Survey: Which TypeScript frameworks are actually used in production
TypeScript continues to confidently establish itself as the primary language for serious web development. However, choosing a framework for a production project often becomes a subject of heated debate. A recent survey among professional developers (covering more than 5,000 respondents from the USA, Europe, and Asia) sheds light on the real picture: which tools truly pass the test of battle, and which remain just hype toys.
The results turned out to be mixed and showed a clear division into two camps: frontend and backend. Here are the key figures.
Frontend frameworks: undisputed leader and surprises
- Next.js (React) — 47% of respondents. Absolute champion. The React ecosystem + SSR/SSG from Vercel remains the standard for complex production applications.
- Nuxt 3 (Vue) — 18%. Steady growth thanks to modularity and excellent TypeScript documentation.
- SvelteKit (Svelte) — 11%. Surprisingly high percentage for a young framework. Developers value small bundle size and speed.
- Angular (with TypeScript) — 9%. Still relevant for large enterprise projects, but its share is declining.
- SolidStart (Solid.js) — 3%. Niche but fast-growing option for high-load interfaces.
Notably: 12% of respondents admitted they use "vanilla React" without Next.js, citing the framework's excessive complexity for their tasks.
Backend: NestJS dominates, but Deno is advancing
- NestJS (Express/Fastify) — 38%. De facto standard for corporate APIs. Modular architecture and built-in GraphQL support make it the #1 choice.
- Express.js with TypeScript — 22%. A classic that new frameworks cannot displace. Simplicity and a huge community.
- Fastify — 15%. Gaining momentum due to performance and native typing.
- Deno (Fresh, Oak) — 10%. Sharp jump after API stabilization. Developers note out-of-the-box security and the absence of node_modules.
- Hono — 7%. Ultra-lightweight framework for edge computing and serverless. Popular in startups.
- AdonisJS — 5%. Full-featured MVC with a Rails-like approach. Loved for its built-in ORM and authorization.
Key survey trends
Analysts highlighted three main takeaways:
- TypeScript-first is not marketing, but a necessity. 89% of respondents stated they do not consider a framework without full type support.
- Edge compatibility has become mandatory. Frameworks running on the network edge (Cloudflare Workers, Deno Deploy) receive priority.
- Micro-frameworks are squeezing monoliths. Hono, Elysia, and similar frameworks are growing by 30% per year thanks to serverless architectures.
So