Bolt.diy

Free, local, and open-source—Dyad is the beginner-friendly alternative to Bolt.diy.

Bolt.diy Summary

Bolt.diy is an open-source project forked from Bolt.new. Like Dyad, it allows you to run an AI-powered app builder locally and gives you flexibility in choosing which AI models to use.

Key Differences

• Dyad is easier for non-technical users to get started with – Dyad features a simple installation process that makes it accessible to non-engineers. In contrast, Bolt.diy has a more involved setup, requiring familiarity with the command line.

• Bolt.diy offers more advanced features for technical users – Bolt.diy supports a broader range of models and providers, with customization options that cater to power users. (Support for custom models is on the Dyad roadmap.) It also includes code diff viewing, whereas Dyad currently offers only an experimental code editor.

• Dyad runs apps directly on your machine, while Bolt.diy runs in the browser – Dyad executes apps using Node.js on your local machine, offering better performance. Bolt.diy, on the other hand, runs apps in a browser-based sandbox called WebContainers, which adds a layer of safety but comes with performance limitations and lacks support for native modules used in some npm packages.

Which Should You Choose?

If you're looking for a free, local, open-source AI app builder, both Bolt.diy and Dyad are excellent options. Dyad is ideal if you're a non-technical user looking to get started quickly. If you're a developer seeking deeper customization and code-level control, Bolt.diy may be the better fit.