@testing-library/react vs jest
Side-by-side comparison of @testing-library/react and jest
- Weekly Downloads
- 26.2M
- Stars
- 19.5K
- Gzip Size
- 101.4 kB
- License
- MIT
- Last Updated
- 20d ago
- Open Issues
- 74
- Forks
- 1.2K
- Unpacked Size
- 336.8 kB
- Dependencies
- 13
- Weekly Downloads
- 38.1M
- Stars
- 45.3K
- Gzip Size
- —
- License
- MIT
- Last Updated
- 2d ago
- Open Issues
- 237
- Forks
- 6.6K
- Unpacked Size
- 6.3 kB
- Dependencies
- —
Download Trends
Verdict
Both @testing-library/react and jest serve the testing community, but target different aspects of testing in JavaScript applications. @testing-library/react excels in providing utilities specifically designed for testing React components, promoting good testing practices and a focus on user interactions. In contrast, jest acts as a comprehensive testing framework suitable for various JavaScript projects, known for its ease of use and built-in functionalities like snapshot testing.
For teams focusing on testing React applications, @testing-library/react is the optimal choice as it provides tools tailored for component testing and encourages testing from the user's perspective. In contrast, jest is ideal for larger or more diverse codebases that may require a unified testing framework capable of handling multiple types of JavaScript tests, including unit and integration tests. It can be particularly beneficial for teams with different levels of experience in testing.
While @testing-library/react has a lower unpacked size, jest's extensive feature set could result in a steeper learning curve for newcomers. However, developers migrating from traditional testing setups may find jest's overall capabilities and community support to be a smoother transition, particularly when dealing with larger projects that require more than just UI testing.
Detailed Comparison
| Criteria | @testing-library/react | jest |
|---|---|---|
| Focus | Specializes in testing React components, emphasizing user experience. | Aimed at comprehensive JavaScript testing across various scenarios. |
| License | Both packages are under the MIT license, ensuring permissive use. | Both packages are under the MIT license, ensuring permissive use. |
| Open Issues | ✓74 open issues indicate an active development cycle with room for improvement. | 237 open issues suggest ongoing updates but a larger area for concern needing attention. |
| GitHub Stars | 19.5K stars reflect solid community support within the React realm. | ✓45.3K stars indicate widespread popularity and trust in the testing framework. |
| Last Updated | Recently updated in January 2026, reflecting ongoing maintenance and support. | Updated in February 2026, indicating active project management and responsiveness. |
| Ease of Setup | ✓Simpler setup if you are only testing React components. | More setup steps and configurations necessary for extensive JavaScript projects. |
| Unpacked Size | At 336.8 kB, it is relatively larger, reflecting a more specialized utility. | ✓Minimal at 6.3 kB, making it lightweight and easy to integrate. |
| Weekly Downloads | 26.4M downloads indicates a strong usage amongst React developers. | ✓38.0M downloads suggests broader adoption across various JavaScript projects. |
| Community Support | Well-supported within the React community, but less versatile overall. | ✓Broad community backing makes it a safer choice for multi-project scenarios. |
| Bundle Size (gzip) | 101.4 kB is reasonable for its functionality but larger than jest. | ✓A very small gzip size contributes to faster load times and reduced overhead. |