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Knex vs Kysely

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Kysely

36.7 KB gzipped

Most Popular

Kysely

3.7M weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Knex

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Kysely

80/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Kysely

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

knex icon

knex

Very Popular

Version 3.2.9

0
85
Excellent

A batteries-included SQL query & schema builder for PostgresSQL, MySQL, CockroachDB, MSSQL and SQLite3

Weekly Downloads
3.6M
↑15%
Bundle (gzip)
268.2 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
kysely icon

kysely

Very Popular

Version 0.28.15

0
92
Excellent

Type safe SQL query builder

Weekly Downloads
3.7M
↑40%
Bundle (gzip)
36.7 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
80
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Knex and Kysely? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Kysely leads with 3.7M weekly downloads — roughly 1.0x more. Knex has 3.6M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Kysely has the smallest gzipped bundle at 36.7 KB. Knex comes in at 268.2 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Kysely has an overall health score of 92/100 (excellent), with strong maintenance, quality, security, popularity scores. Knex has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Knex if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Kysely if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Knex and Kysely are solid choices for JavaScript development. Kysely has the edge in overall health score (92/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is knex better than kysely?
It depends on your needs. Knex has a health score of 85/100 while Kysely scores 92/100. Kysely has more weekly downloads (3.7M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, knex or kysely?
Kysely has the smaller gzipped bundle at 36.7 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use knex vs kysely?
Based on npm download statistics, Knex has approximately 3.6M weekly downloads and Kysely has approximately 3.7M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, knex or kysely?
Kysely currently has the higher overall health score at 92/100. Knex has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Kysely scores 100/100 on maintenance.

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