Head-to-Head: ky vs Superagent Analysis

ky

v1.5.0(1 day ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are bundled with the npm packageNumber of direct dependencies: 0Monthly npm downloads

Ky is a lightweight and modern HTTP client for the browser and Node.js. It offers a simple and intuitive API for making HTTP requests with features like automatic JSON parsing, request cancellation, and support for browser-specific features like progress events and aborting requests. Ky focuses on providing a minimalistic and efficient solution for handling HTTP requests without unnecessary overhead.

Alternatives:
axios+
got+
node-fetch+
superagent+
isomorphic-fetch+
wretch+
bent+
make-fetch-happen+
unfetch+
fetch-h2+

Tags: httpclientbrowsernode.jsmodern

superagent

v9.0.2(3 months ago)

This package is actively maintained.Types definitions are provided via a separate npm package: @types/superagentNumber of direct dependencies: 9Monthly npm downloads

Superagent is a lightweight and flexible HTTP client library for Node.js and browsers, designed for making HTTP requests in a simple and intuitive way. It supports all HTTP methods, file uploads, custom headers, cookies, and more. Superagent also provides features like request and response serialization, timeout handling, and automatic parsing of JSON responses.

Alternatives:
axios+
got+
node-fetch+
ky+
isomorphic-fetch+
fetch-h2+
bent+
needle+
wreck+
simple-get+

Tags: httpclientnode.jsbrowserrequests

Fight!

Popularity

Superagent is a more established and widely used library with a larger community following. It has been around for a longer time and has a solid reputation. However, Ky has been gaining popularity in recent years and has a growing community around it.

Size

Ky is known for its small size and lightweight nature. It is designed to be minimal and focused. Superagent, on the other hand, has a slightly larger footprint due to its extensive feature set.

API Design

Superagent follows a traditional callback-based API design, which may be familiar and comfortable for developers who have experience with older Node.js libraries. Ky, on the other hand, follows a modern, Promise-based API design that is more aligned with modern JavaScript and makes it easier to work with promises, async/await, and other modern JS features.

Browser Support

Both Ky and Superagent are designed to work in both Node.js and browser environments. They handle HTTP requests in a similar way and provide cross-platform compatibility. However, Ky has a smaller bundle size and better browser support out of the box.

Features

Both libraries offer a rich set of features for making HTTP requests, handling response data, setting request headers, and handling cookies. Superagent has been around longer and has a more mature feature set, including server-side streaming and support for older versions of Node.js. Ky, on the other hand, focuses on modern features like JSON parsing, support for query parameters, and automatic retries.

Developer Experience

Both Ky and Superagent have good documentation and provide a smooth developer experience. Superagent has a larger community, so finding examples and community resources might be easier. Ky, on the other hand, has a simpler API and more modern conventions, which can lead to a faster learning curve and a more modern developer experience.

Maintainability

Both Ky and Superagent are actively maintained. However, Superagent has been around for longer and has a larger community, which means it may have more frequent updates and better long-term maintainability. Ky, being a newer library, also has active maintenance and a growing community, making it a viable option for long-term projects.