About Svelte
Svelte compiles components at build time. The browser then runs the output, not a large framework runtime. SvelteKit is the related project for routing and server rendering.
Why it exists
A component model used to mean shipping a large runtime. Svelte moves that work into the compiler.
Who uses it
Front-end developers who want a small client and a short component file.
What it is used for
Application interfaces. The compiler is a build tool. It is not a process on your server.
Open source behind the product
Svelte is MIT-licensed. A SvelteKit app deploys with the adapter you pick, including a Node server or static files. There is no paid Svelte runtime.
How to run it on a server
- Scaffold with the official CLI and Node. Build in CI.
- If you use SvelteKit with a server adapter, follow that adapter's deploy guide and its environment variables.
- A static adapter publishes files only. There is then no application process to keep running.
Follow the project's own guide for the version you install. Commands and file names change between releases.
How to contribute
sveltejs/svelte and the SvelteKit repository are separate. Match the change to the right one and read that repo's contributing guide.
- Read the project's guidelines. Open the repository and look for CONTRIBUTING, the code of conduct and the README.
- Find something to work on. Browse good first issues or all open issues. Documentation and bug reports count.
- Make a small change. Fork the repository, work on a branch, and keep the change focused.
- Open a pull request. Say what changed and why, and link the issue. See open pull requests.
Contributions are accepted under the project's own licence (MIT). Some projects also ask you to sign a contributor agreement. A doc fix or a reproduced bug is a real contribution.
Licence: MIT
Permissive. You can use, modify and distribute it, including commercially, as long as you keep the copyright and licence notice.
This is a plain-English guide, not legal advice. Read the licence in the repository before you ship it or sell a service on top of it.