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Meheer Khan
Meheer Khan

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Bun vs npm: A Modern Take on JavaScript Package Management 🐰 vs 📦

#javascript #webdev #npm #productivity

Let's be honest. How many times have you cloned a repo, run npm install, and then gone to grab a coffee or scroll through Twitter because you knew it would take a while?

We've all been there. npm has been the trusty workhorse of JavaScript for years. But lately, a new tool named Bun has been showing up in everyone's feed, claiming to be lightning fast.

Is it just hype? Or is it actually time to switch?

I decided to pit them against each other in a real-world scenario. Here is what every developer needs to know.

1. The Setup: Installing Dependencies

This is the most noticeable difference. npm relies on Node.js, which is single-threaded. Bun is written in Zig (a low-level language) and is designed to be incredibly fast.

The Scenario

You just cloned a React project. It has 1,500 dependencies.

Using npm:

$ npm install
# ... [spinning cursor of doom] ...
# added 1560 packages, and audited 1561 packages in 42s
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Result: 42 seconds. You had time to check your Slack messages.

Using Bun:

$ bun install
# + react@18.2.0
# + lodash@4.17.21
# ... [instant scrolling text] ...
# 1560 packages installed [1.34s]
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Result: 1.3 seconds. You didn't even have time to put the coffee mug down.

Why does this matter?

Bun uses a global cache on your machine. If you install react in one project, and then install it in another, Bun doesn't download it again. It just links it. It’s like having a shared LEGO bucket instead of buying a new box every time.

2. Running Scripts: The "Drop-in" Replacement

The best part about Bun? You don't have to change your workflow. You can keep your package.json exactly as it is.

package.json:

{
  "scripts": {
    "dev": "vite",
    "build": "vite build"
  }
}
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Using npm:

npm run dev
> vite
  VITE v4.0.0  ready in 450 ms
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Using Bun:

bun run dev
> vite
  VITE v4.0.0  ready in 120 ms
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Bun replaces the node executable. When you run bun run dev, it's executing the scripts faster than Node would, often without you needing to change a single line of code.

3. TypeScript without the Config Drama

This is where Bun starts to feel like magic.

If you use npm, you usually need a build step (like tsc or esbuild) or a runtime loader to run TypeScript files directly. You can't just run node app.ts.

Bun runs TypeScript natively.

Imagine you have a simple server file:

// server.ts
console.log("Hello, World!");
const server = Bun.serve({
  port: 3000,
  fetch(req) {
    return new Response("Hello from Bun!");
  },
});
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How you run it with npm/Node:

# This usually fails unless you use ts-node
npx ts-node server.ts
# OR you have to build it first
npm run build
node dist/server.js
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How you run it with Bun:

bun server.ts
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That's it. It reads the TypeScript and executes it instantly. No compilation step, no config files. It just works.

4. The "All-in-One" Toolbelt

With npm, your package.json "devDependencies" section is usually huge. You install separate tools for everything:

  • jest for testing
  • webpack or vite for bundling
  • tsc for types
  • nodemon for watching files

Bun aims to replace all of them.

Example: Testing

With npm (Jest):

  1. Install jest: npm i -D jest
  2. Add config to package.json
  3. Run: npm test

With Bun:

  1. Write a test in test.test.ts
  2. Run: bun test 
$ bun test
test.test.ts:
✓ add [2.14ms]
✓ multiply [0.05ms]

 2 pass
 0 fail
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It has a test runner built right in. That's fewer packages to download and fewer security vulnerabilities to worry about.

The Verdict: Should You Switch?

Stick with npm if:

  • You are working on a massive enterprise app with 5 years of legacy scripts.
  • You rely on complex native modules (C++ bindings) that might break in Bun.
  • "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."

Switch to Bun if:

  • You are starting a new project.
  • You value speed (time is money, right?).
  • You are tired of managing 50 different devDependencies just to get a "Hello World" running.

My Take

I'm currently running Bun on all my personal projects. The speed difference is not a marketing gimmick; it genuinely makes coding more enjoyable. However, I still keep npm (and nvm) installed for production debugging and legacy client work.

The ecosystem is moving fast. Don't be surprised if in two years, Bun becomes the default choice for new JavaScript developers.

What do you think? Are you team 🐰 or team 📦? Let me know in the comments!

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