Both fast-glob and glob are file pattern matching libraries that help developers locate files using wildcard patterns like src/**/*.js. The glob package is the traditional, battle-tested solution that has been a staple in the Node.js ecosystem for years, while fast-glob emerged in 2016 as a performance-focused alternative with modern JavaScript features like Promises and streaming APIs.
This comparison matters because file globbing is a fundamental operation in build tools, linters, test runners, and CLI applications. The choice between these libraries impacts build performance, bundle size, and developer experience. fast-glob targets performance-conscious developers building modern tooling, while glob appeals to teams prioritizing stability and widespread ecosystem compatibility.
For most modern JavaScript projects, fast-glob is the superior choice. It delivers measurably better performance, smaller bundle size, TypeScript support out of the box, and a more flexible API with streaming and metadata options. The performance gains are particularly noticeable in toolchain operations that run frequently—linters, test runners, and build scripts all benefit from fast-glob's optimizations. Unless you have specific concerns about single-maintainer dependencies, fast-glob should be your default.
Choose glob only when organizational policies mandate avoiding single-maintainer dependencies or when you're maintaining legacy codebases already using glob extensively. The ecosystem maturity argument weakens as fast-glob has proven itself in production with 79 million weekly downloads and adoption by major projects like Prettier. For new projects, greenfield tooling, or performance-sensitive applications, fast-glob is the clear winner despite glob's historical significance.