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Rete.js vs Sequential Workflow Designer

Rete.js provides node-based visual programming but focuses on graph editing, not sequential step execution.

Short answer: Pick Rete.js if you want tailorable node-based visual editors; pick Sequential Workflow Designer if you want modular visual workflow components. Both are free and open source.

Which to pick

Pick Rete.js if you want…

  • Tailorable node-based visual editors
  • Integrations with Angular, Vue.js or React.js (on Rete.js' list, not Sequential Workflow Designer's)

Pick Sequential Workflow Designer if you want…

  • Modular visual workflow components
  • Integrations with TypeScript, JavaScript or JSON (on Sequential Workflow Designer's list, not Rete.js')

Side by side

What it is
Rete.js:Rete.js is a TypeScript-first framework for building node-based visual programming editors and processing graphs.
Sequential Workflow Designer:A framework-agnostic, TypeScript-first visual workflow designer, editor, and execution engine for web apps.
Best for
Rete.js:Tailorable node-based visual editors
Sequential Workflow Designer:Modular visual workflow components
Who it’s for
Rete.js:Developers building custom visual editors, dataflow tools, or graph-based applications.
Sequential Workflow Designer:Web developers building custom no-code or workflow automation tools.
Pricing
Rete.js:Open source
Sequential Workflow Designer:Open source
Starting price
Rete.js:Free
Sequential Workflow Designer:Free
Free plan or trial
Rete.js:Free to use
Sequential Workflow Designer:Free to use
Open source
Rete.js:Yes, 12,276 GitHub stars
Sequential Workflow Designer:Yes, 1,473 GitHub stars
Works with
Rete.js:Angular, Vue.js, React.js
Sequential Workflow Designer:TypeScript, JavaScript, JSON

Rete.js features

  • TypeScript-first API. Provides strong typing and IDE support for easier development and maintenance.
  • Engine for graph processing. Includes modules to execute dataflow and control-flow graphs directly.
  • Plugin architecture. Allows customization of UI and behavior via plugins and extensions.
  • Framework integrations. Works with Angular, Vue.js, React.js and other front-end libraries.
  • Code generation. Can generate executable code from the visual graph.
  • 3D embedding. Supports embedding editors inside 3D scenes for AR/VR interactions.

Sequential Workflow Designer features

  • Visual workflow canvas. Drag-and-drop interface for creating sequential steps on an SVG-based canvas.
  • Customizable step types. Define and style step UI and behavior to match any product.
  • JSON workflow definitions. Workflows are stored as JSON, enabling easy sharing and persistence.
  • Automatic editor generation. Declarative schemas generate configuration UI and validation logic.
  • Pluggable step handlers. Implement custom code for each step to integrate APIs or business logic.
  • Frontend & backend execution. The workflow machine can run in browsers or server environments.
  • Framework-agnostic. Works with any JavaScript framework or plain TypeScript projects.
  • Modular architecture. Designer, Editor, and Machine can be used independently or together.

Rete.js vs Sequential Workflow Designer FAQ

What is the difference between Rete.js and Sequential Workflow Designer?+

Rete.js provides node-based visual programming but focuses on graph editing, not sequential step execution.

Should I use Rete.js or Sequential Workflow Designer?+

Pick Rete.js if you want tailorable node-based visual editors or integrations with Angular, Vue.js or React.js (on Rete.js' list, not Sequential Workflow Designer's). Pick Sequential Workflow Designer if you want modular visual workflow components or integrations with TypeScript, JavaScript or JSON (on Sequential Workflow Designer's list, not Rete.js').

Is Rete.js or Sequential Workflow Designer free?+

Yes, both are free and open source.

Is Rete.js or Sequential Workflow Designer open source?+

Yes, both are open source: Rete.js (retejs/rete on GitHub, MIT license) and Sequential Workflow Designer (nocode-js/sequential-workflow-designer on GitHub, MIT license).

Do Rete.js and Sequential Workflow Designer integrate with the same tools?+

Their integration lists don't overlap: Rete.js lists Angular, Vue.js and React.js; Sequential Workflow Designer lists TypeScript, JavaScript and JSON.

On DevHunt

Rete.js

11 upvotes · Launched on DevHunt on Jan 17, 2023

Sequential Workflow Designer

1 upvote · Launched on DevHunt on Jun 30, 2026

Based on each tool's website and DevHunt data. Details may change; check the official sites.