motia
Multi-Language Backend Framework that unifies APIs, background jobs, workflows, and AI Agents into a single core primitive with built-in observability and state management.
Top Related Projects
The library for web and native user interfaces.
This is the repo for Vue 2. For Vue 3, go to https://github.com/vuejs/core
Deliver web apps with confidence 🚀
web development for the rest of us
⚛️ Fast 3kB React alternative with the same modern API. Components & Virtual DOM.
A rugged, minimal framework for composing JavaScript behavior in your markup.
Quick Overview
Motia is an open-source project management and collaboration tool designed for software development teams. It aims to provide a streamlined interface for task management, project planning, and team communication, with a focus on simplicity and ease of use.
Pros
- Intuitive user interface for easy adoption by team members
- Integrated version control system compatibility (Git)
- Customizable workflow templates for different project methodologies
- Real-time collaboration features for improved team communication
Cons
- Limited integration options with third-party tools
- Lack of advanced reporting and analytics features
- Mobile app still in beta, with limited functionality
- Learning curve for some advanced features
Code Examples
As Motia is a project management tool and not a code library, there are no code examples to provide.
Getting Started
Since Motia is a web-based application, there is no code required to get started. However, here are the basic steps to begin using Motia:
- Visit the Motia website and sign up for an account
- Create a new project or join an existing one using an invitation link
- Set up your team members and assign roles
- Create tasks and organize them into sprints or milestones
- Start collaborating with your team using Motia's features
For more detailed instructions, refer to the official documentation on the Motia website.
Competitor Comparisons
The library for web and native user interfaces.
Pros of React
- Larger community and ecosystem with extensive third-party libraries
- More comprehensive documentation and learning resources
- Battle-tested in large-scale production environments
Cons of React
- Steeper learning curve for beginners
- Requires additional tools and libraries for a complete application
- More complex state management for large applications
Code Comparison
React:
function Welcome(props) {
return <h1>Hello, {props.name}</h1>;
}
const element = <Welcome name="Sara" />;
ReactDOM.render(element, document.getElementById('root'));
Motia:
// No direct equivalent code available for comparison
// Motia appears to be a different type of project
Additional Notes
- React is a widely-used JavaScript library for building user interfaces
- Motia seems to be a less known project with limited public information
- The comparison is limited due to lack of detailed information about Motia
- React has a clear focus on UI development, while Motia's purpose is unclear from available data
- For a more accurate comparison, more information about Motia would be needed
This is the repo for Vue 2. For Vue 3, go to https://github.com/vuejs/core
Pros of Vue
- Mature, widely-adopted framework with extensive ecosystem and community support
- Comprehensive documentation and learning resources
- Flexible and scalable for both small and large applications
Cons of Vue
- Steeper learning curve for beginners compared to Motia
- Potentially more complex setup and configuration
- Larger bundle size, which may impact initial load times
Code Comparison
Vue component:
<template>
<div>{{ message }}</div>
</template>
<script>
export default {
data() {
return {
message: 'Hello, Vue!'
}
}
}
</script>
Motia component:
import { Component } from 'motia';
class HelloWorld extends Component {
render() {
return `<div>${this.message}</div>`;
}
message = 'Hello, Motia!';
}
While both frameworks allow for component-based development, Vue uses a template-based approach with a more structured component definition. Motia, on the other hand, employs a class-based syntax with a simpler render method. Vue's template syntax may be more intuitive for some developers, while Motia's approach might appeal to those who prefer a more JavaScript-centric style.
Deliver web apps with confidence 🚀
Pros of Angular
- Mature, widely-adopted framework with extensive documentation and community support
- Comprehensive ecosystem with built-in tools for routing, forms, and HTTP requests
- Strong TypeScript integration for improved type checking and tooling
Cons of Angular
- Steeper learning curve due to its complexity and size
- Heavier bundle size compared to lighter alternatives
- More opinionated structure, which may limit flexibility for some projects
Code Comparison
Angular component:
@Component({
selector: 'app-root',
template: '<h1>{{title}}</h1>'
})
export class AppComponent {
title = 'Hello Angular';
}
Motia component (hypothetical, as no code is available in the repository):
// No code available for comparison
Summary
Angular is a full-featured, enterprise-grade framework with a large ecosystem and strong TypeScript support. It offers comprehensive tools but comes with a steeper learning curve and larger bundle size. Motia, on the other hand, appears to be a smaller, less established project with limited public information or code available for comparison. The choice between the two would depend on project requirements, team expertise, and desired level of framework support and features.
web development for the rest of us
Pros of Svelte
- Larger community and ecosystem with more resources and third-party libraries
- More mature and battle-tested in production environments
- Better performance due to its compile-time approach
Cons of Svelte
- Steeper learning curve for developers coming from traditional frameworks
- Less flexibility in terms of build process customization
- Smaller pool of experienced developers compared to React or Vue
Code Comparison
Svelte component:
<script>
let count = 0;
function increment() {
count += 1;
}
</script>
<button on:click={increment}>
Clicks: {count}
</button>
Motia component (hypothetical, as Motia's exact syntax is not publicly available):
import { Component } from 'motia';
class Counter extends Component {
state = { count: 0 };
increment() {
this.setState({ count: this.state.count + 1 });
}
render() {
return `
<button onclick="this.increment()">
Clicks: ${this.state.count}
</button>
`;
}
}
Note: The Motia code example is speculative due to limited public information about its API and syntax.
⚛️ Fast 3kB React alternative with the same modern API. Components & Virtual DOM.
Pros of Preact
- Significantly more popular and widely adopted (33.5k stars vs 7 stars)
- More comprehensive documentation and community support
- Smaller bundle size (3KB vs Motia's unknown size)
Cons of Preact
- Slightly more complex API compared to Motia's simplicity
- May have a steeper learning curve for beginners
- Less focused on specific use cases (Motia targets mobile apps)
Code Comparison
Preact:
import { h, render } from 'preact';
const App = () => <h1>Hello World!</h1>;
render(<App />, document.body);
Motia:
import { createComponent } from 'motia';
const App = createComponent({
render: () => '<h1>Hello World!</h1>'
});
App.mount(document.body);
Key Differences
- Preact uses JSX syntax, while Motia uses string templates
- Preact's API is closer to React, Motia has a unique approach
- Preact offers more features and flexibility, Motia focuses on simplicity
Use Cases
- Preact: Web applications, especially those migrating from React
- Motia: Mobile-first applications, projects prioritizing simplicity
Community and Ecosystem
- Preact: Large community, many third-party libraries and tools
- Motia: Small, emerging community, limited ecosystem at present
A rugged, minimal framework for composing JavaScript behavior in your markup.
Pros of Alpine
- More mature and widely adopted project with a larger community
- Extensive documentation and examples available
- Lighter weight and focused solely on frontend interactivity
Cons of Alpine
- Limited to frontend functionality, unlike Motia's full-stack approach
- Less integrated with backend frameworks and databases
- May require additional libraries for complex state management
Code Comparison
Alpine:
<div x-data="{ open: false }">
<button @click="open = !open">Toggle</button>
<span x-show="open">Content</span>
</div>
Motia:
<div m-state="{ open: false }">
<button m-on:click="open = !open">Toggle</button>
<span m-if="open">Content</span>
</div>
Both frameworks use a similar declarative syntax for managing state and interactivity. Alpine uses x-
prefixed attributes, while Motia uses m-
prefixed attributes. The main difference lies in Motia's additional backend integration capabilities, which are not visible in this frontend-only example.
Alpine focuses on providing a lightweight solution for adding JavaScript-powered interactivity to static HTML, making it ideal for enhancing existing sites or building simple interactive components. Motia, on the other hand, aims to offer a more comprehensive full-stack development experience, potentially simplifying the development process for applications that require tight integration between frontend and backend.
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ð¥ The Unified Backend Framework That Eliminates Runtime Fragmentation ð¥
APIs, background jobs, queueing, streaming, states, workflows, AI agents, observability, scaling, and deployment all in one system. JavaScript, TypeScript, Python, and more in a single core primitive
ð¡ Motia Manifesto ⢠ð Quick Start ⢠ð Defining Steps ⢠ð Docs
ð¯ What is Motia?
Backend development today is fragmented.
APIs live in one framework, background jobs in another, queues and schedulers elsewhere, and now AI agents and streaming systems have their own runtimes. Add observability and state management on top, and you're stitching together half a dozen tools before writing your first feature.
Motia unifies all of these concerns around one core primitive: the Step.
Just as React made frontend development simple by introducing components, Motia redefines backend development with Steps.
Every backend pattern, API endpoints, background jobs, queues, workflows, AI agents, streaming, observability, and state, is expressed with the same primitive.
To read more about this, check out our manifesto.
The Core Primitive: the Step
A Step is just a file with a config
and a handler
. Motia auto-discovers these files and connects them automatically.
Here's a simple example of two Steps working together: an API Step that emits an event, and an Event Step that processes it.
TypeScript
// steps/send-message.step.ts
export const config = {
name: 'SendMessage',
type: 'api',
path: '/messages',
method: 'POST',
emits: ['message.sent']
};
export const handler = async (req, { emit }) => {
await emit({
topic: 'message.sent',
data: { text: req.body.text }
});
return { status: 200, body: { ok: true } };
};
// steps/process-message.step.ts
export const config = {
name: 'ProcessMessage',
type: 'event',
subscribes: ['message.sent']
};
export const handler = async (input, { logger }) => {
logger.info('Processing message', input);
};
Python
# send_message_step.py
config = {
"name": "SendMessage",
"type": "api",
"path": "/messages",
"method": "POST",
"emits": ["message.sent"]
}
async def handler(req, context):
await context.emit({
"topic": "message.sent",
"data": {"text": req.body["text"]}
})
return {"status": 200, "body": {"ok": True}}
# process_message_step.py
config = {
"name": "ProcessMessage",
"type": "event",
"subscribes": ["message.sent"]
}
async def handler(input, context):
context.logger.info("Processing message", input)
JavaScript
// steps/send-message.step.js
const config = {
name: 'SendMessage',
type: 'api',
path: '/messages',
method: 'POST',
emits: ['message.sent']
};
const handler = async (req, { emit }) => {
await emit({
topic: 'message.sent',
data: { text: req.body.text }
});
return { status: 200, body: { ok: true } };
};
module.exports = { config, handler };
// steps/process-message.step.js
const config = {
name: 'ProcessMessage',
type: 'event',
subscribes: ['message.sent']
};
const handler = async (input, { logger }) => {
logger.info('Processing message', input);
};
module.exports = { config, handler };
ð With just two files, you've built an API endpoint, a queue, and a worker. No extra frameworks required.
ð» Remix your own Motia App in Replit
ð Quickstart
Get Motia project up and running in under 60 seconds:
1. Bootstrap a New Motia Project
npx motia@latest create # runs the interactive terminal
Follow the prompts to pick a template, project name, and language.
2. Start the Workbench
Inside your new project folder, launch the dev server:
npx motia dev # â http://localhost:3000
That's it! You have:
- â REST APIs with validation
- â Visual debugger & tracing
- â Multi-language support
- â Event-driven architecture
- â Zero configuration
- â AI development guides included (Cursor, OpenCode, Codex, and more)
ð¤ AI-Assisted Development
Every Motia project includes detailed AI development guides that work with any AI coding tool:
- Cursor IDE - Optimized
.mdc
rules with context-aware suggestions - OpenCode, Codex (OpenAI) - Full support via
AGENTS.md
standard - Aider, Jules, Factory, Amp, GitHub Copilot - Compatible with AGENTS.md format (used by 20k+ projects)
The guides include patterns for API endpoints, background tasks, state management, real-time streaming, and complete architecture blueprints.
ð¯ Step Types
Type | Trigger | Use Case |
---|---|---|
api | HTTP Request | REST endpoints |
event | Topic subscription | Background processing |
cron | Schedule | Recurring jobs |
noop | Manual | External processes |
ð¯ Examples
ð ChessArena.ai - Full-Featured Production App
A complete chess platform benchmarking LLM performance with real-time evaluation.
Live Website â | Source Code â
Built from scratch to production deployment, featuring:
- ð Authentication & user management
- ð¤ Multi-agent LLM evaluation (OpenAI, Claude, Gemini, Grok)
- ð Python engine integration (Stockfish chess evaluation)
- ð Real-time streaming with live move updates and scoring
- ð¨ Modern React UI with interactive chess boards
- ð Event-driven workflows connecting TypeScript APIs to Python processors
- ð Live leaderboards with move-by-move quality scoring
- ð Production deployment on Motia Cloud
ð More Examples
Example | Description |
---|---|
AI Research Agent | Web research with iterative analysis |
Streaming Chatbot | Real-time AI responses |
Gmail Automation | Smart email processing |
GitHub PR Manager | Automated PR workflows |
Finance Agent | Real-time market analysis |
Features demonstrated: Multi-language workflows ⢠Real-time streaming ⢠AI integration ⢠Production deployment
ð Language Support
Language | Status |
---|---|
JavaScript | â Stable |
TypeScript | â Stable |
Python | â Stable |
Ruby | ð§ Beta |
Go | ð Soon |
ð Resources
- ð Documentation - Complete guides and API reference
- ð¬ Discord - Community support and discussions
- ð GitHub Issues - Bug reports and feature requests
- ðºï¸ Roadmap - Upcoming features and progress
ð§ Roadmap
We have a public roadmap for Motia, you can view it here.
Feel free to add comments to the issues, or create a new issue if you have a feature request.
Feature | Status | Link | Description |
---|---|---|---|
Python Types | Planned | #485 | Add support for Python types |
Streams: RBAC | Planned | #495 | Add support for RBAC |
Streams: Workbench UI | Planned | #497 | Add support for Workbench UI |
Queue Strategies | Planned | #476 | Add support for Queue Strategies |
Reactive Steps | Planned | #477 | Add support for Reactive Steps |
Point in time triggers | Planned | #480 | Add support for Point in time triggers |
Workbench plugins | Planned | #481 | Add support for Workbench plugins |
Rewrite our Core in either Go or Rust | Planned | #482 | Rewrite our Core in either Go or Rust |
Decrease deployment time | Planned | #483 | Decrease deployment time |
Built-in database support | Planned | #484 | Add support for built-in database |
ð¤ Contributing
We welcome contributions! Check our Contributing Guide to get started.
Top Related Projects
The library for web and native user interfaces.
This is the repo for Vue 2. For Vue 3, go to https://github.com/vuejs/core
Deliver web apps with confidence 🚀
web development for the rest of us
⚛️ Fast 3kB React alternative with the same modern API. Components & Virtual DOM.
A rugged, minimal framework for composing JavaScript behavior in your markup.
Convert
designs to code with AI
Introducing Visual Copilot: A new AI model to turn Figma designs to high quality code using your components.
Try Visual Copilot