DevTools VS

Knex.js vs Kysely

Updated Apr 26, 2026

Quick Verdict

Both Knex.js and Kysely are popular choices in the ORMs & Database Tools space.

GitHub Stars
Knex.js 20.3K
vs
Kysely 13.7K
Downloads/wk
Knex.js 4.0M
vs
Kysely 4.1M
Contributors
Knex.js 611
vs
Kysely 147
Bundle Size
Knex.js N/A
vs
Kysely N/A

Knex.js

Website

SQL query builder for JavaScript with schema building and migration support

javascriptquery-buildersqlmigrations

Kysely

Website

Type-safe TypeScript SQL query builder

typescriptquery-buildersqltype-safe

Detailed Comparison

Side-by-side metrics from GitHub and npm

Metric
Knex.js
Kysely
GitHub Stars
20.3K
13.7K
Weekly Downloads
4.0M
4.1M
Forks
2.2K
403
Open Issues
708
152
Contributors
611
147
Bundle Size (gzip)
N/A
N/A
Dependencies
14
0
Latest Version
3.2.9
0.28.16
Last Commit
Apr 10, 2026
Apr 26, 2026
License
MIT
MIT
First Published
May 1, 2013
Feb 18, 2021

Download Trends

Weekly npm downloads over the past 52 weeks

Feature Comparison

Framework capabilities at a glance

Feature
Knex.js
Kysely
Typescript
Migrations
Edge Runtime
Sql Like Syntax
Schema File
Relations
Raw Sql

Frequently Asked Questions

Common questions about Knex.js vs Kysely

Is Knex.js better than Kysely?

It depends on your use case. Knex.js is sql query builder for javascript with schema building and migration support, while Kysely is type-safe typescript sql query builder. Compare the stats and features above to decide which fits your needs.

Is Knex.js still maintained in 2026?

Yes, Knex.js was last updated on April 10, 2026 and has 611 contributors.

Can I migrate from Knex.js to Kysely?

Migration complexity depends on how deeply Knex.js is integrated into your project. Both tools serve similar purposes in the ORMs & Database Tools space, so migration is generally feasible with proper planning.

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