ethers vs web3-provider-engine vs @web3-react/core vs @walletconnect/web3-provider
Web3 JavaScript Libraries Comparison
1 Year
ethersweb3-provider-engine@web3-react/core@walletconnect/web3-providerSimilar Packages:
What's Web3 JavaScript Libraries?

These libraries facilitate interaction with Ethereum and other blockchain networks, providing developers with tools to build decentralized applications (dApps). They enable functionalities such as wallet integration, state management, and communication with smart contracts, making it easier to create user-friendly blockchain applications. Each library has its unique strengths, catering to different aspects of web3 development, from wallet connectivity to state management and contract interactions.

Package Weekly Downloads Trend
Github Stars Ranking
Stat Detail
Package
Downloads
Stars
Size
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Publish
License
ethers1,946,7418,24412.9 MB5886 days agoMIT
web3-provider-engine113,4416024.24 MB7a year agoMIT
@web3-react/core56,1755,63967.6 kB1742 years agoGPL-3.0-or-later
@walletconnect/web3-provider25,0691,536876 kB53-Apache-2.0
Feature Comparison: ethers vs web3-provider-engine vs @web3-react/core vs @walletconnect/web3-provider

Wallet Integration

  • ethers:

    Ethers offers built-in support for wallet integration, allowing users to connect their wallets directly within the application. It provides utilities for managing wallet connections, signing transactions, and sending Ether, making it straightforward for developers to implement wallet functionality.

  • web3-provider-engine:

    This package is designed to support custom wallet integrations by allowing developers to create their own provider. It can manage multiple wallet connections and data sources, making it a flexible option for applications that require tailored wallet solutions.

  • @web3-react/core:

    While primarily focused on state management, this library also facilitates wallet integration through hooks that manage connection states. It allows developers to easily connect to various wallet providers and handle user sessions effectively within React applications.

  • @walletconnect/web3-provider:

    This library provides a seamless way to connect various wallet providers, including mobile wallets, through the WalletConnect protocol. It allows users to interact with dApps using their preferred wallets without compromising security, as it does not require private keys to be exposed.

Smart Contract Interaction

  • ethers:

    Ethers excels in smart contract interactions, providing a simple and intuitive API for deploying and interacting with contracts. It allows developers to call contract methods, listen for events, and manage contract state efficiently, making it a go-to choice for Ethereum development.

  • web3-provider-engine:

    This library facilitates smart contract interactions by allowing developers to create a custom provider that can handle various blockchain data sources. It is particularly useful for applications that require complex interactions with multiple contracts or data feeds.

  • @web3-react/core:

    It provides hooks that can be used in conjunction with other libraries to interact with smart contracts. While it manages connection states, developers will need to integrate it with libraries like ethers or web3.js for contract interactions.

  • @walletconnect/web3-provider:

    This library does not directly handle smart contract interactions but facilitates wallet connections that can execute smart contract functions. It relies on other libraries like ethers or web3.js for contract interaction once connected.

Learning Curve

  • ethers:

    Ethers has a gentle learning curve, especially for those new to Ethereum development. Its clear documentation and intuitive API make it easy to get started with smart contracts and wallet management, appealing to both beginners and experienced developers.

  • web3-provider-engine:

    This library has a steeper learning curve due to its customizable nature. Developers need to understand how to create and manage providers effectively, which may require more in-depth knowledge of web3 concepts and architecture.

  • @web3-react/core:

    The learning curve is moderate, as it requires understanding React hooks and context. However, once familiar with these concepts, developers can efficiently manage wallet connections and blockchain state in their applications.

  • @walletconnect/web3-provider:

    This library is relatively easy to learn, especially for developers familiar with wallet integration concepts. Its straightforward API allows for quick implementation of wallet connections, making it accessible for beginners in web3 development.

Extensibility

  • ethers:

    Ethers is extensible in terms of its functionality, allowing developers to create custom utilities and wrappers around its core features. However, it is primarily focused on Ethereum, which may limit its use in multi-chain applications without additional libraries.

  • web3-provider-engine:

    This package is built for extensibility, enabling developers to create custom providers that can handle various blockchain data sources. Its architecture supports plugins and extensions, making it suitable for complex applications that require tailored data handling.

  • @web3-react/core:

    Highly extensible, this library allows developers to create custom hooks and components for managing wallet connections and state. It can be easily integrated with other libraries, providing flexibility in how developers structure their applications.

  • @walletconnect/web3-provider:

    This library is designed to be extensible, allowing developers to add support for additional wallet providers as needed. Its modular architecture makes it easy to integrate with various dApp frameworks and tools.

Performance

  • ethers:

    Ethers is known for its high performance, providing fast interactions with the Ethereum blockchain. Its lightweight design and efficient handling of transactions and contract calls contribute to a smooth user experience in dApps.

  • web3-provider-engine:

    Performance can vary based on the implementation of the custom provider. It allows for optimization based on specific application needs, but developers must ensure that their provider is efficient to avoid bottlenecks.

  • @web3-react/core:

    Performance is optimized for React applications, as it minimizes unnecessary re-renders through its context API. This ensures that only components that need to update will do so, enhancing the overall performance of the application.

  • @walletconnect/web3-provider:

    The performance is generally good, as it efficiently manages wallet connections without significant overhead. However, the actual performance may depend on the wallet provider being used and the network conditions.

How to Choose: ethers vs web3-provider-engine vs @web3-react/core vs @walletconnect/web3-provider
  • ethers:

    Select ethers if you want a lightweight, user-friendly library for interacting with the Ethereum blockchain. It offers a comprehensive set of tools for managing wallets, signing transactions, and interacting with smart contracts, making it suitable for developers who prioritize simplicity and performance.

  • web3-provider-engine:

    Use this package if you need a customizable and extensible provider for web3 applications. It allows you to create your own provider that can handle multiple sources of blockchain data, making it a good choice for developers looking to build complex applications with specific data handling needs.

  • @web3-react/core:

    Opt for this package if you require a robust state management solution for your web3 application. It provides hooks and context for managing wallet connections and blockchain state efficiently, making it ideal for React applications that need to maintain connection states and user sessions.

  • @walletconnect/web3-provider:

    Choose this package if you need to integrate wallet connections in your dApp, particularly for mobile wallets. It supports multiple wallet providers and is essential for enabling users to interact with your application seamlessly through their wallets.

README for ethers

The Ethers Project

npm (tag) CI Tests npm bundle size (version) npm (downloads) GitPOAP Badge Twitter Follow


A complete, compact and simple library for Ethereum and ilk, written in TypeScript.

Features

  • Keep your private keys in your client, safe and sound
  • Import and export JSON wallets (Geth, Parity and crowdsale)
  • Import and export BIP 39 mnemonic phrases (12 word backup phrases) and HD Wallets (English as well as Czech, French, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Simplified Chinese, Spanish, Traditional Chinese)
  • Meta-classes create JavaScript objects from any contract ABI, including ABIv2 and Human-Readable ABI
  • Connect to Ethereum nodes over JSON-RPC, INFURA, Etherscan, Alchemy, Ankr or MetaMask
  • ENS names are first-class citizens; they can be used anywhere an Ethereum addresses can be used
  • Small (~144kb compressed; 460kb uncompressed)
  • Tree-shaking focused; include only what you need during bundling
  • Complete functionality for all your Ethereum desires
  • Extensive documentation
  • Large collection of test cases which are maintained and added to
  • Fully written in TypeScript, with strict types for security and safety
  • MIT License (including ALL dependencies); completely open source to do with as you please

Keep Updated

For advisories and important notices, follow @ethersproject on Twitter (low-traffic, non-marketing, important information only) as well as watch this GitHub project.

For more general news, discussions, and feedback, follow or DM me, @ricmoo on Twitter or on the Ethers Discord.

For the latest changes, see the CHANGELOG.

Summaries

Installing

NodeJS

/home/ricmoo/some_project> npm install ethers

Browser (ESM)

The bundled library is available in the ./dist/ folder in this repo.

<script type="module">
    import { ethers } from "./dist/ethers.min.js";
</script>

Documentation

Browse the documentation online:

Providers

Ethers works closely with an ever-growing list of third-party providers to ensure getting started is quick and easy, by providing default keys to each service.

These built-in keys mean you can use ethers.getDefaultProvider() and start developing right away.

However, the API keys provided to ethers are also shared and are intentionally throttled to encourage developers to eventually get their own keys, which unlock many other features, such as faster responses, more capacity, analytics and other features like archival data.

When you are ready to sign up and start using for your own keys, please check out the Provider API Keys in the documentation.

A special thanks to these services for providing community resources:

Extension Packages

The ethers package only includes the most common and most core functionality to interact with Ethereum. There are many other packages designed to further enhance the functionality and experience.

  • MulticallProvider - A Provider which bundles multiple call requests into a single call to reduce latency and backend request capacity
  • MulticoinPlugin - A Provider plugin to expand the support of ENS coin types
  • GanaceProvider - A Provider for in-memory node instances, for fast debugging, testing and simulating blockchain operations
  • Optimism Utilities - A collection of Optimism utilities
  • LedgerSigner - A Signer to interact directly with Ledger Hardware Wallets

License

MIT License (including all dependencies).