A modern, minimal, and fast Express-like web framework for Node.js, written in TypeScript and compiled to native ESM.
tinyhttp is a lightweight web framework for Node.js that serves as a modern replacement for Express. It is written in TypeScript and compiled to native ECMAScript Modules (ESM), focusing on minimal dependencies, no legacy polyfills, and compatibility with Express middleware. The framework solves the need for a fast, type-safe, and streamlined alternative to traditional Node.js web frameworks.
Node.js developers building web applications or APIs who seek a minimal, modern, and performant framework with Express-like syntax and TypeScript support.
Developers choose tinyhttp for its significantly smaller dependency footprint, native ESM support, out-of-the-box TypeScript integration, and focus on modern JavaScript standards without legacy baggage, offering a faster and more efficient development experience compared to Express.
🦄 0-legacy, tiny & fast web framework as a replacement of Express
Open-Awesome is built by the community, for the community. Submit a project, suggest an awesome list, or help improve the catalog on GitHub.
Supports existing Express middleware, easing migration from Express as highlighted in the features list, which reduces switching costs.
Compiled exclusively to native ECMAScript Modules, aligning with modern JavaScript workflows and eliminating polyfills for better performance.
Has three times fewer dependencies than Express v5, as stated in the README, reducing package bloat and potential security vulnerabilities.
Provides type definitions out of the box, enhancing developer experience with built-in type safety and autocompletion in modern IDEs.
Supports asynchronous error handling patterns natively, simplifying error management in routes and middleware without extra configuration.
Requires Node.js 16 or higher, excluding environments using older LTS versions, which limits deployment options in legacy systems.
Incompatible with CommonJS modules, potentially causing integration issues in projects that haven't migrated to ESM, as admitted in the install notes.
While Express-compatible, tinyhttp's own middleware and plugin ecosystem is less mature than Express's, offering fewer options for specialized features.
Focuses on core functionality, so developers often need to assemble additional middleware for common tasks, increasing initial setup complexity.
tinyhttp is an open-source alternative to the following products: