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Comparison guide

Msw vs Nock

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Nock

52.9 KB gzipped

Most Popular

Msw

12.9M weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Msw

100/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Msw

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Msw

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

  1. msw

    The industry standard for API mocking in JavaScript.

    12.9M weekly downloads · 76.4 KB gzip · Health 85/100

    0
  2. nock

    HTTP server mocking and expectations library for Node.js

    3.2M weekly downloads · 52.9 KB gzip · Health 85/100

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Choosing between Msw and Nock? 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

Msw leads with 12.9M weekly downloads — roughly 4.0x more. Nock has 3.2M weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Nock has the smallest gzipped bundle at 52.9 KB. Msw comes in at 76.4 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Msw has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Nock has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Msw if you value massive community and ecosystem, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Nock if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Msw and Nock are solid choices for JavaScript development. Msw 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 msw better than nock?
It depends on your needs. Msw has a health score of 85/100 while Nock scores 85/100. Msw has more recorded weekly downloads (12.9M). Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, msw or nock?
Nock has the smaller gzipped bundle at 52.9 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use msw vs nock?
Msw has more recorded weekly downloads (12.9M). Download counts reflect package installations, not unique developers.
Which is better maintained, msw or nock?
Msw has a maintenance score of 100/100. Msw scores 100/100 and Nock scores 100/100 on maintenance.

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