Hono vs Koa
Updated Mar 4, 2026
Quick Verdict
Both Hono and Koa are popular choices in the Backend Frameworks space.
GitHub Stars
Hono 29.1K
vs
Koa 35.7K
Downloads/wk
Hono 0
vs
Koa 0
Contributors
Hono 303
vs
Koa 250
Bundle Size
Hono 7.4 KB
vs
Koa 62.8 KB
Detailed Comparison
Side-by-side metrics from GitHub and npm
Metric
Hono
Koa
GitHub Stars
29.1K
35.7K
Weekly Downloads
0
0
Forks
959
3.2K
Open Issues
353
26
Contributors
303
250
Bundle Size (gzip)
7.4 KB
62.8 KB
Dependencies
0
18
Latest Version
4.12.4
3.1.2
Last Commit
Mar 4, 2026
Feb 28, 2026
License
MIT
MIT
First Published
Dec 14, 2021
Nov 6, 2013
Feature Comparison
Framework capabilities at a glance
Feature
Hono
Koa
Typescript
Middleware
Websockets
Validation
Openapi
Edge Runtime
Decorators
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Hono vs Koa
Is Hono better than Koa?
It depends on your use case. Hono is ultrafast web framework for the edges, while Koa is expressive middleware for node.js using async functions. Compare the stats and features above to decide which fits your needs.
Is Hono still maintained in 2026?
Yes, Hono was last updated on March 4, 2026 and has 303 contributors.
Can I migrate from Hono to Koa?
Migration complexity depends on how deeply Hono is integrated into your project. Both tools serve similar purposes in the Backend Frameworks space, so migration is generally feasible with proper planning.
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