They differ from kakawin in that they use Javanese meters instead of imported Sanskrit ones, and mostly appeared later.
Like kakawin, they later became an important source of inspiration for pictorial art.
[1] They are also distinguished from the tantri, which, though similar in form, are adapted from Indian fables.
Another group consists of historical romances, relating the history of Singhasari and Majapahit until about 1360, and the Javanese colony on Bali until 1651.
These feature lively description, which was enhanced by the naturalness of the Javanese (in contrast to the Sanskrit) meters for the language.