Always getting new frameworks and libraries is what JavaScript is famous for. In July 2022, the ecosystem welcomed a new member, his Bun.js. Here we take a look at Bun.js and how it affects the wider JavaScript ecosystem.
What is Bun.js?
A bang is defined as “A fast all-in-one JavaScript runtime.” It is Jarred Sumner’s third runtime created using the Zig programming language, after Node.js and Deno.js.
Its primary purpose is to provide a platform for running JavaScript outside the browser like Node.js and Deno.js, but Bun offers new levels of speed and enhanced complexity. progressing to
Evolution of JavaScript
JavaScript was originally built to run only within browsers powered by engines such as SpiderMonkey and V8. In 2009, Ryan Dahl incorporated his V8 engine into his C++ program called Node.js. JavaScript has since become relevant for a variety of uses, including server-side and real-time applications.
Promises and ES modules are examples of modern JavaScript features that didn’t exist when Node.js was created. Ryan also gave a talk in 2018 about his regrets about Node.js. His regrets inspired his creation of Deno.js, which was released in 2020.
Deno is an executable built in Rust that aims to address all Node’s flaws, including security, performance, and native TypeScript support. It comes with tools that Node.js doesn’t have and is much faster and more secure than Node.js.
However, four years after its release, Deno still hasn’t seen the massive adoption it hoped for. Most modern systems are already node-based and changes can be painful for developers. Having to rewrite most npm packages to support Deno also makes it harder to adopt.
In July 2022, a new runtime Beta “Bun.js” is out. This is a hot topic both inside and outside the JavaScript community. The interoperability with Node.js and the fast performance that Node.js claims to offer has been eye-opening. There is also a debate that finally “Node-destroyer” has appeared.
How does Bun.js compare to Node.js and Deno.js?
Node, Deno, and Bun are all JavaScript runtimes outside the browser, and the differences between them are not neutralized.
Node.js was built with C++, Deno with Rust, and Bun with Zig. Bun’s website states, “The low-level control over memory and the lack of Zig’s hidden control flow make it easier to write fast software.”
Both Node and Deno run Google’s V8 engine, but Bun leverages the “quick start” performance of Webkit’s JavaScriptCore engine, which Apple’s Safari uses. Benchmark results on the website show that Bun outperforms both He Node and Deno in performance, running at least three times faster than both runtimes.
Bun has npm (node package manager) built-in, which makes installing packages from npm easy and fast (20x faster than Node), and also supports TypeScript and auto-transpiling TS and JSX files . Other exciting features of Bun include a built-in SQLite3 client, web APIs such as fetch and WebSockets, automatic loading of environment variables, test runners, and more.
Of all three, Bun takes the cake for performance, Node is still the most stable with a very large community, and Deno is currently the most secure.
Will Bun.js really impact the ecosystem?
The ecosystem is excited about Bun’s release. It’s understandable that the hype around Bun has grown so much since its announcement. That’s absolutely a big deal. Given its “blazing” speed and robust tools for productivity, JavaScript developers will really love it.
Additionally, Bun’s Discord server already has over 2000 members, proving the community’s excitement about this new technology.
What is the future of Node.js, Deno.js and Bun.js?
JavaScript isn’t going away anytime soon. In fact, this is one of the technologies he believes will still exist 10 years from now. Node, Deno and Bun have a future too.
Node is still being updated regularly and just recently released version 18.0, so having Deno and Bun around doesn’t hurt its future. Many companies like PayPal use his Node in their infrastructure and even new startups are following suit.
So does the actively developed and growing Deno. Deno is also branching out into SaaS solutions that offer managed JavaScript runtime services.
Bun.js is still unstable and has limited support (requires Windows Subsystem for Linux to run on Windows). It has a lot of features, but it still needs a lot of work, so it’s not an option for production ready software right now.
Bun’s future is certainly bright, but it’s logical to think that these three technologies will likely co-exist within the ecosystem, rather than one replacing the other.
Bun.js could be a game changer
Using Bun can improve many things about JavaScript. Perhaps the time has come for JavaScript to be better adopted in performance-critical areas such as AI/ML, game development, etc. Visit the Bun.sh website to learn how to install Bun and start developing.
