Anvil App Server vs Lowdefy
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted developer tools & git options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | Anvil App Server | Lowdefy |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 71 · Good | 87 · Excellent |
| Category | Developer Tools & Git | Developer Tools & Git |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | JavaScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | source, bare-metal | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,025 | ★ 3,009 |
| First released | 2020 | 2020 |
| Replaces | Anvil Cloud, Retool | Retool, Appsmith |
What are Anvil App Server and Lowdefy?
Anvil App Server
The Anvil App Server is the open-source runtime that lets you host web applications built with Anvil's drag-and-drop Python builder on your own infrastructure. It includes a database and server-side Python execution.
- Host Anvil apps locally
- Server-side Python
- Bundled database
- Full-stack runtime
Lowdefy
Lowdefy is an open-source low-code framework for building web apps, admin panels and internal tools using simple YAML configuration files. The apps run on a self-hostable Node.js server.
- Apps defined in YAML
- No frontend code
- Many data connectors
- Self-hosted server
Anvil App Server vs Lowdefy: key differences
Anvil App Server is written in TypeScript, while Lowdefy is built with JavaScript. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Anvil App Server versus Apache-2.0 for Lowdefy. Lowdefy is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Anvil App Server. Lowdefy has the considerably larger community, at 3,009 GitHub stars versus 1,025. Lowdefy lists first-class Docker deployment; Anvil App Server does not.
Why pick each one
Choose Anvil App Server if…
- Released under the AGPL-3.0 license
- Active community (1k GitHub stars)
- Written in TypeScript
Choose Lowdefy if…
- Released under the Apache-2.0 license
- Easy to set up — beginner-friendly
- First-class Docker support for quick deployment
- Active community (3k GitHub stars)
Frequently asked questions
Is Anvil App Server or Lowdefy better?
Lowdefy is the stronger all-round pick: it has both the larger community and the simpler easy setup. Consider Anvil App Server if its specific feature set fits your needs better.
Are Anvil App Server and Lowdefy free and open-source?
Yes. Anvil App Server is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Lowdefy under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anvil App Server and Lowdefy with Docker?
Anvil App Server: check the project docs for container support. Lowdefy: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Anvil App Server or Lowdefy?
Lowdefy has the smaller minimum footprint at 512 MB of RAM, compared to about 1,024 MB for Anvil App Server. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.