0
Comparison guide
Hono vs Itty-router
Side-by-side NPM package comparison
Quick Verdict
Smallest Bundle
Itty-router
1.7 KB gzipped
Most Popular
Hono
85.9M weekly downloads
Best Maintained
Hono
100/100 maintenance score
Highest Quality
Hono
50/100 quality score
Overall Pick
Hono
Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality
itty-router
A tiny, zero-dependency router, designed to make beautiful APIs in any environment.
415.7K weekly downloads · 1.7 KB gzip · Health 69/100
0
Choosing between Hono and Itty-router? 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
Hono leads with 85.9M weekly downloads — roughly 206.7x more. Itty-router has 415.7K weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.
Bundle Size
Itty-router has the smallest gzipped bundle at 1.7 KB. Hono comes in at 7.5 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.
Health Score Comparison
Hono has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Itty-router has an overall health score of 69/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.
When to Choose Each
Choose Hono if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Itty-router if you value minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record.
Our Verdict
Both Hono and Itty-router are solid choices for JavaScript development. Hono 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 hono better than itty-router?
- It depends on your needs. Hono has a health score of 85/100 while Itty-router scores 69/100. Hono has more recorded weekly downloads (85.9M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
- Which has a smaller bundle size, hono or itty-router?
- Itty-router has the smaller gzipped bundle at 1.7 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
- How many developers use hono vs itty-router?
- Hono has more recorded weekly downloads (85.9M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
- Which is better maintained, hono or itty-router?
- Hono has a maintenance score of 100/100. Hono scores 100/100 and Itty-router scores 60/100 on maintenance.
Related Comparisons
The 2026 JavaScript Stack Cheatsheet
One PDF: the best package for every category (ORMs, bundlers, auth, testing, state management). Used by 500+ devs. Free, updated monthly.