 8U
   Unirest▲174

   2013 · unirest.io · its alternatives →

9. 9MY
   Make your app handle going offline▲151

   Offline.js is a Javascript and CSS library to automatically alert your users when they

   2013 · github.hubspot.com · its alternatives →

10. 10
    Gmail.js – JavaScript API for Gmail▲212

    Gmail JavaScript API. Contribute to KartikTalwar/gmail.js development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2013 · github.com · its alternatives →

11. 11
    Faster.js – a micro-optimizing JavaScript compiler▲89

    faster.js is a Babel plugin that compiles idiomatic Javascript to faster, micro-optimized Javascript. - vzhou842/faster.js

    2018 · github.com · its alternatives →

12. 12CJ
    CMS.js – Fully Client-Side JavaScript Site Generator▲117

    2016 · cdmedia.github.io · its alternatives →

13. 13
    Dagger.js – A buildless, runtime-only JavaScript micro-framework▲80

    TL;DR: dagger.js is a buildless, runtime-only micro-framework that plays nicely with native Web Components. It uses HTML-first directives (e.g. +click, +load) so you can ship a page by dropping a single from a CDN—no bundlers, no compile step. Why I built it Modern stacks are powerful but often heavy: bundlers, compile steps, framework DSLs, local CLIs. For internal tools, small apps, and edge/serverless deployments, I wanted something you can view-source, paste into a page, and ship. What it is: Runtime-only: no build or VDOM compile; hydrate behaviors directly on HTML. HTML…

    2025 · daggerjs.org · its alternatives →

14. 14
    Write ajax requests with template literals▲10

    the cleanest way to make http requests in js / node - Legitcode/legible

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    Umbrella JS, a 2.5kb jQuery alternative▲132

    :umbrella: Lightweight javascript library for DOM manipulation and events

    2018 · umbrellajs.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    httpinvoke – js HTTP client - easy progress events, binary files, etc.▲28

    A no-dependencies HTTP client library for browsers and Node.js with a promise-based or Node.js-style callback-based API to progress events, text and binary file upload and download, partial response body, request and response headers, status code. - jakutis/httpinvoke

    2013 · github.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Socket.js, a tiny WebSockets library for Node.js▲11

    A realtime communication framework for Node.js. Contribute to stepchowfun/socket.js development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    JavaScript PubSub in 163 Bytes▲104

    pubsub in <100 bytes. Contribute to hassanshaikley/pico-pubsub development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2025 · github.com · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Lowdefy – Build internal tools with YAML on an open-source framework▲107

    We're excited to announce Lowdefy V4, a full-stack web framework built on top of Next.js that simplifies building web applications, internal tools, admin panels, BI dashboards, and CRUD apps using YAML or JSON configuration files. New in V4: Next.js: Lowdefy now runs on top of the Next.js framework. All of Auth.js: App auth is now handled by Auth.js supported providers, adapters and callbacks and events, easy to configure, but all of which can be customized. Plugin extensibility: Apps can now be extended with any npm or pnpm workspace plugins. Our story: We have developed a simple…

    2021 · lowdefy.com · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Brutal.js – a small framework for building brutalist web applications▲62

    2018 · github.com · its alternatives →

21. 21HJ
    hr.js - Build large client-side applications in a structured way▲69

    2013 · friendcode.github.io · its alternatives →

22. 22JA
    JsonTree, a 3.53kb JavaScript tool for generating html trees from JSON▲78

    a lightweight dependency free javascript micro-library for making collapsable trees with JSON

    2017 · maxleiter.github.io · its alternatives →

23. 23
    Leafjs▲81

    A lightweight web-components based frontend framework

    2022 · its alternatives →

24. 24
    Web Services for the JavaScript Developer▲5

    Learn how to develop REST and GraphQL APIs with JavaScript

    2018 · polyglotdev.gumroad.com · its alternatives →

Ranked by how close each launch is in meaning, then by votes. Prices were read from each product’s own site when checked and can change. Refine with your own description →