ava
Node.js test runner that lets you develop with confidence.
551.9K weekly downloads · 436.0 B gzip · Health 78/100
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Comparison guide
Ava vs Mocha
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Ava
436.0 B gzipped
Most Popular
Mocha
16.2M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Mocha
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Ava
80/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Mocha
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
mocha
Classic, reliable, trusted test framework for Node.js and the browser
16.2M weekly downloads · 31.3 KB gzip · Health 85/100
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Choosing between Ava and Mocha? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.
Downloads & Popularity
Mocha leads with 16.2M weekly downloads — roughly 29.4x more. Ava has 551.9K weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Ava has the smallest gzipped bundle at 436.0 B. Mocha comes in at 31.3 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Mocha has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Ava has an overall health score of 78/100 (very good), with strong quality, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
When to Choose Each
Choose Ava if you value minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record. Choose Mocha if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Ava and Mocha are solid choices for JavaScript development. Mocha has the edge in overall health score (85/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Is ava better than mocha?
- It depends on your needs. Ava has a health score of 78/100 while Mocha scores 85/100. Mocha has more recorded weekly downloads (16.2M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, ava or mocha?
- Ava has the smaller gzipped bundle at 436.0 B. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use ava vs mocha?
- Mocha has more recorded weekly downloads (16.2M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
- Which is better maintained, ava or mocha?
- Mocha has a maintenance score of 100/100. Ava scores 60/100 and Mocha scores 100/100 on maintenance.
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One PDF: the best package for every category (ORMs, bundlers, auth, testing, state management). Used by 500+ devs. Free, updated monthly.