Framework Comparison

As of 2026-08. Peers: Next.js 16, Nuxt 4, SvelteKit 2, SolidStart, Astro 5/6, TanStack Start, and Analog 2.7. Use the matrix to decide when ubean fits — and when another framework is a better choice.

The ubean column is scored by whether the default path actually does the thing, not by whether a TypeScript field exists. ⚠️ means partial, in-memory defaults, or APIs that are not mounted by createUbeanApp.

Overview Matrix

How to read the ubean column

• Wired: streaming SSR, SSG, file-based routing (including parallel routes), Server Actions / defineServerFn, useFetch, select SSR (false / 'data-only' / true), .server.vue, Islands, vue-i18n 11, OpenAPI + Scalar, preset generators.
• API exists, default path incomplete: ISR on Node production defaults to fs (.ubean/cache); serverless/edge stay in-process memory. Component cache stays in memory. Sessions stay opt-in. CSRF (origin), security headers, and fetch Data Cache middleware mount by default. src/sitemap.ts / robots.ts conventions are registered by createUbeanApp. With image enabled, /_ipx is mounted in both dev and production (passthrough without a transform library, X-IPX-Mode: passthrough). Production bundles src/crons; persistent runtimes start the in-process scheduler, serverless does not. CF / Vercel Queue/DB use @ubean/server/drivers — memory is not a substitute.
• Deliberately out of scope: React Server Components, a multi-UI runtime, a second in-house i18n engine, intercepting routes ((.) / (..) / (...) directories — see Dialogs and shareable URLs), and Nuxt-style client middleware/*.global files (use defineApp({ router: { setup } }) for guards). Need RSC? Use Next.js. Need a multi-framework content site? Use Astro.

Feature Highlights

Rendering

Streaming SSR, SSG, ISR (at the rules layer), and routeRules / definePage ssr (true / 'data-only' / false / 'streaming') / prerender / isr. ssr: false skips the loader; 'data-only' runs the loader but returns a CSR shell. Today ppr: true means forced streaming SSR plus prerender discovery — not Next.js Partial Prerendering with a static shell. Server-only UI uses .server.vue (optionally paired with .client.vue). Shipping less client JS uses v-client.* islands. defineServerIsland() wraps async components in <Suspense>; that is a streaming hole, not a static shell.

Data and mutations

• Server Actions / Form Actions: defineAction() / defineServerFn() plus SvelteKit-style ?/<name> URLs, stable action IDs, and callAction / useAction / useFormAction / invokeServerFn. Same POST /__actions; optionally expose with describeActionsOpenApi().
• useData / useAsyncData / useFetch / defer: SSR payload hydration. useFetch wraps useAsyncData; inject @soybeanjs/fetch via setDefaultFetch(createRequest()). ubean does not invent an HTTP client.
• after(): post-response work that does not block TTFB.
• Sessions stay opt-in. CSRF (origin) and Data Cache middleware mount by default.

Routing

File-based routes, parallel routes (@slotName/ → Vue Router named views + <SlotView>), groups, nested layouts, and 404 / loading / error convention files. routeRules.redirect / rewrite / proxy / headers all run. rewrite rematches internally; proxy forwards to the target URL.

Internationalization

Config lives only on ubean.config.ts → i18n. Vue uses vue-i18n 11 (legacy: false). Hono and vue-router share compileLocalePaths(). createUbeanApp mounts the middleware. Import useI18n from vue-i18n (direct source); setLocale from ubean/client.

Developer experience

• OpenAPI (/_openapi.json + Scalar) — first-class in few meta-frameworks.
• Islands (v-client.* + runtime wrappers) — uncommon in Vue meta-frameworks.
• Electron, PWA, Pinia, UI load from top-level ubean.config.ts fields and stay out of the core dependency graph.
• CLI scaffolds: page / api / layout / middleware / cron, and more. ubean analyze reads the Vite client manifest and writes .ubean/bundle-baseline.json.

Deployment platforms

Every preset extends node and can generate its config file. Detection uses config files, environment variables, or package.json dependencies.

When ubean fits

1. You want a Vue-only full-stack framework (pages + API + SSR), not React / Angular / multi-UI.
2. You want Islands to ship less client JS, with optional .server.vue.
3. You want Hono-native + Vite, deploying to Node / Bun / Deno / Cloudflare / Vercel / Netlify.
4. You want in-framework OpenAPI and vue-i18n 11 locale routing, not a pile of extra modules.

When to pick someone else

TanStack Start and Analog are not drop-in substitutes (different UI runtimes). They are listed because they represent the other 2026 Vite meta-framework path: router-first, typed server functions, selective SSR. ubean aims at those capabilities on the Vue side — it does not port those runtimes.