oven-sh/bun

🔥 Hot★ 91,932ZigAudience · developerComplexity · 3/5ActiveSetup · easy

Mindmap

mindmap
  root((Bun))
    What it does
      Runtime for JS/TS
      Package manager
      Test runner
      Code bundler
    Key features
      Drop-in Node replacement
      Built-in HTTP and WebSocket
      SQLite and PostgreSQL
      TypeScript out of box
    Use cases
      Speed up dev loop
      Start new projects
      Migrate from Node.js
    Tech stack
      Zig language
      JavaScriptCore engine
      Single executable

mindmap root((Bun)) What it does Runtime for JS/TS Package manager Test runner Code bundler Key features Drop-in Node replacement Built-in HTTP and WebSocket SQLite and PostgreSQL TypeScript out of box Use cases Speed up dev loop Start new projects Migrate from Node.js Tech stack Zig language JavaScriptCore engine Single executable

Things people build with this

USE CASE 1

Replace Node.js, npm, and bundlers with a single tool to speed up your development workflow.

USE CASE 2

Start a new JavaScript or TypeScript project without installing and configuring multiple separate tools.

USE CASE 3

Gradually migrate an existing Node.js codebase to a faster runtime without rewriting code.

USE CASE 4

Build HTTP servers and WebSocket applications with built-in APIs instead of external packages.

Tech stack

ZigJavaScriptCoreJavaScriptTypeScriptNode.js compatible

Getting it running

Difficulty · easy Time to first run · 5min

License could not be detected automatically. Check the repository's LICENSE file before use.

In plain English

Bun is an all-in-one toolkit for running, building, testing, and packaging JavaScript and TypeScript applications. It ships as a single executable. The motivation is that the typical JavaScript workflow needs several separate tools, one to run code, another to bundle it for the browser, a third to install packages, a fourth to run tests, and each tool brings its own configuration, slowdowns, and rough edges. Bun bundles all of those jobs into one program designed to be faster than the existing options. At its core is the Bun runtime, which is described as a drop-in replacement for Node.js, meaning code and packages written for Node.js are intended to work without changes. The runtime is written in Zig and uses JavaScriptCore underneath, which the project says reduces startup time and memory use. The same bun command also installs packages (replacing npm), runs tests (replacing test frameworks), runs scripts from package.json, and bundles code for production. TypeScript and JSX are supported out of the box without extra configuration. You would use Bun if you want a faster development loop than the standard Node.js toolchain provides, if you are starting a new project and want one tool instead of many, or if you want to gradually adopt a faster runtime for an existing Node.js codebase. Bun supports several operating systems and CPU architectures including Linux, macOS, and Windows, on both x64 and arm64. The project also ships built-in APIs for serving HTTP, WebSockets, file input and output, archives, and direct SQLite and PostgreSQL access. Installation is via a curl install script, npm, Homebrew, or Docker.

Copy-paste prompts

Prompt 1

How do I install Bun and use it to run a TypeScript file instead of Node.js?

Prompt 2

Show me how to set up a new Bun project with package.json and install dependencies.

Prompt 3

How do I write and run tests in Bun without installing a separate test framework?

Prompt 4

Can I use Bun to bundle my JavaScript code for production, and how does it compare to webpack?

Prompt 5

How do I create an HTTP server with Bun using its built-in APIs?

Open on GitHub → Explain another repo

Generated 2026-05-18 · Model: sonnet-4-6 · Verify against the repo before relying on details.