Anvil App Server vs Streamlit
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 | Streamlit |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Under-an-hour setup |
| Health score | 71 · Good | 100 · Excellent |
| Category | Developer Tools & Git | Developer Tools & Git |
| License | AGPL-3.0 | Apache-2.0 |
| Language | TypeScript | Python |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Easy |
| Min. RAM | 1,024 MB | 512 MB |
| Deployment | source, bare-metal | docker, source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 1,025 | ★ 45,827 |
| First released | 2020 | 2019 |
| Replaces | Anvil Cloud, Retool | Retool, Tableau |
What are Anvil App Server and Streamlit?
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
Streamlit
Streamlit is a framework that lets data scientists build interactive web applications using only Python. Apps update automatically as you edit the script and can be self-hosted on any server.
- Pure Python data apps
- Automatic UI from script
- Rich widget library
- Self-hostable anywhere
Anvil App Server vs Streamlit: key differences
Anvil App Server is written in TypeScript, while Streamlit is built with Python. Licensing differs — AGPL-3.0 for Anvil App Server versus Apache-2.0 for Streamlit. Streamlit is the lighter option, starting around 512 MB of RAM against 1,024 MB for Anvil App Server. Streamlit has the considerably larger community, at 45,827 GitHub stars versus 1,025. Streamlit 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 Streamlit if…
- Pure Python apps
- Instant hot reloading
- Rich widget library
Watch out for
- Reruns script each interaction
- Limited layout flexibility
Frequently asked questions
Is Anvil App Server or Streamlit better?
Streamlit 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 Streamlit free and open-source?
Yes. Anvil App Server is licensed under AGPL-3.0 and Streamlit under Apache-2.0. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run Anvil App Server and Streamlit with Docker?
Anvil App Server: check the project docs for container support. Streamlit: yes.
Which is lighter on resources, Anvil App Server or Streamlit?
Streamlit 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.