# Cytoscape.js vs G6

## Key differences

- G6 and Cytoscape.js have a similar number of GitHub stars (12.3K vs 11.2K).
- Cytoscape.js had more development activity over the last 12 months: 185 commits vs 44.
- Cytoscape.js is downloaded 76× as often on npm (20.2M vs 265.8K per week).
- Both are released under the MIT license.
- Cytoscape.js is written primarily in JavaScript, G6 in TypeScript.
- Cytoscape.js is the older project: its repository was created in 2011, G6's in 2017.

| | Cytoscape.js | G6 |
|---|---|---|
| Description | JavaScript library for graph drawing maintained by Cytoscape core developers. | Graph visualization library powered by Javascript & Typescript, maintained by Alibaba |
| GitHub stars | 11,232 | 12,323 |
| Commits (12 months) | 185 | 44 |
| Contributors | 139 | 180 |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Status | Active | Active |
| Install | `npm install cytoscape` | `npm install @antv/g6` |

Source: https://awesomedataviz.com/compare/cytoscape-js-vs-g6/ · Data updated 2026-10-04 · Content: CC BY 4.0, Awesome Dataviz (https://awesomedataviz.com).