Bun Development

⚡ 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?

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', 'alice@example.com');

// Query
const query = db.prepare('SELECT * FROM users WHERE name = ?');
const user = query.get('Alice');
console.log(user); // { id: 1, name: "Alice", email: "alice@example.com" }

// 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 fs from 'fs';
import path from 'path';
import crypto from 'crypto';

// 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

Resources

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