Comparison

svadmin is a compile-time admin framework — no virtual DOM, no runtime diffing, just direct DOM operations. Here’s how it stacks up.

Framework Comparison

	svadmin	Refine	React Admin	AdminJS
Framework	Svelte 5	React 18+	React 18+	React
Runtime	✅ Compiled to direct DOM ops — no VDOM	VDOM → diff → patch	VDOM → diff → patch	VDOM → diff → patch
Reactivity	✅ Runes — variable-level signals	Hooks — component re-renders	Hooks	Hooks
Core size	✅ ~15KB	~80KB	~200KB+	~150KB+
Memory	✅ No VDOM copy in memory	VDOM tree overhead	VDOM tree overhead	VDOM tree overhead
Headless	✅	✅	Partial	❌
Query	TanStack Query (Svelte)	TanStack Query (React)	ra-core	Custom
Types	✅ Full — ResourceTypeMap	Partial	Partial	Minimal
SSR	SvelteKit native	Next.js / Remix	Next.js	Express

Data Provider Ecosystem

Backend	svadmin	Refine	React Admin
REST API	✅ @svadmin/simple-rest	✅ @refinedev/simple-rest	✅ ra-data-simple-rest
Supabase	✅ @svadmin/supabase	✅ @refinedev/supabase	Community
GraphQL	✅ @svadmin/graphql	✅ @refinedev/graphql	✅ ra-data-graphql
Drizzle ORM	✅ @svadmin/drizzle	❌	❌
Firebase	✅ @svadmin/firebase	✅ Community	✅ ra-data-firebase
PocketBase	✅ @svadmin/pocketbase	Community	Community
Appwrite	✅ @svadmin/appwrite	✅ @refinedev/appwrite	Community
Strapi	✅ @svadmin/strapi	✅ @refinedev/strapi	✅ ra-strapi-rest
Directus	✅ @svadmin/directus	Community	Community
Hasura	✅ @svadmin/hasura	✅ @refinedev/hasura	✅ ra-data-hasura
NestJS	✅ @svadmin/nestjs-query	✅ @refinedev/nestjs-query	Community
Elysia (Bun)	✅ @svadmin/elysia	❌	❌
Airtable	✅ @svadmin/airtable	Community	✅ ra-data-airtable
Medusa	✅ @svadmin/medusa	✅ @refinedev/medusa	❌
Sanity	✅ @svadmin/sanity	Community	Community

Feature Comparison

Architecture

Feature	svadmin	Refine	React Admin
Provider pattern	✅	✅	✅
Multi data provider	✅	✅	✅
Auth provider	✅	✅	✅
Live provider	✅ WebSocket + SSE	✅ WebSocket + SSE	❌ Polling only
Access control	✅ RBAC + ABAC + CASL + Casbin	✅ RBAC + ABAC	✅ RBAC
SSO (OIDC/OAuth2)	✅ @svadmin/sso plugin	✅ Enterprise (paid)	❌ No
Router agnostic	✅ Hash / SvelteKit	✅ React Router / Next	✅ React Router
i18n	✅	✅	✅
Zero-JS / IE11 Fallback	✅ @svadmin/lite (SSR)	❌ Hydration Required	❌ Hydration Required

Data & Mutations

Feature	svadmin	Refine	React Admin
Optimistic updates	✅	✅	✅
Undoable mutations	✅	✅	✅
CSV import/export	✅ Built-in	❌ DIY	Community
Auto-save	✅ Component	❌ DIY	❌ DIY
Field inferencer	✅ Sample data + OpenAPI	✅ Sample data	❌
Filter operators	16 operators	16 operators	Backend-dependent

UI Components

Feature	svadmin	Refine	React Admin
AutoTable	✅ Zero-config	❌ DIY	✅ <DataGrid>
AutoForm	✅ Zero-config	❌ DIY	✅ <SimpleForm>
Field components	16 types (incl ArrayField)	UI kit dependent	20+ types
Dark mode	✅ 7 themes	UI kit dependent	✅
Glassmorphism	✅ Auth pages	❌	❌
Command palette	✅ Built-in	❌	❌
3D Permission Matrix	✅ Free Enterprise Component	❌ Official unspecified	❌ DIY
Audit Log Diff Viewer	✅ Free Enterprise Component	✅ Paid feature	❌ DIY
Zero-refresh Tenant Switch	✅ Free Enterprise Component	❌ DIY	❌ DIY

Developer Experience

Feature	svadmin	Refine	React Admin
Resource Type Registry	✅ Compile-time	❌	❌
End-to-end type inference	✅ via Elysia/Drizzle	❌	❌
CLI scaffolding	✅ @svadmin/create	✅ create-refine-app	✅ create-react-admin
Overtime tracking	✅ Built-in hooks	❌	❌
Steps form	✅ useStepsForm	✅	❌

AI & Intelligence

Feature	svadmin	Refine	React Admin
AI chat integration	✅ ChatProvider (streaming + sync)	❌	❌
Admin context injection	✅ ChatContext auto-injects resource/view	❌	❌
Tool calling + approval gates	✅ AgentProvider + AdminTool + needsApproval	❌	❌
Command palette AI mode	✅ ⌘K natural language query	❌	❌
Field inference	✅ Sample data + OpenAPI dual-engine	✅ Sample data	❌
Agent-ready scaffolding	✅ AGENTS.md built-in	❌	❌
MCP data gateway	🟡 Planned @svadmin/mcp	❌	❌
AI code generation	❌	✅ Refine AI Agent (commercial)	❌

Positioning: Refine focuses on “AI writes your Admin” (dev-time AI); svadmin focuses on “AI built into your Admin” (runtime AI). Both are valid, but runtime AI delivers direct value to end users.

When to Choose svadmin

• You want maximum performance — No virtual DOM, no runtime diffing. Svelte compiles components to direct DOM operations at build time, resulting in faster initial render, lower memory usage, and zero framework overhead at runtime
• You’re using Svelte — svadmin is the only production-grade headless admin for Svelte 5
• You want direct DB access — @svadmin/drizzle lets you skip the API layer entirely
• You need edge deployment — SQLite + Cloudflare D1 support via Drizzle
• You want full type safety — ResourceTypeMap + Elysia/Drizzle inference
• Bundle size matters — Svelte’s compiled output is significantly smaller than React’s runtime + virtual DOM
• You need fine-grained reactivity — Svelte 5 runes update only the exact DOM nodes that changed, unlike React which re-renders entire component subtrees
• You want AI built into your admin — ChatProvider + AgentProvider with tool calling, approval gates, and streaming out of the box

When to Choose Refine

• You’re on React — Refine’s ecosystem is mature and React-focused
• You need UI kit flexibility — Refine supports Ant Design, Material UI, Chakra, Mantine
• You need the largest community — More third-party integrations and tutorials

When to Choose React Admin

• You want batteries-included — Most complete out-of-the-box UI
• You need enterprise support — Commercial license and support available
• You have complex list views — DataGrid with inline editing, advanced filtering