Fastify vs restify
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 fast, low-overhead web framework for building servers and APIs with Node.js.
Open source · MIT
A Node.js framework for building REST APIs using connect-style middleware.
The short answer
Choose Fastify if you need…
- Node.js developers building JSON APIs or backend services
- Teams that care about request throughput and want a lightweight framework
- Projects that want schema-based validation of routes and responses
- Developers who want to organize code into reusable plugins
Choose restify if you need…
- Node.js developers building JSON or REST web services
- Teams that want connect-style middleware on a server purpose-built for APIs
- Developers who want a companion client library (restify-clients) for calling their own API
Side-by-side
| Fastify | restify | |
|---|---|---|
| Type | Library | Framework |
| Price | Free and open source | Free and open source |
| Licence | MIT | MIT |
| GitHub stars | 37.3k | 10.7k |
| Setup difficulty | Beginner | Intermediate |
| How you get it | Install with a package manager | Install with a package manager |
| Main language | JavaScript | JavaScript |
| Last code update | 4 days ago | 14 days ago |
What each one is
Fastify
Fastify is a framework for building web servers and APIs in Node.js. You define routes, such as a URL that returns data, and Fastify handles incoming requests with minimal extra work per request. It also offers a plugin system, input and output validation using JSON Schema, and built-in logging through Pino.
restify
Restify is a JavaScript framework for building REST APIs on Node.js. It uses middleware in the style of the connect library, so you add reusable pieces like body parsers and query parsers to a server and then define routes for GET, POST and other HTTP methods. Developers use it to build web services that other programs call over HTTP.
Best for
Fastify
- Node.js developers building JSON APIs or backend services
- Teams that care about request throughput and want a lightweight framework
- Projects that want schema-based validation of routes and responses
- Developers who want to organize code into reusable plugins
restify
- Node.js developers building JSON or REST web services
- Teams that want connect-style middleware on a server purpose-built for APIs
- Developers who want a companion client library (restify-clients) for calling their own API
Strengths
Fastify
- The README reports high request throughput in a synthetic hello-world benchmark, with the caveat that real results depend on the application
- Supports JSON Schema validation and serialization for routes
- Includes a plugin architecture and hooks for extending behavior
restify
- Built specifically for REST APIs, with a small, focused API surface shown in the README
- Uses familiar connect-style middleware, so composing plugins is straightforward
- Released under the permissive MIT license with an active repository (last push 2026-10-23)
Not ideal for
Fastify
- Beginners who have not yet learned Node.js basics, since the framework assumes JavaScript familiarity
- Projects that need a non-Node.js language, because Fastify is for Node.js only
- Teams expecting a large built-in feature set; much functionality comes from plugins, per the docs
restify
- People who want a full-stack web app framework with views, templates and front-end tooling, since the README only describes API building
- Beginners with no Node.js experience, since the examples assume working knowledge of JavaScript and npm
- Projects needing a runtime other than Node.js, since the README only lists supported Node.js versions
Trade-offs
Fastify
- Benchmark figures come from the maintainers' own synthetic test and may not match your workload
- The README's benchmark table lists an older Fastify version (4.0.0), so the numbers are not current
- Binding to 0.0.0.0 in containers requires care, since the README warns of security risks
restify
- The README is truncated and short on detail, so deeper features must be checked on the project's website or docs
- Supported Node.js versions are listed as v22.x, v24.x and v26.x, so older Node.js installs will not be supported
- The README points to external sites for full documentation and to a Google group for discussion, which may be harder to navigate
Getting started
Fastify
Install Fastify in an existing project
npm i fastifyGenerate a new Fastify project
npm init fastifyFrequently asked questions
What is the difference between Fastify and restify?
Fastify: A fast, low-overhead web framework for building servers and APIs with Node.js. restify: A Node.js framework for building REST APIs using connect-style middleware. Fastify suits node.js developers building json apis or backend services, while restify suits node.js developers building json or rest web services.
Are Fastify and restify free?
Fastify: Free and open source. restify: Free and open source.
Which is easier to set up, Fastify or restify?
Fastify is easier to get started with (rated beginner); restify is rated intermediate and usually needs more setup.
Is Fastify or restify more popular?
Fastify has more GitHub stars (37.3k) than restify (10.7k). Popularity isn't the same as fit — check which one matches your use case above.
What are other alternatives to Fastify and restify?
Other options people compare them with include Express, Koa.
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.