Serverless vs Terraform

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

serverless

Very Popular

Version 4.33.0

85
Excellent

[![Serverless Framework AWS Lambda AWS DynamoDB AWS API Gateway](https://github.com/serverless/serverless/assets/2752551/66a8c6a9-bc4a-4116-b139-90c12963337e)](https://serverless.com)

Weekly Downloads
1.3M
↑31%
Bundle (gzip)
10.6 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

terraform

Niche

Version 1.23.1

73
Good

pre-processor engine that powers the harp web server

Weekly Downloads
2.3K
↑32%
Bundle (gzip)
538.1 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
100
Popularity
40
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Serverless and Terraform? 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

Serverless leads with 1.3M weekly downloads — roughly 553.3x more. Terraform has 2.3K weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Serverless has the smallest gzipped bundle at 10.6 KB. Terraform comes in at 538.1 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Serverless has an overall health score of 85/100 (very good), with strong maintenance, security, popularity scores. Terraform has an overall health score of 73/100 (good), with strong maintenance, security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Serverless if you value large community support, actively maintained, strong security track record. Choose Terraform if you value actively maintained, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Serverless and Terraform are solid choices for JavaScript development. Serverless 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 serverless better than terraform?
It depends on your needs. Serverless has a health score of 85/100 while Terraform scores 73/100. Serverless has more weekly downloads (1.3M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, serverless or terraform?
Serverless has the smaller gzipped bundle at 10.6 KB. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use serverless vs terraform?
Based on npm download statistics, Serverless has approximately 1.3M weekly downloads and Terraform has approximately 2.3K weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, serverless or terraform?
Serverless currently has the higher overall health score at 85/100. Serverless has a maintenance score of 100/100 and Terraform scores 100/100 on maintenance.

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