Dev tools · alternatives · 2026

24 alternatives to Javalin, a Java/Kotlin REST API Framework

Javalin - A lightweight Java and Kotlin web framework. Create REST APIs in Java or Kotlin easily.

Javalin is a lightweight web framework for building REST APIs in Java and Kotlin. It is designed for developers who want to create web applications without learning complex concepts or extending classes. The framework… Below are 24 products that do a similar job, ranked by how close each is in meaning and then by launch-day votes. Javalin, a Java/Kotlin REST API Framework launched in 2017; newer entries below may have overtaken it.

1. 1
   Javalin 1.0 – A Kotlin/Java web framework▲271

   2017 · javalin.io · its alternatives →

2. 2
   I finished v5 of a JVM framework I've spent spent half a decade making▲377

   ForewordJavalin is a Java and Kotlin web framework which focuses on simplicity and Java/Kotlin interoperability.It supports WebSockets and HTTP3, and it uses...

   2022 · javalin.io · its alternatives →

3. 3
   My Kotlin/Java REST Library Javalin Reaches v0.4.0 (CORS, Uploads, ++)▲11

   CORSJavalin 0.4.0 adds built-in CORS support with app.enableCorsForOrigin(

   2017 · javalin.io · its alternatives →

4. 4
   Javalin REST Library – Rewritten in Kotlin▲5

   Javalin release notes, announcements, and changelog.

   2017 · javalin.io · its alternatives →

5. 5
   1 KB JavaScript library for building front end apps▲242

   1kB-ish JavaScript framework for building hypertext applications - hyperapp/hyperapp

   2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

6. 6
   Restate – Low-latency durable workflows for JavaScript/Java, in Rust▲185

   We'd love to share our work with you: Restate, a system for workflows-as-code (durable execution). With SDKs in JS/Java/Kotlin and a lightweight runtime built in Rust/Tokio. https://github.com/restatedev/ https://restate.dev/ It is free and open, SDKs are MIT-licensed, runtime permissive BSL (basically just the minimal Amazon defense). We worked on that for a bit over a year. A few points I think are worth mentioning: - Restate's runtime is a single binary, self-contained, no dependencies aside from a durable disk. It contains basically a…

   2024 · restate.dev · its alternatives →

7. 7AI
   An Isomorphic JavaScript Framework Faster Than React▲337

   2015 · jsblocks.com · its alternatives →

8. 8
   Anime.js 3.0▲354

   Lightweight JavaScript animation library

   2019 · animejs.com · its alternatives →

9. 9MN
   My new JavaScript MVC framework▲304

   2014 · lhorie.github.io · its alternatives →

10. 10
    HyperApp – 1k JavaScript framework for building web applications▲303

    1kB-ish JavaScript framework for building hypertext applications - hyperapp/hyperapp

    2018 · github.com · its alternatives →

11. 11
    WebJSX – A tiny Web Components and JSX library▲26

    2024 · webjsx.org · its alternatives →

12. 12
    Http4k: Server as a Function. In Kotlin. Typesafe. Without the Server▲29

    An overview of the Kotlin

    2017 · http4k.org · its alternatives →

13. 13
    1kb JavaScript library for building front end applications▲187

    1kB-ish JavaScript framework for building hypertext applications - hyperapp/hyperapp

    2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

14. 14
    1 KB JavaScript framework for building front-end applications▲216

    1kB-ish JavaScript framework for building hypertext applications - hyperapp/hyperapp

    2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

15. 15
    1 KB JavaScript library for building applications▲116

    1kB-ish JavaScript framework for building hypertext applications - hyperapp/hyperapp

    2017 · github.com · its alternatives →

16. 16
    js.spec, a JavaScript implementation of clojure.spec▲96

    clojure.spec for Javascript. Contribute to prayerslayer/js.spec development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2016 · github.com · its alternatives →

17. 17
    Instant API – Build type-safe web APIs with JavaScript▲102

    Hey there HN! I just wrapped up an all-day documentation spree for Instant API, a JavaScript framework for easily building web APIs that implements type safety at the HTTP interface. It uses a function-as-a-service approach combined with a slightly modified JSDoc spec to automatically enforce parameter and schema validation before HTTP requests make it through to your code. You just write comments above your endpoint functions and voila, enforced type safety contracts between your API endpoints and your developers. OpenAPI specifications are generated automatically as a byproduct of simply…

    2023 · github.com · its alternatives →

18. 18
    My first open-source project release – RandomJson▲56

    Provides a Kotlin/Java library to create a random json string - mangatmodi/RandomJson

    2019 · github.com · its alternatives →

19. 19
    Minze▲93

    Dead-simple JS framework for native web components

    2022 · minze.dev · its alternatives →

20. 20
    Jason – A new JSON Library for Go▲106

    Easy-to-use JSON Library for Go. Contribute to antonholmquist/jason development by creating an account on GitHub.

    2014 · github.com · its alternatives →

21. 21
    ProType▲157

    The next generation MVC JavaScript framework 🛠️

    2018 · protype.js.org · its alternatives →

22. 22
    Monkberry – a JavaScript library for building web user interfaces▲115

    Monkberry is blazingly fast, small 1kb and simple JavaScript library for building web user interfaces.

    2016 · monkberry.js.org · its alternatives →

23. 23
    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 →

24. 24
    Jax-JS, array library in JavaScript targeting WebGPU▲84

    JAX in pure JavaScript, as a flexible machine learning library and compiler.

    Jan 2026 · ss.ekzhang.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 →