bun-development

name	bun-development
description	Modern JavaScript/TypeScript development with Bun runtime. Covers package management, bundling, testing, and migration from Node.js. Use when working with Bun, optimizing JS/TS development speed, o...
risk	unknown
source	community
date_added	"2026-02-27T00:00:00.000Z"

⚡ Bun Development

Fast, modern JavaScript/TypeScript development with the Bun runtime, inspired by oven-sh/bun.

When to Use This Skill

Use this skill when:

• Starting new JS/TS projects with Bun
• Migrating from Node.js to Bun
• Optimizing development speed
• Using Bun's built-in tools (bundler, test runner)
• Troubleshooting Bun-specific issues

---

1. Getting Started

1.1 Installation

# macOS / Linux
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

# Windows
powershell -c "irm bun.sh/install.ps1 | iex"

# Homebrew
brew tap oven-sh/bun
brew install bun

# npm (if needed)
npm install -g bun

# Upgrade
bun upgrade

1.2 Why Bun?

Feature	Bun	Node.js
Startup time	~25ms	~100ms+
Package install	10-100x faster	Baseline
TypeScript	Native	Requires transpiler
JSX	Native	Requires transpiler
Test runner	Built-in	External (Jest, Vitest)
Bundler	Built-in	External (Webpack, esbuild)

---

2. Project Setup

2.1 Create New Project

# Initialize project
bun init

# Creates:
# ├── package.json
# ├── tsconfig.json
# ├── index.ts
# └── README.md

# With specific template
bun create <template> <project-name>

# Examples
bun create react my-app        # React app
bun create next my-app         # Next.js app
bun create vite my-app         # Vite app
bun create elysia my-api       # Elysia API

2.2 package.json

{
	"name": "my-bun-project",
	"version": "1.0.0",
	"module": "index.ts",
	"type": "module",
	"scripts": {
		"dev": "bun run --watch index.ts",
		"start": "bun run index.ts",
		"test": "bun test",
		"build": "bun build ./index.ts --outdir ./dist",
		"lint": "bunx eslint ."
	},
	"devDependencies": {
		"@types/bun": "latest"
	},
	"peerDependencies": {
		"typescript": "^5.0.0"
	}
}

2.3 tsconfig.json (Bun-optimized)

{
	"compilerOptions": {
		"lib": ["ESNext"],
		"module": "esnext",
		"target": "esnext",
		"moduleResolution": "bundler",
		"moduleDetection": "force",
		"allowImportingTsExtensions": true,
		"noEmit": true,
		"composite": true,
		"strict": true,
		"downlevelIteration": true,
		"skipLibCheck": true,
		"jsx": "react-jsx",
		"allowSyntheticDefaultImports": true,
		"forceConsistentCasingInFileNames": true,
		"allowJs": true,
		"types": ["bun-types"]
	}
}

---

3. Package Management

3.1 Installing Packages

# Install from package.json
bun install              # or 'bun i'

# Add dependencies
bun add express          # Regular dependency
bun add -d typescript    # Dev dependency
bun add -D @types/node   # Dev dependency (alias)
bun add --optional pkg   # Optional dependency

# From specific registry
bun add lodash --registry https://registry.npmmirror.com

# Install specific version
bun add react@18.2.0
bun add react@latest
bun add react@next

# From git
bun add github:user/repo
bun add git+https://github.com/user/repo.git

3.2 Removing & Updating

# Remove package
bun remove lodash

# Update packages
bun update              # Update all
bun update lodash       # Update specific
bun update --latest     # Update to latest (ignore ranges)

# Check outdated
bun outdated

3.3 bunx (npx equivalent)

# Execute package binaries
bunx prettier --write .
bunx tsc --init
bunx create-react-app my-app

# With specific version
bunx -p typescript@4.9 tsc --version

# Run without installing
bunx cowsay "Hello from Bun!"

3.4 Lockfile

# bun.lockb is a binary lockfile (faster parsing)
# To generate text lockfile for debugging:
bun install --yarn    # Creates yarn.lock

# Trust existing lockfile
bun install --frozen-lockfile

---

4. Running Code

4.1 Basic Execution

# Run TypeScript directly (no build step!)
bun run index.ts

# Run JavaScript
bun run index.js

# Run with arguments
bun run server.ts --port 3000

# Run package.json script
bun run dev
bun run build

# Short form (for scripts)
bun dev
bun build

4.2 Watch Mode

# Auto-restart on file changes
bun --watch run index.ts

# With hot reloading
bun --hot run server.ts

4.3 Environment Variables

// .env file is loaded automatically!

// Access environment variables
const apiKey = Bun.env.API_KEY
const port = Bun.env.PORT ?? '3000'

// Or use process.env (Node.js compatible)
const dbUrl = process.env.DATABASE_URL

# Run with specific env file
bun --env-file=.env.production run index.ts

---

5. Built-in APIs

5.1 File System (Bun.file)

// Read file
const file = Bun.file('./data.json')
const text = await file.text()
const json = await file.json()
const buffer = await file.arrayBuffer()

// File info
console.log(file.size) // bytes
console.log(file.type) // MIME type

// Write file
await Bun.write('./output.txt', 'Hello, Bun!')
await Bun.write('./data.json', JSON.stringify({foo: 'bar'}))

// Stream large files
const reader = file.stream()
for await (const chunk of reader) {
	console.log(chunk)
}

5.2 HTTP Server (Bun.serve)

const server = Bun.serve({
	port: 3000,

	fetch(request) {
		const url = new URL(request.url)

		if (url.pathname === '/') {
			return new Response('Hello World!')
		}

		if (url.pathname === '/api/users') {
			return Response.json([
				{id: 1, name: 'Alice'},
				{id: 2, name: 'Bob'},
			])
		}

		return new Response('Not Found', {status: 404})
	},

	error(error) {
		return new Response(`Error: ${error.message}`, {status: 500})
	},
})

console.log(`Server running at http://localhost:${server.port}`)

5.3 WebSocket Server

const server = Bun.serve({
	port: 3000,

	fetch(req, server) {
		// Upgrade to WebSocket
		if (server.upgrade(req)) {
			return // Upgraded
		}
		return new Response('Upgrade failed', {status: 500})
	},

	websocket: {
		open(ws) {
			console.log('Client connected')
			ws.send('Welcome!')
		},

		message(ws, message) {
			console.log(`Received: ${message}`)
			ws.send(`Echo: ${message}`)
		},

		close(ws) {
			console.log('Client disconnected')
		},
	},
})

5.4 SQLite (Bun.sql)

import {Database} from 'bun:sqlite'

const db = new Database('mydb.sqlite')

// Create table
db.run(`
  CREATE TABLE IF NOT EXISTS users (
    id INTEGER PRIMARY KEY AUTOINCREMENT,
    name TEXT NOT NULL,
    email TEXT UNIQUE
  )
`)

// Insert
const insert = db.prepare('INSERT INTO users (name, email) VALUES (?, ?)')
insert.run('Alice', '[e-mail]')

// Query
const query = db.prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = ?')
const user = query.get('Alice')
console.log(user) // { id: 1, name: "Alice", email: "[e-mail]" }

// Query all
const allUsers = db.query('SELECT * FROM users').all()

5.5 Password Hashing

// Hash password
const password = 'super-secret'
const hash = await Bun.password.hash(password)

// Verify password
const isValid = await Bun.password.verify(password, hash)
console.log(isValid) // true

// With algorithm options
const bcryptHash = await Bun.password.hash(password, {
	algorithm: 'bcrypt',
	cost: 12,
})

---

6. Testing

6.1 Basic Tests

// math.test.ts
import {describe, it, expect, beforeAll, afterAll} from 'bun:test'

describe('Math operations', () => {
	it('adds two numbers', () => {
		expect(1 + 1).toBe(2)
	})

	it('subtracts two numbers', () => {
		expect(5 - 3).toBe(2)
	})
})

6.2 Running Tests

# Run all tests
bun test

# Run specific file
bun test math.test.ts

# Run matching pattern
bun test --grep "adds"

# Watch mode
bun test --watch

# With coverage
bun test --coverage

# Timeout
bun test --timeout 5000

6.3 Matchers

import {expect, test} from 'bun:test'

test('matchers', () => {
	// Equality
	expect(1).toBe(1)
	expect({a: 1}).toEqual({a: 1})
	expect([1, 2]).toContain(1)

	// Comparisons
	expect(10).toBeGreaterThan(5)
	expect(5).toBeLessThanOrEqual(5)

	// Truthiness
	expect(true).toBeTruthy()
	expect(null).toBeNull()
	expect(undefined).toBeUndefined()

	// Strings
	expect('hello').toMatch(/ell/)
	expect('hello').toContain('ell')

	// Arrays
	expect([1, 2, 3]).toHaveLength(3)

	// Exceptions
	expect(() => {
		throw new Error('fail')
	}).toThrow('fail')

	// Async
	await expect(Promise.resolve(1)).resolves.toBe(1)
	await expect(Promise.reject('err')).rejects.toBe('err')
})

6.4 Mocking

import {mock, spyOn} from 'bun:test'

// Mock function
const mockFn = mock((x: number) => x * 2)
mockFn(5)
expect(mockFn).toHaveBeenCalled()
expect(mockFn).toHaveBeenCalledWith(5)
expect(mockFn.mock.results[0].value).toBe(10)

// Spy on method
const obj = {
	method: () => 'original',
}
const spy = spyOn(obj, 'method').mockReturnValue('mocked')
expect(obj.method()).toBe('mocked')
expect(spy).toHaveBeenCalled()

---

7. Bundling

7.1 Basic Build

# Bundle for production
bun build ./src/index.ts --outdir ./dist

# With options
bun build ./src/index.ts \
  --outdir ./dist \
  --target browser \
  --minify \
  --sourcemap

7.2 Build API

const result = await Bun.build({
	entrypoints: ['./src/index.ts'],
	outdir: './dist',
	target: 'browser', // or "bun", "node"
	minify: true,
	sourcemap: 'external',
	splitting: true,
	format: 'esm',

	// External packages (not bundled)
	external: ['react', 'react-dom'],

	// Define globals
	define: {
		'process.env.NODE_ENV': JSON.stringify('production'),
	},

	// Naming
	naming: {
		entry: '[name].[hash].js',
		chunk: 'chunks/[name].[hash].js',
		asset: 'assets/[name].[hash][ext]',
	},
})

if (!result.success) {
	console.error(result.logs)
}

7.3 Compile to Executable

# Create standalone executable
bun build ./src/cli.ts --compile --outfile myapp

# Cross-compile
bun build ./src/cli.ts --compile --target=bun-linux-x64 --outfile myapp-linux
bun build ./src/cli.ts --compile --target=bun-darwin-arm64 --outfile myapp-mac

# With embedded assets
bun build ./src/cli.ts --compile --outfile myapp --embed ./assets

---

8. Migration from Node.js

8.1 Compatibility

// Most Node.js APIs work out of the box
import crypto from 'crypto'
import path from 'path'
import fs from 'fs'

// process is global
console.log(process.cwd())
console.log(process.env.HOME)

// Buffer is global
const buf = Buffer.from('hello')

// __dirname and __filename work
console.log(__dirname)
console.log(__filename)

8.2 Common Migration Steps

# 1. Install Bun
curl -fsSL https://bun.sh/install | bash

# 2. Replace package manager
rm -rf node_modules package-lock.json
bun install

# 3. Update scripts in package.json
# "start": "node index.js" → "start": "bun run index.ts"
# "test": "jest" → "test": "bun test"

# 4. Add Bun types
bun add -d @types/bun

8.3 Differences from Node.js

// ❌ Node.js specific (may not work)
require("module")             // Use import instead
require.resolve("pkg")        // Use import.meta.resolve
__non_webpack_require__       // Not supported

// ✅ Bun equivalents
import pkg from "pkg";
const resolved = import.meta.resolve("pkg");
Bun.resolveSync("pkg", process.cwd());

// ❌ These globals differ
process.hrtime()              // Use Bun.nanoseconds()
setImmediate()                // Use queueMicrotask()

// ✅ Bun-specific features
const file = Bun.file("./data.txt");  // Fast file API
Bun.serve({ port: 3000, fetch: ... }); // Fast HTTP server
Bun.password.hash(password);           // Built-in hashing

---

9. Performance Tips

9.1 Use Bun-native APIs

// Slow (Node.js compat)
import fs from 'fs/promises'
const content = await fs.readFile('./data.txt', 'utf-8')

// Fast (Bun-native)
const file = Bun.file('./data.txt')
const content = await file.text()

9.2 Use Bun.serve for HTTP

// Don't: Express/Fastify (overhead)
import express from 'express'
const app = express()

// Do: Bun.serve (native, 4-10x faster)
Bun.serve({
	fetch(req) {
		return new Response('Hello!')
	},
})

// Or use Elysia (Bun-optimized framework)
import {Elysia} from 'elysia'
new Elysia().get('/', () => 'Hello!').listen(3000)

9.3 Bundle for Production

# Always bundle and minify for production
bun build ./src/index.ts --outdir ./dist --minify --target node

# Then run the bundle
bun run ./dist/index.js

---

Quick Reference

Task	Command
Init project	bun init
Install deps	bun install
Add package	bun add <pkg>
Run script	bun run <script>
Run file	bun run file.ts
Watch mode	bun --watch run file.ts
Run tests	bun test
Build	bun build ./src/index.ts --outdir ./dist
Execute pkg	bunx <pkg>

---

Resources

• Bun Documentation
• Bun GitHub
• Elysia Framework
• Bun Discord