kepler.gl vs deck.gl
A side-by-side comparison of two self-hosted maps & gis options — licensing, setup difficulty, resource needs, and what each one replaces.
| Feature | kepler.gl | deck.gl |
|---|---|---|
| Deploy effort | Read-the-docs project | Read-the-docs project |
| Health score | 94 · Excellent | 94 · Excellent |
| Category | Maps & GIS | Maps & GIS |
| License | MIT | MIT |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Setup difficulty | Medium | Medium |
| Min. RAM | 512 MB | 256 MB |
| Deployment | bare-metal, source | source |
| GitHub stars | ★ 12,023 | ★ 14,608 |
| First released | 2018 | 2016 |
| Replaces | Tableau, ArcGIS | Mapbox visualization, ArcGIS |
What are kepler.gl and deck.gl?
kepler.gl
kepler.gl is an open-source, high-performance web application for visualizing large-scale geospatial datasets. It can be self-hosted to explore location data with maps, heatmaps, and 3D layers.
- Large dataset visualization
- Heatmaps and 3D layers
- No coding required
- Browser-based
deck.gl
deck.gl is an open-source WebGL framework for visualizing large geospatial datasets as map overlays. It renders millions of points, arcs, and polygons on top of self-hosted basemaps.
- WebGL data visualization
- Large dataset rendering
- Map overlay layers
- Works with any basemap
kepler.gl vs deck.gl: key differences
Both projects are written in TypeScript. Deck.gl is the lighter option, starting around 256 MB of RAM against 512 MB for kepler.gl. Deck.gl is the more established project (first released 2016), while kepler.gl arrived in 2018.
Why pick each one
Choose kepler.gl if…
- Released under the MIT license
- Mature project with 12k GitHub stars
- Written in TypeScript
- Lightweight — runs in 512 MB RAM
Choose deck.gl if…
- Renders millions of points
- GPU-accelerated layers
- First-class React support
Watch out for
- Steep learning curve
- WebGL knowledge helps
Frequently asked questions
Is kepler.gl or deck.gl better?
Neither is universally better. deck.gl has the larger community; both share a medium setup difficulty, so the decision comes down to features and licensing.
Are kepler.gl and deck.gl free and open-source?
Yes. kepler.gl is licensed under MIT and deck.gl under MIT. Both can be self-hosted at no software cost.
Can I run kepler.gl and deck.gl with Docker?
kepler.gl: check the project docs for container support. deck.gl: check the project docs for container support.
Which is lighter on resources, kepler.gl or deck.gl?
deck.gl has the smaller minimum footprint at 256 MB of RAM, compared to about 512 MB for kepler.gl. Real-world usage depends on library size, user count, and enabled features.