Transitioning from Node.js to Bun on Linux: A Complete Guide

Introduction

In the evolving world of JavaScript, Bun is quickly making a name for itself as a high-performance runtime environment that's compatible with Node.js but significantly faster. This guide will walk you through the basics of getting started with Bun on a Linux system, and how it compares to the traditional Node.js setup.

Installation

Step 1: Install Bun

To install Bun on your Linux system, open your terminal and run the following command:

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

This command downloads and installs Bun, automatically adding it to your path for immediate use.

Basic Commands

Here are some basic Bun commands to get you started:

• Run a script: bun run app.js
• Install a package: bun add express

Creating a Web Server with Express

Let's create a simple web server using Express. First, install Express using Bun:

bun add express

Then, create a file named app.js and add the following code:

import express from 'express';

const app = express();
const port = 3000;

app.get('/', (req, res) => {
  res.send('Hello World with Bun!');
});

app.listen(port, () => {
  console.log(`Server listening at http://localhost:${port}`);
});

Run your server with:

bun run app.js

Differences from Node.js

Bun is designed to be faster and more efficient than Node.js:

• Performance: Uses a high-speed JavaScript engine.
• Built-in package manager: Simplifies your workflow by integrating package management.

Conclusion

Transitioning to Bun can significantly enhance your development workflow and application performance. Give it a try and see the difference for yourself!