SvelteKit vs HTMX for Solo Developers

Quick Comparison

SvelteKit Overview

SvelteKit gives you a full-stack JavaScript framework with SSR, client-side routing, API routes, form actions, and compiled Svelte components. It's a complete solution for building modern web apps. The developer experience is excellent, the output is fast, and the mental model stays manageable even as projects grow.

For solo developers, SvelteKit lets you build everything in one language, one project, one deploy. The component model is clean. The reactivity system is intuitive. And the ecosystem, while smaller than React's, has enough libraries and community support to handle most use cases without writing everything from scratch.

HTMX Overview

HTMX is a fundamentally different animal. It's a 14KB JavaScript library that extends HTML with attributes for making AJAX requests, handling WebSocket connections, and doing CSS transitions. There's no build step, no virtual DOM, no component model. You write HTML, add a few attributes like hx-get and hx-swap, and your server returns HTML fragments that HTMX swaps into the page.

Honestly, the first time I used HTMX, I felt like I'd been overcomplicating web development for years. Need a search-as-you-type feature? One attribute on the input, one server endpoint that returns HTML. Done. No state management, no client-side rendering logic, no build pipeline.

The tradeoff is clear, though. HTMX is a library, not a framework. It doesn't handle routing, doesn't manage application state, and doesn't give you a component system. You pair it with whatever server framework you prefer (Django, Rails, Go, Flask, Express) and that backend does the heavy lifting.

Key Differences

Architecture philosophy. SvelteKit is a JavaScript-first framework where the server and client share code. HTMX is an HTML-first library where the server returns HTML and JavaScript is minimal. These are opposite approaches to the same problem.

Backend freedom. With HTMX, you use whatever backend you want. Python, Go, Ruby, Rust, PHP. Your server returns HTML fragments, and HTMX handles the rest. SvelteKit locks you into Node.js (or compatible runtimes). If you already have a Django or Rails backend you love, HTMX integrates without replacing anything.

Interactivity ceiling. SvelteKit can build arbitrarily complex client-side UIs. Drag-and-drop interfaces, real-time collaboration, rich text editors. HTMX handles simpler interactions elegantly but struggles with complex client-side state. If you need a Google Docs-like experience, HTMX alone won't cut it.

Build complexity. HTMX has no build step. Drop a script tag in your HTML and go. SvelteKit requires Node.js, a build pipeline, and a deployment target that supports SSR. For solo developers who want minimal tooling, HTMX's simplicity is refreshing.

State management. In SvelteKit, state lives in Svelte stores and component variables. In HTMX, state lives on the server. The server renders the current state as HTML and sends it down. This is simpler in many ways but means every interaction requires a server round-trip.

When to Choose SvelteKit

• You're building a rich, interactive application with complex client-side state
• You want everything in JavaScript/TypeScript, frontend and backend
• Your app needs client-side routing and offline capabilities
• You're building a SaaS product, dashboard, or anything with heavy UI interactions
• You prefer a single cohesive framework over assembling multiple tools

When to Choose HTMX

• You already have a backend in Python, Go, Ruby, or another non-JS language
• Your app is primarily server-rendered with moderate interactivity
• You want to avoid build tools and JavaScript complexity entirely
• You value simplicity and a small dependency footprint
• Your interactions are mostly forms, searches, and data display

The Verdict

This isn't really a competition. It's a philosophical choice. SvelteKit and HTMX solve web development from opposite directions, and both do it well.

If your project needs rich client-side interactivity, SvelteKit is the right tool. If your project is server-rendered with sprinkled interactions and you prefer working in a non-JavaScript backend, HTMX is brilliant. I'd rate HTMX even higher for solo developers who are backend-first thinkers. The ability to add interactivity without a JavaScript framework is genuinely liberating.

My honest take is that most CRUD apps, admin panels, and content-driven sites don't need a full JavaScript framework. HTMX paired with a solid backend gets you 80% of the interactivity with 20% of the complexity. But when that remaining 20% is critical to your product, SvelteKit delivers it beautifully.