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Bun vs Node vs Deno: The JavaScript Runtime Wars (2024)

Bun vs Node vs Deno: The JavaScript Runtime Wars (2024)

Ansh Gupta
5 min read
BunNode.jsDenoJavaScriptPerformanceRuntime

Bun vs Node vs Deno: The JavaScript Runtime Wars (2024)

The JavaScript runtime landscape is more competitive than ever. Here's my experience with all three in production.

Performance Benchmarks

I tested common operations across all runtimes:

OperationNode 20Deno 1.40Bun 1.0
Hello World HTTP65K req/s85K req/s110K req/s
File I/O (1MB)120ms95ms45ms
SQLite queries850/s1100/s4200/s
npm install (React)14s9s0.8s
Cold start35ms28ms15ms
Memory usage35MB42MB28MB

Feature Comparison

Bun

// Built-in TypeScript
import { serve } from "bun"

serve({
  port: 3000,
  fetch(req) {
    return new Response("Hello from Bun!")
  }
})

// Built-in test runner
import { test, expect } from "bun:test"

test("math", () => {
  expect(2 + 2).toBe(4)
})

// Built-in bundler
await Bun.build({
  entrypoints: ["./index.ts"],
  outdir: "./dist",
})

Deno

// Secure by default
// deno run --allow-net server.ts

Deno.serve({ port: 3000 }, (req) => {
  return new Response("Hello from Deno!")
})

// Built-in formatter and linter
// deno fmt
// deno lint

// Native TypeScript
const data: string = await Deno.readTextFile("./file.txt")

Node.js

// The standard
import { createServer } from 'http'

createServer((req, res) => {
  res.end('Hello from Node!')
}).listen(3000)

// Massive ecosystem
// 2.5M+ packages on npm
// Works with everything

Compatibility Deep Dive

Node.js Compatibility

Bun

  • ✅ Most npm packages work
  • ✅ Node APIs implemented
  • ⚠️ Some edge cases
  • ❌ Native addons hit/miss

Deno

  • ✅ npm: specifier support
  • ✅ Node compatibility mode
  • ⚠️ Requires flags
  • ❌ Not 100% compatible

Web Standards

Deno

// First-class Web APIs
const response = await fetch("https://api.example.com")
const data = await response.json()

// Web Streams
const file = await Deno.open("./large.txt")
const readable = file.readable

Bun

// Also Web-first
const server = Bun.serve({
  websocket: {
    message(ws, message) {
      ws.send(message) // Echo
    }
  }
})

Real-World Use Cases

When to Use Bun

  1. Performance Critical
// Bun shines with SQLite
import { Database } from "bun:sqlite"

const db = new Database("app.db")
const query = db.query("SELECT * FROM users WHERE id = ?")

// 5x faster than Node
for (let i = 0; i < 10000; i++) {
  query.get(i)
}
  1. Quick Scripts
# Run TypeScript directly
bun run script.ts

# Install deps crazy fast
bun install # <1s vs 15s

When to Use Deno

  1. Security Matters
// Explicit permissions
// deno run --allow-read=./data --allow-net=api.example.com app.ts

// Can't access outside permissions
  1. Modern Standards
// Built for Web APIs
const kv = await Deno.openKv()
await kv.set(["users", userId], userData)

// Deploy to edge easily
Deno.serve(handler) // Works on Deno Deploy

When to Use Node.js

  1. Enterprise/Legacy
  • Mature ecosystem
  • Every tool supports it
  • Extensive documentation
  • Hiring pool massive
  1. Complex Applications
  • Best debugger support
  • Most stable
  • Battle-tested
  • Corporate backing

Migration Strategies

Node → Bun

// package.json
{
  "scripts": {
    - "start": "node index.js",
    + "start": "bun index.js",
    - "test": "jest",
    + "test": "bun test"
  }
}

Most code just works. Watch for:

  • Native modules
  • Specific Node APIs
  • Testing frameworks

Node → Deno

// More work required
// Old (Node)
const fs = require('fs').promises
const data = await fs.readFile('./file.txt', 'utf8')

// New (Deno)
const data = await Deno.readTextFile('./file.txt')

Developer Experience

Bun

  • ⚡ Insanely fast everything
  • 🎯 Minimal config
  • 🔧 Great built-in tools
  • 📦 npm compatible

Deno

  • 🔒 Secure by default
  • 🌐 Web standards first
  • 📝 TypeScript native
  • 🧪 Built-in testing

Node.js

  • 📚 Unlimited resources
  • 🏢 Enterprise ready
  • 🔌 Works with everything
  • 👥 Huge community

Production Considerations

Stability

  • Node.js: Rock solid, 15+ years
  • Deno: Stable, 5+ years
  • Bun: Stable but young, 2+ years

Deployment

  • Node.js: Every platform
  • Deno: Deno Deploy, Docker, VPS
  • Bun: Docker, VPS, Railway

Monitoring

  • Node.js: Every APM tool
  • Deno: Growing support
  • Bun: Limited but improving

My Recommendations

Choose Bun For:

  • CLI tools
  • Build scripts
  • Performance-critical APIs
  • SQLite applications
  • Quick prototypes

Choose Deno For:

  • New greenfield projects
  • Security-sensitive apps
  • Edge deployment
  • Modern web APIs
  • Learning/teaching

Choose Node.js For:

  • Enterprise applications
  • Existing codebases
  • Maximum compatibility
  • Hiring considerations
  • Conservative teams

The Future

All three will coexist:

  • Node.js: The standard
  • Deno: The innovator
  • Bun: The speedster

Competition drives innovation. We all win.

Quick Decision Framework

Need maximum speed? → Bun
Need security/modern? → Deno  
Need compatibility? → Node.js
Need stability? → Node.js
Building new? → Try Bun/Deno
Have legacy? → Stick with Node

The best runtime is the one that ships your product. All three are production-ready in 2024.

AG

About Ansh Gupta

Frontend Developer with 3 years of experience building modern web applications. Based in Indore, India, passionate about React, TypeScript, and creating exceptional user experiences.

Learn more about me