chat-js vs boardui
Two of the top projects in Chat apps, side by side: who leads on each score part and who each one suits, then setup, license, activity and what each review found.
chat-js
Next.js AI chat app scaffold with auth, branching and sharing
boardui
React component library for agent UIs, installed as source via CLI
Verdict
chat-js ranks higher, 72 to 56. Of the 4 score parts we measure for both, chat-js leads on 3, boardui on none and 1 is even.
- Adoptionchat-js leads by 4 points, 31 to 27: close to even.
- FreshnessEven at 100.
- Maintenancechat-js leads by 31 points, 81 to 50: a wide gap.
- Agent-readychat-js leads by 55 points, 85 to 30: a wide gap.
Pick chat-js if you are
Developers building a Next.js AI chat product on Vercel and Postgres
- Scaffold CLI generates chat.config.ts and lists env vars for the chosen options
- Covers branching, public sharing, attachments, MCP and sandboxed code execution
Pick boardui if you are
React and Next.js developers building agent chat UIs and dashboards
- Components are copied as source, so you can edit every file
- One AI_API_KEY selects among 7 providers by key prefix, plus OpenAI-compatible servers
| What we compare | chat-js | boardui |
|---|---|---|
| Score parts, out of 100 | ||
| Adoption | 31, known | 27, niche |
| Freshness | 100, active | 100, active |
| Maintenance | 81, healthy | 50, fair |
| Agent-ready | 85, ready | 30, minimal |
| Facts from GitHub and the README | ||
| Stars | 1.2k | 1.2k |
| License | Apache-2.0 (permissive) | MIT (permissive) |
| Last commit | Nov 2026 | Oct 2026 |
| Last release | Sep 2026 | None published |
| Language | TypeScript | TypeScript |
| Docker | No | No |
| GPU | Not needed | Not needed |
| arm64 or Apple Silicon | Not stated | Not stated |
chat-js
ChatJS is a Next.js chat application generated with `npx chat-js@alpha create`, which asks for gateway, feature and auth choices and writes a `chat.config.ts`. It uses the AI SDK with Vercel AI Gateway for 120+ models, Better Auth, Drizzle on PostgreSQL, and the EVE runtime for durable conversations and approvals. Chat features include attachments, branching, public sharing, web search, image generation, code execution and MCP.
Who it is for: Developers building a Next.js AI chat product on Vercel and Postgres
Strengths
- Scaffold CLI generates chat.config.ts and lists env vars for the chosen options
- Covers branching, public sharing, attachments, MCP and sandboxed code execution
- EVE runtime provides durable transcripts, approvals and stream recovery
- Optional Electron packaging for macOS, Windows and Linux desktop apps
Weaknesses
- CLI is alpha and its APIs are still changing; no stable 1.0 yet
- README says the EVE-only runtime is not yet established as production-ready
- Historical ChatJS conversations are not imported into the EVE runtime
- Built around Vercel AI Gateway and Blob; needs PostgreSQL and Node 24+
- TypeScript, Claude, GPT, Gemini, Grok
- Needs PostgreSQL, Vercel AI Gateway, Vercel Blob, EVE runtime, Node 24+, Bun
boardui
BoardUI is a set of 69 free React components, built on React Aria Components and Tailwind CSS v4, that `npx boardui add` copies into a Next.js project as source. It covers agent pieces (chat, thinking indicator, agent log, composer) and dashboard pieces (data table, data grid, charts, sidebar, auth cards). The repo also runs as a chat app at `/` that streams replies from a provider chosen by the API key's prefix.
Who it is for: React and Next.js developers building agent chat UIs and dashboards
Strengths
- Components are copied as source, so you can edit every file
- One AI_API_KEY selects among 7 providers by key prefix, plus OpenAI-compatible servers
- Ships an MCP server, AGENTS.md rules and llms.txt for coding agents
- No database needed; chat history stays in the browser
Weaknesses
- Repo is generated from upstream source and accepts no pull requests
- Free tier only; the README implies paid items exist beyond the 69 here
- Chat endpoint is open to anyone with the URL, so cost depends on key limits
- Install targets Next.js projects only
- TypeScript, Anthropic, OpenAI, Google Gemini, OpenRouter
- Needs Node.js, Next.js, LLM provider API key
- env example file
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