Dragula vs interact.js
Which should you use? A side-by-side look at what each one does, who it suits, what it costs, how hard it is to set up, and where each falls short.
Open source · MIT
A small JavaScript library for drag and drop between lists and containers.
Open source · MIT
JavaScript library for drag, drop, resize and multi-touch gestures in web pages.
The short answer
Choose Dragula if you need…
- Front-end developers who want drag-and-drop without a large framework
- Developers building sortable lists or kanban-style boards in plain JavaScript
- Projects that want a small, dependency-light drag-and-drop option
Choose interact.js if you need…
- Web developers building drag-and-drop interfaces
- Developers who need touch and mouse gesture support in one library
- Projects that must support older browsers such as Internet Explorer 9+
- Developers building interactive SVG or canvas-based tools
Side-by-side
| Dragula | interact.js | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Library |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 22.1k | 12.9k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | See the README | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | TypeScript |
| Last code update | 2 years ago | 3 months ago |
What each one is
Dragula
Dragula is a JavaScript library that lets web developers add drag-and-drop behavior to page elements, such as moving items between lists. The project describes itself as simple, and it is listed under the front-end and vanilla JavaScript topics. The README provided here was truncated and empty, so details beyond the basic description are limited.
interact.js
interact.js is a JavaScript library that lets web developers make page elements draggable, resizable, and responsive to multi-touch gestures. It supports inertia (continued motion after release) and snapping to targets such as a grid. It is described as standalone and does not change the page structure beyond the cursor unless configured otherwise.
Best for
Dragula
- Front-end developers who want drag-and-drop without a large framework
- Developers building sortable lists or kanban-style boards in plain JavaScript
- Projects that want a small, dependency-light drag-and-drop option
interact.js
- Web developers building drag-and-drop interfaces
- Developers who need touch and mouse gesture support in one library
- Projects that must support older browsers such as Internet Explorer 9+
- Developers building interactive SVG or canvas-based tools
Strengths
Dragula
- Described by its author as simple to use
- Written in plain JavaScript, per its topics
- Released under the permissive MIT license
interact.js
- Supports both desktop and mobile browsers, including Internet Explorer 9+ per the README
- Includes inertia and snapping features out of the box
- Written in TypeScript with type definitions shipped in the npm package
Not ideal for
Dragula
- Non-developers, since it requires writing JavaScript to use
- Projects that need drag-and-drop features the README does not describe, because the README provided was empty and features could not be verified
interact.js
- Non-programmers, since it requires writing JavaScript code to use
- Projects needing a ready-made UI component with no custom code, because it is a low-level library
- Teams that need a React or Vue-specific wrapper, since the README does not describe one
Trade-offs
Dragula
- The README provided was empty, so documentation quality could not be verified here
- No published release is listed, so version stability is unclear
- Last code push was June 2024, so recent maintenance activity is uncertain
interact.js
- Requires JavaScript coding knowledge to use and configure
- The README is truncated here, so detailed API behavior must be checked in the external documentation
Getting started
Dragula
Clone the repository
git clone https://github.com/bevacqua/dragulaFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Dragula and interact.js?
Dragula: A small JavaScript library for drag and drop between lists and containers. interact.js: JavaScript library for drag, drop, resize and multi-touch gestures in web pages. Dragula suits front-end developers who want drag-and-drop without a large framework, while interact.js suits web developers building drag-and-drop interfaces.
Are Dragula and interact.js free?
Dragula: Free and open source. interact.js: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Dragula or interact.js?
Dragula is easier to get started with (rated beginner); interact.js is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Dragula or interact.js more popular?
Dragula has more GitHub stars (22.1k) than interact.js (12.9k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Dragula and interact.js?
Other options people compare them with include Sortable, FilePond, Vue.Draggable, Lenis, Muuri.
Keep comparing
Built from our catalogue entries for both products: open-source details come from each project's README (AI-assisted, refreshed weekly) and GitHub data; AI-tool details are editorial. Spotted something wrong? Let us know from either product's page.