𝗡𝗼𝗱𝗲.𝗷𝘀 𝘃𝘀 𝗕𝘂𝗻 𝘃𝘀 𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗼 𝟮: 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗥𝘂𝗻𝘁𝗶𝗺𝗲 𝗪𝗶𝗻𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟲?
The JavaScript runtime landscape changed in two years. You no longer ask if you should switch. You must ask which runtime fits your specific job.
Here is how they compare based on performance and use cases.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝗻𝗰𝗲 𝗗𝗮𝘁𝗮
• Requests per second (REST):
- Bun: 110,000 req/s
- Deno: 85,000 req/s
- Node.js: 50,000 req/s
• Cold start times:
- Bun: 8-15ms
- Deno: 40-60ms
- Node.js: 60-120ms
• Memory usage (Idle):
- Bun: 18MB
- Deno: 30MB
- Node.js: 40MB
• Package install speed:
- Bun: 1.2 seconds for 847 packages
- npm: 32 seconds for 847 packages
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗱𝗼𝘄𝗻
𝗕𝘂𝗻 Bun is the speed leader. It uses the JavaScriptCore engine for fast starts and low memory. It includes a package manager, bundler, and test runner in one tool. Use Bun for serverless functions, high-throughput APIs, and CLI tools.
𝗗𝗲𝗻𝗼 Deno 2 brings strong Node.js compatibility. It handles npm packages and workspaces well. It offers built-in type checking with the deno check command. Use Deno for TypeScript-heavy projects and security-sensitive apps due to its default-deny permission model.
𝗡𝗼𝗱𝗲.𝗷𝘀 Node.js 24 is the stable choice for enterprise. It now supports running TypeScript files directly and has a built-in test runner. It lacks a built-in bundler but offers long-term support (LTS) and the largest ecosystem. Use Node.js for large enterprise workloads and existing codebases.
𝗪𝗵𝗶𝗰𝗵 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝘀𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗸?
- Serverless/Edge: Bun
- High-speed APIs: Bun
- Enterprise/Regulated: Node.js
- Security-focused: Deno
- TypeScript-first: Deno
- Monorepos: Bun
- Existing large projects: Node.js
Do not rely only on benchmarks. Run autocannon on your actual endpoints before you switch.