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Comparison guide

Bun-shell vs Zx

Side-by-side NPM package comparison

Quick Verdict

Smallest Bundle

Bun-shell

62.0 B gzipped

Most Popular

Zx

2.2M weekly downloads

Best Maintained

Zx

40/100 maintenance score

Highest Quality

Bun-shell

50/100 quality score

Overall Pick

Zx

Best all-around based on popularity, size, maintenance & quality

Version 0.0.1

0
43
Fair
Weekly Downloads
13
300%
Bundle (gzip)
62.0 B
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
20
Popularity
10
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70
zx icon

zx

Very Popular

Version 8.8.5

0
67
Good

A tool for writing better scripts

Weekly Downloads
2.2M
4%
Bundle (gzip)
117.8 KB
Updated
Vulns
0

Health Score Breakdown

Maintenance
40
Popularity
100
Quality
50
Security
100
Stability
70

Choosing between Bun-shell and Zx? Here's a data-driven comparison based on real npm data — downloads, bundle size, health scores, and more — to help you decide which package fits your project best.

Downloads & Popularity

Zx leads with 2.2M weekly downloads — roughly 167805.4x more. Bun-shell has 13 weekly downloads. Higher download counts generally indicate broader community adoption and a larger ecosystem of tutorials, plugins, and support.

Bundle Size

Bun-shell has the smallest gzipped bundle at 62.0 B. Zx comes in at 117.8 KB. A smaller bundle size means faster page loads, which improves user experience and Core Web Vitals scores.

Health Score Comparison

Zx has an overall health score of 67/100 (good), with strong security, popularity scores. Bun-shell has an overall health score of 43/100 (moderate), with strong security scores. Health scores are calculated from maintenance activity, code quality, security posture, popularity, and stability metrics.

When to Choose Each

Choose Bun-shell if you value minimal bundle footprint, strong security track record. Choose Zx if you value large community support, strong security track record.

Our Verdict

Both Bun-shell and Zx are solid choices for JavaScript development. Zx has the edge in overall health score (67/100), while each package brings unique strengths to the table. Evaluate them based on your project's priorities — whether that's community size, bundle efficiency, or maintenance activity — and choose the one that aligns best with your requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is bun-shell better than zx?
It depends on your needs. Bun-shell has a health score of 43/100 while Zx scores 67/100. Zx has more weekly downloads (2.2M), suggesting broader adoption. Consider your specific requirements — bundle size, community support, and feature set — to decide which is the better fit.
Which has a smaller bundle size, bun-shell or zx?
Bun-shell has the smaller gzipped bundle at 62.0 B. A smaller bundle means faster load times for your users, which can positively impact SEO and user experience.
How many developers use bun-shell vs zx?
Based on npm download statistics, Bun-shell has approximately 13 weekly downloads and Zx has approximately 2.2M weekly downloads. These numbers reflect package installations, not unique developers, but they indicate relative adoption levels.
Which is better maintained, bun-shell or zx?
Zx currently has the higher overall health score at 67/100. Bun-shell has a maintenance score of 20/100 and Zx scores 40/100 on maintenance.

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